Need Nitro for the pool....

Everyone makes Friday the official plans making day, well Bancroft was no different. We would usually start in school with the plans and then solidify them by days end. I don't know what the big deal was because usually it was the same, camping out, just depended on whose yard. Our favorite thing to do though was stay up all night at someones house (outside in a tent), and then go around the neighbor hood getting bottles to cash in for money for the pool.

We usually went to Nitros pool because my Dad worked close to it and he could drop us off in the morning and then pick us up after he was off. Yeah we didnt have cell phones to call anyone and 2 cars was rare as most Moms stayed at home back then.

I still remember the last time we did this. It was summer and this new drink came out that supposedly had double the caffiene, JOLT cola! Yeah that was music to our ears. We had the Jolt and this time was Charlies house for the night. His parents had acquired a camper and that meant no tent (well so me and Charlie thought).

Darkness fell and that usually meant the night started with whatever bottle rockets we had scrounged up. We would take our Wiffle ball bats and use them like a shoulder fired rocket for our bottle rockets. All Wiffle ball bats have a hole in the handle of them. You place the bat on your shoulder, load it with a rocket, and have your best friend light it and yell, "Fire in the Hole!" Good times, good times! This night Missy had ran us off from Charlies house by saying she was going to tell Mom (which meant me and Charlie would have to go inside). We headed to the park! There were a couple of metal slides just straight with a couple of different angles. We lined the bottom of the slide up with rockets facing up the slide. Lit them all at once and well....THEY BLEW UP!

After we were out of rockets it was on to collecting. Now collecting was not for the weak, Dogs, fences, flood lights, and many more obstacles made things difficult. I still remember the house by the park had two german shepards and we could never get past them without those dogs barking. Myself and Charlie searched the neighborhood over and found enough for us and his sister to go swimming. We headed back to his house and the comfort of a camper (so we thought).

Upon returning to the camper, Missy, Charlies oldest sister and Anna our big Sis had locked us out! This was a battle that would be fought the whole night! Morning would come and that meant pool time. We spent the whole day in the hot sun swimming hard (well except those few times a day where everyone had to get out! Grrrrrrr I hated and still hate those checks!).

I am telling you this story because I went home layed down on the couch and slept for about 24 hours. It was the best sleep I have ever gotten. Everything was right with the world at that point. It seems that day ended summer and everybody grew up instantly. I want to say thanks to my friends and the memories!