No Swimming Pools Allowed at School

It doesn’t matter that it’s freezing cold outside, or we’ve only had maybe two days without rain out of the last gazillion. Or that everyone you meet is so sick of the gray drizzle they can’t think straight. The outcome might have been different had we been living in one of those poor places going through a heat wave. But since we don’t it probably doesn’t matter.

Abner has a creativity streak a mile wide. Probably inherited it from me (poor kid) but instead of being creatively crafty he is creatively adventurous.

Insanely our school district is still in school. I know we must be the last on the planet to let out for summer. But you can tell it’s almost here because nothing is being taught anymore, videos are being shown, books read and finals are over. It’s party time at school, for the next week or so.

So Abner get’s this brilliant idea that it would be fun to fill up the bed of our super duper full sized truck with some liner and ice water. Ice water because it came from the hose and its still winter here regardless of what the calendar says. Here is Abner and his warmly dressed friends at their pool party dress rehersal. They had to make sure the old tailgate and tires could handle the additional pressure of a new man-made lake.

And wouldn’t it be fun if he just happened to drive that truck like a turtle, or else the lake would slosh all over, to the school parking lot so that he and his friends could have a few minutes of fun at lunchtime playing in their redneck swimming pool.

Now Abner is not a rebel by any means. I’ve rarely gotten a report card where the teacher doesn’t mention that he’s a pleasure to have in class. In fact, teachers seek him out and practically beg him to take their continuing classes the following year. However, being the most likable, respectful dude at school doesn’t prohibit the school principal from enacting brand new school rules entirely for his benefit. Like the time Abner took a toaster to school as a freshman because he wanted something different for lunch. No you can’t bring toasters to school because with an electrical cord and what-not they could easily disguise a bomb; you little wanna-be terrorist.

New School Rule #1 – No toasters at school.

He did get away with bringing a waffle iron this year and was the hit of the lunchroom crowd who gladly begged for a waffle bite to wash down their rubber burritos. Maybe the principal was gone that day. Who knows?

So anyway back to the original story. Mr. Principle meets the Abner and a couple of his friends and a few more gawkers in the parking lot at lunch. The boys had stripped down to their very modest, it wouldn’t even embarrass grandma, board short swimwear and were ready to take their polar bear dip in the back of the truck. But no.

New School Rule #2 – No Swimming allowed at school.

He did mention that they got an A for creativity and originality (should have had him put that in writing or on the report card), but if they proceeded to swim in the dangerous foot deep water they would get a D for detention.

Abner was tempted but seeing that he is a very likable and respectful person he declined from breaking this brand new school rule. I mean you have to respect the principle. If he let Abner get away with bringing a truck to school then soon everyone would be bringing their own personal Jacuzzis filled with freezing water in frigid weather to school. And you wouldn’t want a bunch of kids in modest swimwear running around because that would tarnish the schools non-hick image and administrators just couldn’t have that.

After school hours are different. So after school Abner hopped in the ice tub with a friend then quickly hopped out. At least they could say they swam at school. Unfortunately he forgot his camera. Sigh! That would have been a keeper. He then proceeded leave a large puddle in the middle of the school parking lot to serve as a reminder that his creativity is still intact.

I kind of feel sorry for kids nowadays, because of the climate of fear and paranoia so prevalent in society, they are going to have to carefully re-think spontaneity and creativity which will limit some of the fun things they can do. Hopefully it will lead to them being even more creative than we were at their age, instead of the opposite.

And no, I haven’t forgotten to post about my War with the Clutter Monster Dream – but Friday isn’t over yet is it?