MaineCourse

Fireworks

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We were invited to an early spring barbecue at the Hopkin’s Saturday night, and I raised a hot topic Diane and I had been “fighting “ (her word) about. I called it a moral dilemma.

Matt wants to go camping in Gilsum (in Maine, he kept asking, “Why come here when we can go to Ed’s place), but bring, not just Robby, Daryl, Chris and maybe Joe, but also, Sarah, Courtney, Kathy and Celeste. Seemed to me, at first, to be a good idea, so I jumped right on that moving train, and encouraged him to set a date. Diane also likes the camping idea, however, being the responsible parent, HATES my plan of a community tarp under which they all sleep. She wants two tents, one for girls, one for boys, and maybe a third, ours, in between.

We were talking about this on our way home from dinner on Friday, and the discussion got so heated, we skipped Willow Books. By Saturday morning, I awoke agreeing with Diane, but by Saturday night I had flopped back to my original position. That’s why I asked Bob and Mary for their opinion. If I was looking for support and not simply clarity, I was in the wrong house. To no one’s surprise they both lined up, steadfastly, with Diane.

I said that Matthew, from the beginning, knew my position, and he knew his mom’s. And Matt is nothing if not opportunistic. Diane and I most times - thanks to Diane’s prescient persistence - maintain a united front. Grades, curfews and the like, he knows he can’t crack us. It’s two against one. But sleeping in the woods with his friends, well, he saw the wedge and he knew he had to separate to conquer.

As I was driving them home, late Thursday night:

Chris. “How many cars do we need for Gilsum?”
Matt. “Two.”
Robby. “Who will drive?”
Matt. “My mom will...but I don’t know if she wants to come.”
Robby. “How about Adam?”
Matt, turning to me, “You know, Robby really likes Adam.”
Robby. “Adam’s da man!”
Sarah. “I like him too.”
Chris. “You know Adam?”
Sarah. “I met him twice.”
Robby. “Maybe Adam could borrow a van and drive.”

I put my brain on record for this conversation. First, those boys never talk about liking an adult, secondly, here they were conspiring to have Adam borrow (or rent?) a van, so they wouldn’t be limited to eight friends. And they had also nudged the responsible parent right out the door. The truth is, Diane loves to camp in Gilsum, and she loves Matt’s friends. She would be a perfect companion, but she’d also be a chaperone.

After a day helping our Townsendite children install a child corral (fence), I stopped off at Mike & Diane's on the way home to pick up the housekeys I'd inadvertently left in the truck upon returning from Maine. This topic came up. I got to be Mike AND get swayed by Diane all in under ten minutes.

I was once 17, with a 15-year-old girlfriend, and a great deal of luck bolstered what little common sense we could muster to prevent early parenthood. And alcohol wasn't even a factor -- just those other intoxicants, testoterone & lust.

I'm on the fence. Could be fun. But I'm leery of my ratification by The Tribe -- is it simply because they think I might, or because they see me as empathetic, thus permissible? Did they really try to end run Diane, or did they just choose not to assume her participation? And if they've been this band this long, with no evident couples, is lust even an issue? Especially in cold, spooky woodlands....... Or who are we kidding?

Tangled webs all 'round.........

Posted by Da Man.

See adam, this is why we love you.
And this apparent ditching of my mother is not for my benefit, but more for hers. You see, we all know that if she were up there she would not have a good time, she would be worrying and always nervous about what was going on. And yes maybe it would put a damper on our fun as well. as to "tangled webs all 'round" , just no, we are mostly just good friends and have been for a while.

Posted by Halarious.

AND THE WORD CAME DOWN FROM THE HEAVENS WITH THUNDER AND LIGHTNING!!!

COMMANDMENT #1 MOM'S RIGHT

--the owner

Posted by rakkity.

I am not sure which I find more edifying reading:
Parental endorsement of a sure-to-be hormonally-charged, coed sleepover for 16-year-olds.
or
The vivid description of the p--ping (blog censorship would not allow me to post with the oo between the p's) ritual of a fifty-something camper.

Oi vey.

Rakkity knows whereof he speaks!

Posted by Not wanting to be.

Let them go have fun. They'll be fine without chaperones. This should probably be the least of your worries about your children.

Posted by reason.

The responses have been great. I expected an onslaught of the usual, listen to Diane, she is always right, comments. So there, Diane, I’m not so off the wall. I’m going to stay in Hilarious’s corner, mostly because Reason, sounded so, well, reasonable. Of course I am the guy who gave the keys to Travis the first summer he turned sixteen and said, sure, take everyone you can find to the movies. And then put him on a four seater in Stow with Damone, so they could fly around our neighborhood.

Posted by Michael.

Not sure this is a moral dilemma. More a matter of common sense which I think with teenagers we need to have as they often don't (sorry Matt). See, forgetting the hormonally charged stuff, someone is bound to feel funny under the tent with everyone else and for that reason alone it's probably not a good idea. For the record, keeping a united front as ones kids get older does get tougher. It's a lot easier to be united when the question is what time is bedtime then it is when the question is who can they sleep with at bedtime under specific circumstances. Listen to Diane, she is always right.

Posted by browbeater.

You old folks are too far removed from the issue. They'll be fine.

Posted by reason.

Or, if you're concerned send them with a gross of condoms and make sure they don't drive home until they sober up.

Posted by unreasonable.

Touche` x 2

Posted by Michael.

Wow u guys are so up tight. (GO MATT AND ALL OF US). So with that said I'm rooting for mike. STAND your ground man!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Chris the camper.

All right, i dont mean to sound condesending to whoever these people leaving negative comments are. But someone is going to feel weird under the tent? All right, we are teenagers, aren't we supposed to feel awkward? This camping trip is nothing to worry about, just a bunch of friends hanging out under the stars in front of a campfire. Its Gilsum for one night, nothing bad can happen. And i would like to think that we have a bit of common sense, although i admit there might not be much.
anyway, the camping trip is a good idea.

Posted by halarious2.

oh yes adam,
the reason we want you to go is because your competence makes up for some of my father's.... lack there of. That and you are a laid back guy who seems to enjoy the trips as much as us.

Posted by halariousforgot.

On the other hand, they're not MY kids....send them with a gross of condoms, how very responsible. Why didn't Diane think of that.

Posted by browbeater.

I'm holding firm, Chris the camper, in the face of a withering assault. But be forewarned, if I win and something bad happens in those woods ... .

Posted by Michael.

hmmmm...... heres what i think. the fact that we are boys and girls can be troublesome for an adult/parent. BUT, were not stupid and were not gonna do anything drastic to upset anyone... well sexually or whatever. and i have to agree with whoever said that weve been a group for a while without any of us going out with eachother, so theres nothing to worry about.... yet, HAHAHAHA(evil laugh). So RELAX, take a deep breath, and stop bugging us and let us go camping. WE ONLY GET TO LIVE ONCE AND WERE STUCK IN ACTON. WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOoooo!!!!! I RULE!!!

Posted by t-shirt and sneakers.

YES t-shirt and sneakers you do rule. Think of how much richer the caamping trip will be with the opinion of the other sex. Boys all ways are ruff and tuff. Girls could make thing more diverse and interesting. Camping is about experiencing the full wonders of nature. Remember this is about teamwork. TEAMWORK!!!! Most of the time we will be hunting eachother anyway. GO US AND ME!!!!!!!

Posted by THE GOOSEMAN.

Oh for heaven's sake. I'd trust each of you guys with my life.

But...
I would like to hear from some girls
And their mothers
And their fathers
And some other mothers.

Posted by wetblanket.

well if you want to hear from them you gotta call them or get them to join out little chat thingy on this website, so start callin!

Posted by t-shirt and sneakers.

And some other fathers. (How could I forget?)

Posted by wetblanketps.

I talked to one mother and one father (they happened to share the same house) tonight, and it looks like this event will happen. But on one condition: They asked what adults were going and I said Adam and I. That means all you interested parties better well plead with Da Man because he hasn't yet committed.

It's the fifteenth, right?

Posted by Michael.

No pleading necessary -- the effusive (if perhaps misplaced) goodwill is more than sufficient. Anything for a flirt with infamy and some more literary fodder.

Posted by Da Man.

Alright, so it seems as if it is to late to back out now. Parents have been called, dates have been set. Everything is turning out perfect. And luckily, da man, has agreed to going. Could things be any more perfect.... we shall find out.
Thank you to all those who endorsed the trip as a good idea, it was very helpful in convincing everyone else that nothing would go wrong. And i still stand by my statement, that nothing will go wrong. Everything is going to be peachy and we are going to have a great time. Yes mom, peoples parents are being talked to.
Go da man, infamy is yours. Soon to be solidified on the world wide web.
Anyway, back to class.
Bye

Posted by Happening.

my mom is going to be in spain from the 7th to the 21st so i beleive we will be able to take my van if we need which i think we probably will in order to bring up more people. |That is unless oyuve already found a van r something to borrow. but if you need in just give my mom a ring and set things up for that weekend.

Posted by t-shirt and sneakers.

Hil left a comment on a past blog entry indicating she is joining the group. Which is fantastic. But it means it's time that one of youse guys (t-shirt?) provides a list of who is coming so we can arrange transport. Will Adam's car be enough? Or t-shirt's mom's van? Or a Greyhound bus?

And while we are getting down to the nitty gritty I feel compelled to describe some of what I expect.

1. No Maine sized fires.
2. We are totally alone near Ed's cabin, so scream as loud as you want. But when we are in the vicinity of other inhabited dwellings - Dennis and Sandy’s for instance, we will all act like civilized human beings. I know, you all do anyway, but that one is important to me.
3. Our midnight, non-illuminated walk to the pond means we all look out for one another.If someone gets pushed into the water it better not be one of the girls.
4. Related to #3, we all come home alive and with all of our parts still attached.
5. Also related to #3, after the walk back from the pond, everyone remains at the campsite. No wandering off into the pitch black, bear infested woods where aliens with nets are waiting to abduct and study earth’s teenagers. Force them to steal someone else’s kids.

Posted by #1 Chaperone.

well first of all how many ppl can adams car fit? bc if im gonna make a list of ppl im gonna need to know how many are able to join our little trip into the wilderness. that is unless you actually rent a bus cuz that would be amazing and i would love you forever, but its okay if you dont.

Posted by t-shirt and sneakers.

#1 chaperone's list seems to not address any of the concerns that would keep the young adults from going on their own. Although, it might assuage other parents reading this, until they got here.

Posted by reasonable.

we could always bring up two vans, couldnt we? that'd make more room. and yes, i am coming. and i dont think its a problem with my parents. i've been sleeping near and around guys for weekends at a time (religious stuff, my dudical friends) and nothing goes wrong. you seem to think that teenagers only think about sex -- wrong my friends. but good try. we'll be careful. and us girls CAN take care of ourselves. i mean, look at who we have to deal with! chillax, its going to rock.

Posted by Hilaryous.

o, and the list that i know so far is thus:
me (Hilary. ONE L PEOPLE)
matt
robby
daryl
chris
joe
gabs (purchon)
sarah (tardiff)
cortney (sheehan)
kathy (ward)
plus our wonderful, obliging chaperones whom we all love. add on more people if i havent covered everyone. love ya'll!

Posted by Hilaryous2.

thats a perfect list hil but i have a bad feeling that alot more people think that they are going.........especialy since the dates have changed to the 22/23.....

Posted by Kathy.

Posted by Michael at April 26, 2004 06:14 AM