Taking The World On With A Smile!

What’s not appealing about eating Chips ‘n Salsa at ten o’clock in the morning?

For those of you who do not have a son, it will be helpful for you if I preface this post by providing you with the knowledge that boys are hungry – ALWAYS – especially 13-year old growing boys who are heavily into sports. They eat several large meals a day. In fact, it’s not unusual for a boy of this age to eat seven tacos or four slices of pizza in one sitting, only to come back an hour later, looking for a snack. They keep eating, right up until they go to sleep at night, which is usually much too late. Then, they wake up hungry. I’m sorry, I  mean famished and they’re unable to function until they’ve had more food.

It’s a vicious cycle that lasts, I’m guessing, for about 6 or 7 years.

So what does a 13-year old boy do when his second class is a free-period, he and his buddy are STARVING and they peer into the window of an end-of-the-year, celebratory Spanish class filled with endless bowls of chips, salsa and other belly-filling delights? And, how fair is it that a third buddy of theirs should be sitting in this classroom enjoying those amazing eats when these two are forced to continue on to the cafeteria and pay for an unsavory, unidentified, slippery surprise?

It’s not fair and I’ve always encouraged my children to do something (if they can) about an injustice they come upon.

Enter, James Earl Jones!

It just so happens, that the son of long-time actor and recent recipient of an Honorary Academy Award, James Earl Jones, also went to the same school my son goes to, a few years back. As an active parent at the time and extremely generous person, Mr. Jones was instrumental in constructing a state-of-the-art theater for the school, complete with all the technological bells and whistles needed to put on some seriously, kick-ass productions. The theater of course is appropriately named, the James Earl Jones Theater. Mr. Jones has also been known to return to the school over the years to speak, help raise money and participate in special performances. Recently, he donated a highly coveted, much sought after, Darth Vader mask from one of his Star Wars movies that was auctioned off at an annual, school fundraiser.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had an actual James Earl Jones sighting myself, since my son started attending this school three years ago. Anyone who goes to this school however, quickly catches on to his significant association with the school.

Back to being famished.

N-O-A-H
I am your ticket to FREE food!

My son is a smart kid and apparently a quick thinker, when he’s hungry. We live in modern times where note passing is out and (even though phones are not supposed to be in the classroom) text-ing is in. From the hallway, he sent the third buddy who was inside the classroom with the food, the following text message:

Dude, you know that James Earl Jones guy who built the theater? He’s in there now, meeting everyone!

Wait for it...

Nothing — until about 10-seconds later, when my son said the classroom door flung open and the entire class lead by buddy number three and followed by the Spanish teacher herself, frantically raced out in a sprint toward the theater and in such excitement, they didn’t even notice Thing One and Thing Two standing in the hallway as they passed.

Yes, they were standing there, with wide-open, jaw-dropping mouths in complete awe and disbelief of what they’d just done.

Success!

Well, kind of.

Obviously, this mom is in full-disclosure of the details of this week’s shenanigans and while I agree this was indeed a disruptive occurrence spearheaded by my son’s hunger actions and while I never had the nerve to do such a thing in 8^th grade or any other grade for that matter, I’ve always had the greatest respect for kids who did.

So, with regard to my son’s quick thinking and leadership abilities in this instance, let’s just say I’m not exactly angry or upset. What’s life after-all, without a little levity, especially at the end of a graduating school year?

And who doesn’t appreciate a good, old-fashioned, playful prank that’s clever, doesn’t hurt anyone and gets you a handful of Chips ‘n Salsa to boot! Well done boys!

Have you played a good prank lately or know someone who has?