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Mouse-quiet,
easing down the back stairs,
silently slipping out the kitchen door
to the screened-off porch,
half moon sagging overhead,
and on we go, onto the expanse of deep purple lawn--
drat, forgot my sneakers!--
bare feet in the cold, wet grass,
hoping the dog didn't leave me a present.
Quiet as an owl through the garden gate,
creeping like a cat through the shadows,
leaving misty ribbons of my own.
Lit up window against the star-strewn sky--
my destination.
Closer, closer, then the old pebble on the window trick
and in a moment Zach steps out onto his railed wooden porch.
A bundle droops from his right shoulder.
Good.
He is also wearing smelly sneakers.
We buddies swing down the grassy path,
softly singing little ditties--off-key, as if it matters.
Past the meadow, navigate the wooden fence
to the horse pasture,
through knee-deep clover to the woods beyond.
Traveling on, suddenly voices.
We come out upon a large clearing, and there,
in and about the old swimming hole is
Mrs. Jennings' whole fifth grade class,
skinny-dipping beneath the pallid moon.
All right!
We strip and jump in the warm water.
I surface face to face with pretty Jenny Barber.
She says "hi!" and splashes me in the face.
I splash back.
It's all fun.
We splash and shriek for about an hour,
then, as if on signal,
everybody gets out at once,
towels off and dresses.
Zach hands me a towel from his bundle
and I follow suit.
We all say "goodnight" and "see you tomorrow"
and make our way homeward.
The twins, Mickie and Kelley Thurgood,
walk back with Zach and me.
When we drop Zach off, we notice his light still on.
Ah, suddenly it's just me
walking with the two prettiest girls in class.
Both girls kiss me on the cheek
and I just know I turn bright red--
Thank goodness for the night!
As we draw close to my house,
the kitchen light is on,
my father sitting at the table,looking haggard,
and upset.
I gulped.
Thurgoods live close next door,
and Kelley points at her house
with the lit up window
and whispers,
"Mom's up! We're in for it now."
And so we were.
Grounded to St. Swithen's Day.
It seems that Old Lady Nelson,
whose house perches high on the hill
behind the swimming hole,
Has a pair of very good night glasses.
She spied on us from her front lawn,
recognized us with no problem,
and called every one of our parents,
the whole blessed fifth grade,
all fourteen of us.
Not only were we to get up at six on school days,
we get two weeks detention,
and not only that, p;us grounding at home,
we get extra chores to do
and they expect us to get 'A's' in the classroom.
Four get whippings as well.
I don't.
It isn't fair, we agree.
Anyway, one sweltery day at recess,
we get all our heads together,
and behind Mrs. Jennings' back,
and all thirteen sets of parents,
we begin plotting our next devilment--
another moonlight excursion!
Of course, someone somehow has to get
Mrs. Nelson's night glasses.
All of us are in, even the ones who got whippings.
As for me, next time I'll remember my sneakers!
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