Trouble

Most of you have most likely already heard this story. So that is just too bad for you. I have a dummy that looks very realistic. Lately, I have put this dummy on people's poaches, next to the road, and in other places where we can see peoples reaction to it.

One night we decided to put this dummy on the Mormon missionaries doorstep. Elder Ammot is a cool guy and is relaxed, but Elder Totten is a little up tight (Elder is a title for missionaries and not their first names). We put it on their apartment poach and knocked. Then we ran around the corner of their apartment where they couldn't see us. Elder Totten came out and said in a very friendly voice, "Hello!” And then he said in a scared voice “Hi?" Then he slammed the door shut and locked it. When doing this prank to other people, we would usually come out and say, “Ha ha! We got you good,” and we would all laugh about it. But this time was different.

I knocked three more times in an attempt to tell them that it was a joke, but they would not open the door. We thought that it would be funny to to make things worse. I put the dummy on the ground and ran it over so that the car's tire was on top of it. Then, I called their phone and told them that I was coming to talk to them and had run some guy over in their driveway. Elder Totten had already called the police, ( a non emergency number) and then he called again to tell them that there was a dead man on their poach.

When they finally came outside, we standing next to the dummy, with the car still on top of it, and we were asking it if it was alright ( it did not respond). James grabbed it's leg and bent it in a way that would be impossible if it actually was a real person. The elders looked at him as if to say, “Do you have no respect for the dead?” but then my laugh gave it away. Ammot asked, “That is not real. Right?” By the time that they had found out that this was a joke, there was already two ambulance, a fire truck, and a several police on their way to the apartment. I was nervously laughing about it when two policemen arrived. James held it up when they arrived. The police officer shined her light into our eyes and immediately grabbed her radio and said in an irritated tone, “It is a joke.” Luckily, I was not arrested. The only harm done was Elder Totten was traumatized and shaking.

Back In My Day

     At one time or another we have all heard someone, usually an older person, say something along the lines of , “Back in my day,” or “When I was young.” A few of my friends made up some “back in my day sayings” of our own. Some of these were, “Back in my day, we didn’t have no stinking computers or televisions. We would read markings on the rocks for entertainment.” “Back in my day there wasn’t no such thing as music. Instead, I was too busy listening to the sound of our crying after I got a good beating.” “Back in my day we would walk thirty miles to the bus stop at two o’clock in the morning so that we could go to school. Did I mention that this walk is uphill both ways?I was grateful for my schooling. I did not complain about no homework. I did my homework, made breakfast, tended the sheep, and sowed my trousers while I walked the thirty miles. If I was crying, I actually had a reason.” We made hundreds of these jokes that made us laugh so hard that we cried. We do not completely doubt the words of our elders, but we realize that they are experts in the art of sarcasm.

     I feel bad for the people who live in the past. The highlight of their lives was high school. I am not saying that I have not enjoyed High school, but I am saying that I expect my life to improve. Don't think that your life is over after graduation. I pity people who graduate and then decide to stay in Holbrook for the rest of their lives without furthering their education and living with their parents until they are thirty. Make something of yourself.

     I heard someone say that once you graduate, you become a guest in your parents house. It is alright to visit for a few weeks but don't depend on them to support you. Don't be the person who teenagers laugh at because you live in the past. Live right now.

Switchbacks

After backpacking in New Mexico for two weeks, the last day on the trail had finally come. Not only was this the last day, but it was also the worst day of my existence. Only fifteen miles stood between us and the end of our savage mountain man lives. I smelled like a rancid mess but had become numb to my own odor. We began to hike with no problems and no worries. We hiked up a side trail to the top of an ginormous rock known as the tooth of time. The top of this rock was the breeding grounds for thousands and maybe millions of lady bugs. Rex Self grabbed and handful of these bugs and was about to put them on James who is terrified of insects. James hit his hand from underneath, and Rex happened to have his mouth wide open. His mouth was filled with these bugs, that were covered in reproductive... juices.

After returning to the trail we found that we had come to switchbacks. Switchbacks are trails that are too steep to walk strait up or down so you are forced to walk back and forth down the trail so that the angle of decent or accent is greatly decreased. Although the trail is not nearly as steep, the length that you are required to walk is doubled. We could see our destination for the entire fifteen miles, but we were forced to stay on the trail and walk left, then right, and then back right.

As much as I hated the switchbacks, I knew that they were there for my own good. If I had chosen to disregard the trail and walk strait down the mountain, it more than likely would have resulted in someone falling, a broken ankle or another injury. Many rules that we encounter may seem ridiculous and without purpose, but they are for our own good and protection. All rules and guidelines are created because someone, somewhere was hurt. For example, I used to think that the rule ,”No running next to the pool,” was ridiculous until I witnessed someone fall and get a big booboo. As I said, all rules are made because someone got hurt.

My advice to you is obey the rules. If you are having trouble accepting a rule or guideline, think about why that rule was put in place. In this case, please don't “break a leg”.