In The Minds of Teenage Boys Comes Mayhem

I was waiting to tell this story to package it together with something else, but it's too cute not to tell. Especially since August is when many members of the family are starting to think of and work on their halloween costumes.

An Inspiration for Carnivore?

Yeah, I know it sounds juvenile, but Halloween has always been a family favorite. This year, I've been invited to a very special engagment for a dear friend, so I've got to think of perfecting my ghoulish looks.

One year, Peter got punished for a prank that he and Josh dreamed up. They decided to take a scarecrow type figure - a man fully clothed and stuffed with newspaper- put a noose around his neck, put a long rope tied to that noose around a limb of a large tree in front of Josh's house. They positioned the rope over the street with the scarecrow man dangling from the tree in the middle of the street.

When a car came down the street, the boys would let the rope go and the "man" would fall from the tree almost like he was jumping infront of the car. You'd hear the screeching of tires, the screaming of the driver and the giggling of two teen boys with nothing better to do but cause mayhem.

I remember sitting there and watching as car after car drove down the street and the boys doing their nasty deed. Finally, Pete's father found out and flipped out. I don't believe there were any accidents that I remember, but it was not a good thing. Nettie also found out that the boys had used one of her hats to create a head on the "man" and she was furious that they stole her items.

After the punishment was over, the boys renewed their mayhem by placing the scarecrow man over a different tree limb that towered over the sidewalk in front of Josh's house. They ran the rope over the limb and up to Josh's bedroom window so they could spy a lady walking down the street from the second floor. I remember because my sister and I were riding our bikes up and down the street when they did the gag on us first. Then, we sat next door on (Northern Lights) Dennis' old house and watched Josh and Peter pulled the rope up and let it down to scare unsuspecting pedestrian. God it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. People would really freak out, scream, cry ... it was fantastic !

It was a good trick ... one of my favorites ... I just wish someone would have snapped a photo of the "scare man" before it was put away. I wonder if Josh still has that thing somewhere?

If you don't like the Beatles Pass This Up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6WNWiGkJYk