Blast From My Past #1: Never Leave the PA System On
Before I begin, a little background/exposition: In the early summer of 1984, I moved up from Houston to a small town in Southeastern Oklahoma called Broken Bow (the future site of First Contact with the Klingons!), where I would graduate from high school.
When I started school, I was informed by my counselor that since for some reason they had not received my credits from the schools I had attended before coming here, I was going to have to repeat my Junior year. That lasted approximately two weeks (during which time I accidentally dropped the f-bomb in open class--but that's another story), when I was called into the counselor's office and told the good and bad news: First, my credits from X school had come in, so I was a senior! However, my English requirements had not been met, and in order to meet them I would have to take TWO English classes. Okay, fine. I ended up taking Senior English and Junior English at the same time.
Shortly afterwards, I was again called into the counselor's office. Turned out MORE credits came in and so my requirements were complete for just about everything else. Except English. So in the 4 1/2 credits I needed to graduate, I was still in Senior English, but was moved into Freshman English. It is here where our story begins.
My desk was situated in the front row. It was not always this way; I used to sit in the back but got reassigned. But one day we all were just doing our schoolwork thing in virtual silence when Lisa Rose (a fellow senior) came into the classroom to talk to Mrs. Meadows (our teacher). While this happened, the PA system came on and someone made an announcement. I listened, shrugged, went back to work. But I noticed something was not quite right: The system had not been turned completely off. I could hear this hum that lasted several minutes and even though I kept doing what I was supposed to I was always aware of this.
And then, suddenly, it stopped. I figured someone must have realized it was still on and turned it off. So all was right with the world. Except two minutes later it came back on. That got my full attention and looking up at the speaker without warning I heard this sound that for all the world resembled a Don Martin sound effect: KLOOOON!
I cackled at the sound, only to have my laugh repeated in a mocking echo from someone in the back. That did it. I promptly removed my scarf from my pocket and placed it over my face, laughing hysterically. After a couple minutes I regained my composure, took the scarf away and was treated to a sight I will never forget: Mrs. Meadows was giving me a very dirty look while Lisa stood there teary-eyed in her brave fight to keep from laughing herself. I guess seeing a jiggling body mass will do that to you.
When I started school, I was informed by my counselor that since for some reason they had not received my credits from the schools I had attended before coming here, I was going to have to repeat my Junior year. That lasted approximately two weeks (during which time I accidentally dropped the f-bomb in open class--but that's another story), when I was called into the counselor's office and told the good and bad news: First, my credits from X school had come in, so I was a senior! However, my English requirements had not been met, and in order to meet them I would have to take TWO English classes. Okay, fine. I ended up taking Senior English and Junior English at the same time.
Shortly afterwards, I was again called into the counselor's office. Turned out MORE credits came in and so my requirements were complete for just about everything else. Except English. So in the 4 1/2 credits I needed to graduate, I was still in Senior English, but was moved into Freshman English. It is here where our story begins.
My desk was situated in the front row. It was not always this way; I used to sit in the back but got reassigned. But one day we all were just doing our schoolwork thing in virtual silence when Lisa Rose (a fellow senior) came into the classroom to talk to Mrs. Meadows (our teacher). While this happened, the PA system came on and someone made an announcement. I listened, shrugged, went back to work. But I noticed something was not quite right: The system had not been turned completely off. I could hear this hum that lasted several minutes and even though I kept doing what I was supposed to I was always aware of this.
And then, suddenly, it stopped. I figured someone must have realized it was still on and turned it off. So all was right with the world. Except two minutes later it came back on. That got my full attention and looking up at the speaker without warning I heard this sound that for all the world resembled a Don Martin sound effect: KLOOOON!
I cackled at the sound, only to have my laugh repeated in a mocking echo from someone in the back. That did it. I promptly removed my scarf from my pocket and placed it over my face, laughing hysterically. After a couple minutes I regained my composure, took the scarf away and was treated to a sight I will never forget: Mrs. Meadows was giving me a very dirty look while Lisa stood there teary-eyed in her brave fight to keep from laughing herself. I guess seeing a jiggling body mass will do that to you.