So the high school I went to did this annual fundraiser called the “jog-a-thon” in which basically every student tries to get some ‘sponsors’ to pay $1-$100 for each lap that they complete around the track on a given day. When the day rolls around basically all the students have to go out to the track and walk/run in circles for an hour or so marking their wrist for every lap completed. At the end of the day they tally the laps and collect the money raised for each lap. Overall it’s a pretty decent fundraiser for the school and each homeroom competes to be #1. Whichever homeroom raises the most money, along with the other top 10 individuals, gets to go to the local 6-flags for a day of fun and adventure.
As a freshman our homeroom teacher was known for being the most fired up about winning and we actually ended up winning the trip to 6-flags. The trip itself was super fun and memorable but this story isn’t about my freshman trip there.
This story takes place in my senior year when I was in ASB. Being in ASB (Associated Student Body) meant helping run rallies, organize dances, promote sporting events, and do lots of other school related stuff. Each student in ASB was also in charge of a homeroom in order to help relay some messages and help hype the kids up for the upcoming events. I was never personally a big hype man but somehow my homeroom class ended up taking the top spot during the fundraiser that year. Along with the homeroom class I oversaw winning, one of my best friends Hal also won as one of the top 10 individual fundraisers. At the time it didn’t really phase me that they’d all be going to 6-flags for achieving 1st and I just got on with my day-to-day.
Without really noticing, the day finally rolled around for the winners to all head to 6-flags. It was a ‘block day‘ meaning that we only had 3 classes but they were nearly each 2 hours long. My schedule was pretty chill as it was PE in the morning, science before lunch and another PE class in the afternoon (yes, being a senior at my school was pretty chill).
I slowly made my way down to the gym after the morning bells when I ran into two of my best friends, Nick and Vince. Apparently Nick was fuming over the fact that he had wanted to go to 6-flags and had spent the last 30 minutes or so trying to negotiate and talk his way onto the trip. I think it was less about being able to go and more about his ability to talk his way into it. Now to give a little background on Nick, he was my best bud in high school but he was capable of blowing up over some random things. His attitude changed with the weather and he could hold a grudge like no other. Surprisingly, I think I was one of the only people who never really got into a big altercation with him as we were good at just dropping things when we felt any kind of tension.
To give even more background to this scenario, my friend circle and I spent a LOT of our free time in the admin offices and helping around the school. We were really close to all the staff that hosted events, fundraisers, and had become pretty close to our vice principal (occasionally even going to his house for BBQ). This gave us a little more leverage and flexibility than the average person but it was still somewhat comical that Nick was fuming over being reasonably denied the privilege of going on the trip. I laughed it off and made my way to the gym where I ran into our other pal Hal who was waiting to board the busses with the homeroom class that I had been in charge of. I gave the kids some high fives and and congratulations as I began to reminisce on the trip I myself had taken my freshman year. Soon after, I was actually approached by one of the school admin staff that I had a good relationship with. She gave me a quick rundown of how Nick had been trying to talk and force his way onto the trip. I kind of laughed it off once again but then decided to roll the dice as I jokingly brought up that it was actually the homeroom I was in charge of that was going on the trip and that I should be allowed to go with them. To my surprise, the staff actually mulled it over and that hesitation was enough too lite a little fire in me. Nick and I were best friends but we competed regularly in just about everything. This was a great chance for me to top him if I could somehow succeed where he couldn’t and board the bus.
Quite honestly it didn’t take much more push before she mentioned that it wasn’t her decision, but the vice principal who would be the head bossman for the trip. Him and I also had a good standing so I decided to continue down the rabbit hole. I approached him with the idea of me joining and made sure to mention I had 2 PE classes that day so I wouldn’t really be missing much. With minimal effort we came to an agreement that if I called my dad and he gave the ‘OK’ for me to miss class that day and go on the trip instead, I could attend as a chaperone “to help manage all the kids”. I quickly called me dad and gave him the rundown making sure to include that 2 of my 3 classes that day were PE – I tried hard to avoid the fact that the other class was Science which I had been struggling in lately.
As time was ticking closer and closer to departure we finally reached an agreement and I passed the phone over to the vice principal. My dad gave the official ‘OK’ for me to join in the fun and miss out on my classes that day. I’d gone from anticipating yet another casual PE day to getting on the bus with a bunch of freshman, including my friend Hal, who wasn’t too excited that he had worked his ass off to get this privilege and I just flaunted some smooth talking and good deeds in order to board the bus. The buses made their departure and I couldn’t help but show a huge grin on my face thinking of what Nick’s reaction would be when he realized I’d succeeded in going on the trip where he had merely planted the idea (really wouldn’t of pulled it off without his earlier efforts).
Once on the road, the fact that I would be attending 6-flags opposed to school began to set in. I wasn’t out of the woods yet though. The vice principal had to make a call to the principal to explain that he had not only brought his two sons along for the trip, but that I was also somehow in tow. The school I went to was a catholic/christian school and we always pursued being ‘a good christian gentleman’. While on the phone, I heard the principal question the vice about his reasoning for bringing me along, his simple answer was he felt I was a good christian gentleman and had earned it. It was a compliment to me but also an argument that could hold up regardless of the principal’s personal thoughts on the situation.
As we crept closer to the theme park I was given a free lunch ticket and debriefed on the overall agenda for the day. I’d be in charge a group of students but also have the freedom to enjoy the rides and day myself. Overall the theme park was awesome and I was able to hangout with friends throughout the day before heading home completely shocked with how everything turned out. It was a day and topic that Nick and I never spoke of after.
