Percy observed elementary school children wearing vibrant T-shirts from their various day camps, which made him feel a sense of longing. He reminisced about his own experiences at Camp Half-Blood, where he should have been spending his summer, engaging in activities he loved, such as sword-fighting and playing pranks on fellow campers.

This contrast between the ordinary summer camp experience of the kids and the thrilling adventures he missed brought a wave of nostalgia to Percy. He realized that these children were oblivious to the extraordinary and chaotic nature of true summer camps, like his beloved Camp Half-Blood.