2.) What one memory from your childhood always makes you smile, no matter what?
I'm using the term "childhood" loosly. But it was probably a really good thing that I wasn't a legal adult when this happened because instead of a trip to the county jail, (meant to scare me straight) I might have been looking at real jail time; more likely a really big fine and a grounding for life. That's right I have been arrested--ONCE! Ok maybe
I was a junior in high school and was hanging out with some upper classmen, which wasn't a regular occurrence for me. We decided to go cruising in a nearby town. After cruising "The Square" (The Square is just that. It's a square block around a park that all of the kids used to cruise. Quite possibly the most ridiculous cruise ever since you could walk across it faster than you could drive it.) for about an hour we were getting bored. I didn't even hear the plan that was being hatched in the front seat of the borrowed convertible because of the loud music and honking horns. But the next thing I knew the driver had parked the car and everyone was hopping out. After a moment sitting alone in the parked car I got out too and followed my companions. By the time I reached the fountain the laughter, squealing and screaming had begun--and so had the foaming....
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| This is the fountain--minus the suds. |
Two large bottles of dish soap were churning away and the foam was sent airborne.
The next thing I knew, there were sirens in the distance and my companions were hooting and dragging me back to the parked car. As they ran they tossed the empty soap bottles into the fountain. I had a hard time making my feet move and tearing my eyes off the foam that was spreading out across the grass.
We got five blocks away before the cops pulled us over. The green convertible was a little obvious as was the speed at which we were leaving the scene. We were instructed to follow the officer to the station and our driver complied, although there was talk about trying to make a getaway.
The officer escorted us into the station where we were asked whose parents needed notified. There was a brief discussion and a lot of crying but finally one set of parents was decided on and called. After about 40 minutes one of my companion's dad showed up, unshaven and in a bathrobe and assured the officer that we would be "taken care of and thank you for your time". The convertible was driven home by my companion's mother and we were railed at by the bathrobe attired dad.
When it was all said and done we got off really easy. We "volunteered" to do some community service, of which I'm pretty sure I'm the only one that completed it, and our parents were never informed. That's right. My folks didn't find out about this until nearly 15 years later! Small town life is very good..... *smile*
** The second arrest occurred in college. I was an Art major and the students caught wind of a HUGE budget cut. Sixty scholarships were on the cutting block along with a nearly a 25% budget cut. We picketed. There may have been some some defacing of property (sidewalk chalk) and we may have unintentionally trapped students in one of the cafeterias. I was taken, along with many other students, away in a paddy wagon and released a short time later. Only one student was actually charged with anything and she
** The third arrest was a charity event. I signed up to participate so the cops showed up at my work, cuffed me and took me away in a squad car. Once at the station I was printed and photographed and allowed to call friends, family, business associates, etc to raise the bail money. The entire time we were treated to coffee and donuts (of course). It was WAY fun and raised a lot of money for a local charity.
Peace Out!
This post was inspired by Mama Kat's Pretty Much World Famous Writing Workshop.
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