Monday, April 16, 2007

The Non-Conformist Cult Radio Show 4/9/04 - 4/13/04

I forgot to mention on yesterday’s entry that Allison Moore has taken the top spot on my MySpace friends section for this week.

Do I care that I’m not listed as one of her top friends?

No. As a matter of fact… Of all the (as of now) 75 friends that I have acquired since taking a strong liking to MySpace… I would say that 50% of those friends do not have me listed in their top 24. I’m cool with that.

I’ve never been one out to win any popularity contests. Even in High School I didn’t care about being the center of attention or a popular guy. I flew under the radar only to pop up now and then for a “bomb drop”. I was the smartass that sat in the back waiting for my time to strike. And when I did, it usually warranted a trip to the Vice Principal’s office.

One case in point…

One day was set aside to take club pictures for the yearbook. Before homeroom, I met up with my friends…. Jonathan Everett, Jeff Baker, and Jon Sullivan. It was our senior year and I concocted a plan for the four of us to leave our mark in the yearbook for 1985. It was going to be subtle, but always there for our memories of the day.

I suggested that the four of us show up in as many club pictures as we possibly could before the day was over with. Jonathan was the only one to “chicken out”. He has always been the “careful” type of guy.

Please keep in mind that even though Sullivan and Baker were members in a couple of clubs, I never belonged to any at Northwest Guilford. Yet I managed to get into seven different pictures.

It all started bright and early with the Future Farmers of America. There were a lot of members so it was quite easy for the three of us to blend right in. Although we were given the once over by several of the club members, no one turned us in.

I got busted a WHOLE lot of times. The one that stands out in my mind was the Bus Driver’s Club.

To be captured in that particular club’s picture would be like scoring the homecoming queen with a side of hot teacher in the teacher’s lounge. It was the ultimate because the members were usually pictured on top of a bus.



But wouldn’t you know it… The three of us were standing directly behind the bus they were pulling out for the picture. The club director came over and said, “You guys ain’t bus drivers… What are you doing out here?”

Sullivan piped up with, “We’re gonna be next year!”

He told us to get back to class.

The club with the smallest amount of members included my sister Pam. She protested our appearance for the club picture, but eventually kept her stinking trap shut.

Mrs. Clem, the head librarian and club director looked at Sullivan and me very hard. We could see her questioning our presence there until someone said, “Hey Mrs. Clem… Get in the picture with us.”

Sullivan and I were the loudest supporters for that idea. We waved her up and I think Sullivan actually went over to her to retrieve her by the arm. As soon as the camera’s shutter made that sound, we were gone.

Looking at the picture now… I can see that they spelled Pam’s name correct and misspelled mine. Hmmmm…

Sullivan in a black vest of some type with my sister to his left. I’m the guy peering over his head.



I was wearing my red Ted Nugent ‘Weekend Warriors’ T-shirt which was perfect for that day… It was total gonzo, baby!

When the yearbooks arrived to the school, problems arose. We were separately called into the Vice Principal’s office. I was told that the club directors were not happy with my “little joke” and they wanted their club dues for the year. I believe it all totaled up to $57.

I refused to pay and stood by my belief that the prank was a harmless way to leave my mark in the yearbook. They threatened me with all kinds of things and even called my parents. My dad stood by my argument and the matter was dropped.

5 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:16 AM

    Your post reminded me of something I had long forgotten - school buses used to be driven by high school students. It boggles the mind that anyone could have ever thought this was a good idea.

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  2. Anonymous11:21 AM

    Eugene:

    I remember that day like it was yesterday. I think Paula Stewart was the first to protest your and Sullivans appearance in the photo. I got to stand beside Jon, of whom I had a HUGH crush on..so all was right in my world at the time.

    Now, Looking at the picture today I don't remember Tay Merryman being at any of the Library Club meetings, nor do I remember him working in the library which was required to be in the club.

    I am proud to say that the very next year (when I was a senior) I was Vice-President of the Library Club and have a letterman jacket as proof.

    How you and Sullivan got into so many pictures is still beyond me.

    Pamela

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  3. Christine,

    I never had a problem with teenagers driving the buses. Believe me... They didn't care for my bus shenanigans. Water gun fights where I adapted a 2-liter bottle for a "clip"... Or the time Joe Hardy and I emptied many packets of itching powder onto all the riders using the wind from the open windows. I spent a lot of time going to visit the Vice Principal because of those uptight, teenage drivers.

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  4. Anonymous11:24 AM

    Eugene - you didn't have a problem with teenagers driving buses because you were a teenager yourself. When I was that age, I thought it was pretty cool, too. Now, as a parent, it makes my hair stand on end to think of a sixteen-year-old, who has about 20 minutes of driving experience, operating a 2-ton bus with my child on it.

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  5. Oh please... That's just Thomas Bus paranoia.

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