-Maniacal grin-

Okay, it's time for a story. I can never get tired of telling this.

It was getting on in the competition season for marching band, so Ms. Davis, our -coff- beloved -coff- band director sceduled an extra-long practice.

(Nah, Ms. Davis is cool. I was just being silly)

It began at 9 am, I dun remember when it was supposed to end since we got out early, between 1 pm and 2 pm. Yeah, waay early.

So it was our lunch break, right? Several of us had scarfed down our lunches within 10 to 20 minutes, so we had the rest of an hour to kill. Oh boy, high school students with free time in the school grounds with no supervision, this is a recipe for disaster.

We were sitting in the back of the auditorium, since the bulk of us eat lunch in the lobby of the auditorium or sitting on the stage. So, there were about six or seven of us, and someone said "I wonder what it'd be like to sled down that hill?" He was referring to the incline between the back and front row of seats. This was the point where I got involved. Yes, I had a part in it. Aren't you impressed?

I went into the lobby, looked around, and spotted one of those big trashcans sitting on a rolling platform. Oho yes, this is where it gets interesting. I drag it back to the auditoruim and let the others go to town, since beyond providing the instrument I wasn't inclined to particpate. Smart of me.

First they take the can off the platform, and a few people take turns rolling down the slope sitting and/or lying on it. Oh, it gets worse. Obviously most everyone ends up falling off, or getting dislodged in some way, shape, or form, which is to be expected.

Then someone got the bright idea to... oh, this is the fun part. They take the bag out of the trashcan and put the now empty can back into its platform. You know what comes next, somebody gets in. He's given a hearty shove and sent rolling down the slope, grinning like an idiot. About halfway down something snags a chair leg, and the whole shabang tips over. Everyone had been tittering since he got into the can, but now it became full-blown laughter, and I mean it. Everyone was cracking up, laughing fit to burst.

Okay, here's where we need to pause so I can describe the layout of the auditorium.

After the front row of seats there is an empty walking space, then there's a low-set platform up against the stage. At this point a desk and some boxes and textbooks were on the platform, probably from drama club.

So, now our resident maniacal senior, Preston, steps up to the plate. Oh, this is the best part.

He gets into the can, he's so lanky his legs tucked against his chest are deforming the sides of the plastic trashcan. Then someone grabs the rim of the can, and runs with it. He lets go about halfway down, and stands there grinning. Preston in his trashcan carreens down the rest of the aisle, rotating so that by the time he gets to the platform he's facing the far wall. Then the can smashes into the platform, overbalances, and sends the can with Preston inside crashing into the desk. The laughter has picked back up by now.

I was giggling myself, but a thought in the back of my mind said, Holy shit if Preston is hurt we're all in so much shit!! Holy shit!!

But soon enough Preston climbs out of the overturned can, stands up, throws his arms over his head and whoops. Phew!

Someone fishes under the platfrom and retrieves the rolling thing for the can and lugs it back up. Oh, the desk, it had been parallel to the edge of the platform, but now it's at a 45 degree angle. Poor desk, Preston's head must've hit it hard...

The story doesn't end here!!

Preston, believe it or now, did it again.

The blockhead.

The second time was much like the first, but half the band had been corralled to come watch this time.

When he hit the platform the second time he stayed down for longer, someone jogged down to make sure he was all right. It turns out he was just dazed from the impact and was fine.

He's agreed to do it yet a third time if we can get a camera and film it to send to America's Funniest Home Videos.