The Great MLS Clocktower Caper...

 

On a chilly, spring evening, near the Court Street entrance of the boys dormitory, two shadowy figures crouched behind the sparse foliage of the ubiquitous landscaping. The lamp posts from the street outlined the boys’ shadows against the front brick wall of the building, creating multiple, eerie figures that grew and danced as they moved. Aside from the small cluster of bushes, there was very little cover in which to hide. Between them, the boys carried a large banner made of plastic, and a single roll of Duct tape.

With that small lead-in, allow me, if you will, to tell you a story. A Tale of the greatest caper than never was. A small legacy for a number of students, looking to leave a mark on the place they called home for four years. A secret plot that only a handful of people from the class of 1988 would even know or remember. It is a challenge trying to figure out where to begin the story, because there is a prologue. One that began a year earlier.

 

In 1987, a group of graduating seniors decided, as a final prank on their high school, to put a “For Sale” sign on the Michigan Lutheran Seminary Clock tower. The Wisconsin Synod, whenever faced with financial hardships, would often suggest putting MLS up for sale as a way to shore up the budget. It never happened, but was often a joke that was told to those students who were imprisoned within the school at the time. It was from this constant threat of the sale of their Alma Mater where they would gain their inspiration

 

Their plans, grandiose as they were, were just that: Plans. Things never got much further than the planning stages. They had no materials for the sign, no tools for the installation, no equipment for the climbing of the tall and slender clock tower. They had no idea how they would create or hang the sign, even if they somehow managed to climb the tower. 

 

But as the final days before graduation approached, the group decided to make things up as they went along. Their plans were immediately foiled as they tried to get out of a second story window, breaking a small mesh screen, and alerting the two Tutors who were posted on watch that night. It turns out that their plan to jump out from the second story dormitory window, onto the school rooftop was not the best start. On top of that, both Tutors had been “celebrating” with some end-of-the-school-year beer; making the possibility of getting caught even less likely. But caught, they were! And the plot was over almost before it even began. 

 

This set into motion a series of procedures and policies from the school administration. They allegedly placed “motion detectors” on the roof of the school. They also added locks and gates on windows and ladders that could access the upper levels of the roof. In addition, they made daily announcements during chapel, that any unauthorized student caught on the roof would face criminal charges of Trespassing. And that offense could jeopardize their possibility for graduation. To many in the student body, these announcements might have seemed odd or confusing. Who would possibly want to climb up on the roof of the school? And for what purpose? 

 

But to several students, this made perfect sense. The four stooges from 1987 had left a small spark of inspiration in two of their younger disciples. A duo of two unlikely characters had taken notice of the earlier attempt and failed execution from the previous crew. And as the end of the 1988 school year approached, they began to form their own plan. A plan with maps, pre-made materials, equipment, scouting reports, and timing. They did their research by interviewing the previous hooligans. They gathered materials and made the sign before the actual day of the mission. As luck would have it, one of the students had no room-mate, and had an entire dorm room all to himself. His ability to keep mission secrecy was taken advantage of to the fullest! Without a roommate, materials and equipment could be stored and plans could be discussed openly with no risk of an accidental security breach. The fewer people who knew of the mission, the lesser the chances would be of alerting school authorities .

 

The Duo also had several other factors that gave them an advantage over the previous delinquents. One of the two was an academic marvel. He was a model, honor-roll student and was in the band, show-group, choir, and was planning on going into the ministry. He was recognized by the State of Michigan for his Outstanding Academic achievement on the ACT… Earning him scholarships and awards. In all, he was one of the “Golden Boys” of the school. Loved by everyone and respected by many of the teachers and fellow students. Being on the team meant he brought the intelligence that was sorely lacking in the 1987 group, and the charisma to weather out any potential suspicion of wrong doing from faculty, staff, and other students of the school. 

 

The other accomplice also brought something to the table of skills. He was invisible.

A young man with no distinguishable characteristics or skills set. He was not an athlete, nor an academic scholar. The only reason he was considered a model student was because many teachers probably had no idea he was even in their class. His ability to blend in was uncanny. In the four years that he had attended Michigan Lutheran Seminary, his picture only appeared once in each of the year books. Being average in every way possible made him stand out to no one; And created an invisible bubble around him that made observation and secrecy from others possible. 

 

As the day of the caper approached, the announcements during chapel became more and more overbearing. The threats became repetitive, and almost comical in their claims. Students who were known to be trouble makers, were pulled aside by the administration and warned NOT to try anything before graduation. The repetitive warnings and threats were beginning to make an impact. The duo discussed their plans again, and went over abort methods and exit strategies. Alternative plans were debated. But in the end, the day came… And the decision to go was made. 

 

On that night, the plan was to wait until “Lights Out” and “Room Check” to begin the mission. Sometimes the Tutors would check the floors right away and call it for the night. Other times, they would not check at all. This was certainly a variable that had to be accounted for. But that night, the Tutors never checked the rooms. Instead, they patrolled the sunken gardens outside the dorms, searching for room lights and activity from the outside. Windows were opened and names were hurled at the patrolling Tutors from anonymous callers. The Tutors yelled back that they should all be sleeping now… commands that fell on deaf ears as the entire dormitory was popping with activity. The plan was pushed back. 

 

But eventually, the voices subsided as even the most energetic underclassmen began to fall asleep. The Tutors also disappeared from their hourly patrols. In the A.M. hours, the campus outside stood silent. The moment to strike was at hand! 

 

The two slowly opened their doors and peeked out into the hallway. No roaming students, no patrolling Tutors were spotted. They linked up and gathered their materials and headed towards the objective: The front of the School Dormitory. 

 

As they slowly opened the door to the stairwell, they silently listened for any signs of life. The Tutors would most likely be posted on the opposite side of the dorm, in the stairwell that connected the dorm to the school building. Even so, there would be a high probability that the Housemother would be stationed inside the main office, where alarms and lights alerted them to any open door that led outside.

 

 To go out, one had to be swift to make sure the door was open for only a fraction of a second.

And then, the door would lock once it was closed. Propping the door open would only alert them that someone is trying to get inside. For this reason, there was an “inside man” who was stationed near the door to allow for reentry. It was yet another link in the plan chain, but it was a part of the plan that had been prepared for. 

 

As the two opened the door that lead to the outside, the cool air washed over them like a wave. They pulled and tugged the plastic banner and quickly made their way towards the front of the building. The shrubbery was less than knee high, and offered minimal cover for their activity, they needed to act fast if they wanted to avoid detection. 

 

Butterflies and anxiety began to well up in both of them. Their whispers quivered as they tried to keep from speaking too loudly. Their hands began to shake with nervous tremors, making the simplest of tasks overly complicated. They unrolled the banner and fanned it out across the Iron Lettering that displayed the school name. The letters were just out of reach, but the banner was perfectly sized to stretch out just under it. They pulled off three foot sections of duct tape, trying their best to keep the tape from rolling over on itself. After several failed attempts, they managed to secure each side of the banner with enough tape to theoretically hold the sign in place. 

 

But that is when the plan met a fatal flaw. The duct tape that twisted and stuck to almost everything else, would not stick to the front brick. The iron letters were too high to loop the duct tape over them for support. In addition, the ever so gentle breeze was just strong enough to lift and toss the banner. The banner itself was just heavy enough to pull the tape loose. If they could not get the banner to stick, the entire gig was over. 

 

The Star Student began to see his plans for a promising future, evaporate into a life of petty crime and vandalism. He gripped the duct with white knuckles and pulled off a huge strip. In one motion, he slapped the entire piece onto the banner and then onto the brick. It stuck! 

 

“Hurry!” He called out as the Invisible Student struggled to get his end to adhere. Another large piece was pulled and attached. Another firm press and the banner was fastened to the wall. Crooked! Unsightly! “Good enough!” The Star Student affirmed. “ Let’s go!” 

 

As he ran around the corner, the Invisible Student noticed that the banner was already beginning to droop. It would never make it until morning. But there simply was not enough time to obsess and fix it. “Good enough” was all they could hope for at this point. 

 

They called out to the inside man. Let’s call him “Ben Golish” because the name fits… He was an unwitting accomplice, not knowing all of the facts of the mission or how important his role in the event would be. It was feared that if too much information was revealed, he would choose to decline his services. He also had a promising future, after all. And risking it over something as petty as this would seem unbecoming. Yet Ben was irritatingly reliable. If he told you he would help, he would! Even if he discovered that he had somehow crossed a gray line somewhere. But the fact that this important phase of the plan relied on him, made the Invisible Student nervous. 

 

Golish peered through a second story window, his eyes with an indifferent, sleepy haze over them. He waved his hand and motioned toward the entrance. . Moments later he appeared and opened the door. The Duo ran inside, breathing heavily and shaking from a combination of cold mixed with fear. The job was done! They could go to their rooms now and wait for the fall out tomorrow. 

 

But the sign did fall down. By the time the duo discovered it, it was too late. The maintenance crew had found the banner and quietly cleared it up. There was no mention of it in that morning chapel service. No students talked about it. It was as if it had never happened. 

 

Two days later, graduation! Everyone went their separate ways and that was the end of it. For years, the duo thought that that one moment where they had dared to take a risk, and push back in a relatively harmless fashion, had ultimately ended in failure. There would be no legend or legacy of their passing through. No sign that they were even there between the years of 1984-1988. And that should have been the end of the story. 

 

However… Sometimes things take on a life of their own. Many years later, a friend of a friend of a friend who’s child was enrolled in the Michigan Lutheran Seminary, recalled of a time when the seniors of a certain year, placed a “For Sale” sign on the clock tower. In This story, the seniors, climbed the clock tower and successfully placed a giant “For Sale” sign for all to see. The Janitors and maintenance staff had to use ladders and long poles to remove the huge banner. There might have even been a story written in the local newspaper. The culprits and the methods used to achieve this prank remain a mystery to this day. 

 

So the story lives on with a cloak of mystery that has added to the legend over the years. A combination of the “Clown Attempt” in 1987 with the “Successful Failure” in 1988 have now combined into a Successful Senior Prank. And for this reason, I hesitate to even write this story down, some 30 years later. For the goal to become legendary while remaining anonymous has finally been achieved… even if we were not there to fully enjoy the fame. Back when I was just a freshmen at MLS, there was a story that the class of 1983 had somehow managed to get a VW beetle into the then gymnasium… And filled it with Tennis Balls! How did they get a VW Bug inside the Gym through the narrow doors? And where did they find that many Tennis Balls to fill it? Was this story even true? 

 

I’m sure that the original event, though having a few common details, was not the one that matched the story that is told to new Freshmen as they enter those Hallowed Halls of Advanced learning. And I bet the staff and teachers do not mind adding embellishments to each story from time to time. It is stories like these that add character and meaning to the places you pass along in life. Hundreds of students and staff will file through Michigan Lutheran Seminary as the years continue. Their names and faces will be lost in the sea of time. But stories and mysteries from the past give a place its history. And it is a history I will forever be proud to be a part of. Even if no one ever knows the true identities of the two Hooligans who never successfully put a “For Sale” sign on the Clock Tower of The Michigan Lutheran Seminary.

New Shoes! For A 12 Mile Run

 With only a week away for my Half Marathon,  I started to notice my foot pain returning.   Plantar Fasciitis is the name of the condition.  And in my case, it has always been caused from Bad Shoes! 

Now I know what you are thinking:   Sounds a lot like Planter Flatulence!   (Is that really a thing?)  I guess it could be because peanuts are more closely related to beans or something....  Well, as much as I enjoy peanuts;  they have never caused me any gastric intestinal issues.  (That I know of....)   Or Foot problems!

Anyway,   I decided that  I had better buy these new shoes and break them in before the race.  "Nothing New on Race Day!"   Is the motto.  So I went out,  tried several pairs at the shoe store, and came home with  the Saucony Guide 17 running shoe.   A 6 mm drop.   Wide toe box.  And blue in color.     They will replace my  Endomorphine Speed 4 Shoes.  (Which should have been called:  The "End of Morphine" for the pain they caused.)   

Today was their first test run. 

Check out the uneven wear on the heal!

Since it was a fairly cool day, I was only planning on taking the guide 17s out for a short, slow 6 mile run.   But as the miles passed by... And the air remained cool....  And I was getting warmed up....  And my feet did not reflect the same pain levels as yesterday...   I decided to make it a long run day.  

Usually,  I would have already had my long run in and now would begin the "Tapering" phase of training.   But since my training has been so sporatic,  I figured I had better squeeze this long run in now and that would give me a full week to recover if it goes badly.   

12.25 miles later....   I completed the long training run and am now spending the rest of the day recovering in this chair.   How would I describe the feeling of completing a 12.25 mile long run?   

PAIN!   OR painful!   Painfulness?   

Whatever the word is..   It is obvious I have not run this distance as all this year.    And my body screams!   (Mostly the legs...)   But the feet feel pretty good compared to yesterday.   So I would say that the shoes are a success.  

I guess I could throw in the feeling of accomplishment.... For completing an unplanned long run.   But honestly,  the Pain is trumping any euphoria.  Which is fine.   Pain is a way of telling me that I actually did something difficult today.  And I have nothing else that is pressing for me.   So... Recovery it is!   With zero guilt!

And that is all.   An easy day.  A HARD day.   And I like my new shoes.   And after completing 12 miles today, I have new found confidence that I can complete 13.1 miles without looking like an untrained loser.  ( But maybe a poorly trained runner... which is slightly more acceptable)  I have five more days of possible training so I shall see how much of it I can muster.   It should be an easier week now, because I should be slowly decreasing my running so I don't cause an injury.   Either way,   I will try to make every second count.

When There Is An Oil Leak In The Subaru...

 It's not what you may be thinking.   The oil was actually in the TRUNK!  And tipped over and leaked all over the back. Roughly 5 Quarts!  Of Pure  EXPENSIVE synthetic oil!  IF you are not heartbroken by now, you are probably not an automotive enthusiast.   And Definitely not a Subaru Fanatic like I am. 

But that is ok..  Since you found this blog post, I might as well tell you what happened.  

As mentioned before.... The oil tipped over.   And leaked all over the back trunk area.  At first I did not think it was a big deal..  Until I lifted the flooring to expose the spare tire area.  

Even then, I thought the Spare tire had captured most of the leak.    A quick hose down and the oil would be cleaned up!  

I was wrong!   The leak was under the tire as well.   Pooling into an Oil Reservoir where the spare tire and spare tools should be.   Luckily, the oil did not dissolve the  sound dampening foam.   I ended up bailing it out and soaking whatever was left with some rags.   For the first time in forever,  I actually used the Oil Rags for soaking up Oil!   Almost poetic!

After soaking up the oil and removing all of it from the tire well,  I set out to clean up the mats where the oil originally leaked.   I did not think it would be a big deal... But it was! 

I used Dawn Dish Soap... Because Exxon Valdez! IF they can use Dawn to clean up that oil spill,  it should work on this one, right?  

Well... Not so much.   Either because it was Synthetic oil or because the oil had completely soaked through the mats,  I sprayed the mats for nearly an hour with no change.   Oil kept pouring out of the fabric.  

So...  Not wanting any item to be forever soaked in oil every time I put a bag of groceries or a suit case in the back... I decided I would have to remove the Carpeting and replace. it. 

This is that one time where I am grateful to have worked in Manufacturing.    You see,   back in the days when I was assembling boats,   we installed similar fabrics for their bottoms.   I knew how to rip off the old and how to install the new.    

I purchased a few yards of fabric from Menhards and cut it to match the shape.  I also purchased some spray adhesive.   Just like making paper in the old Origami Folding days!  Spray the material,   Connect to make a good bond;  Then use Staples to Hold the fabric in place while the glue dries. 

I used A number of tricks to remove the oil from the surface,  but I discovered good old brake cleaner seemed to work the best.  It even helped dissolve the old glue that was left over from the initial fabric.

IN the end, I ran out of stables and have to purchase more.   However,  I think the project turned out swimmingly!   It is true that I could have cut the material better;  AND that I could have  matched the color better.  ( I know they had a black/darker carpeting there....)  But I am not going to let Perfect be the enemy of Good.  I now have a back area that is oil free and looks pretty good.  I just purchased more staples so I will work on getting rid of those clips and using staples to hold the rest of the material in place. 

Other than that,  I continue to chip away at the fish.    Several layers of paint for the spots now.   It is slow going, but I know that painting in layers is what works best for me.   And I simply have to have faith that the end results will be worth it. 

The weekend is upon us!  And I have some things I still want to accomplish for tomorrow.   More fish painting and I want to break in my new shoes.   It seems my old running shoes were causing me trouble... and needed to be replaces.   I have yet to run a mile in these new shoes, but I better get to it before the race next weekend.  Time is certainly running out!  And Every second counts.

The Delirious Dandy's Of Parkside!

 Anyone get the hint?  I'll give you a couple more....

 

Ok,   Spring is finally coming into view.   And you can tell...  by the flowers in Parkside.   

Whenever I run in the park,  I now can see the daffodils that line the path.   They only last about a week, so this year, I finally brought my camera along to take a few pictures.   

They are kind of cool.   And since this is one of the first flowers you see that are of any size and number,  They end up being pretty spectacular.  

There are also the Dandelions.   They have just started popping up and I was going to harvest some for Mom's traditional "German Potato Salad"  (Which is not German... and not really a salad.)  It had potatoes in it.... so that part of the name is correct.    And although Mom took the recipe to her grave....  I managed to reverse engineer it!   A couple of reasons  I was able to pull off this feat is because one:  I ate a LOT of it growing up.    And two:   I know Mom...  And she was not a very good cook.   

That isn't entirely true.   She was a "Camp Cook!"  You know...  Put it all in a huge pot and boil it until all the flavor and texture has evaporated.   Then serve it up on paper plates and yell at anyone who complains or refuses to eat it. That was Mom.

But if the recipe was easy,   she could actually pull it off now and then.   And that is where the Dandelions come onto my radar.   

If you do any research at all, you will find that they are a very valuable weed.   Deep tap roots punch through the clay barrier, aiding in soil drainage.   Nutritious minerals make it a valuable food source.  They flower early helping spring pollinators. And they continue to flower all summer long,  maintaining a stable food source for insects even during drought.  

And they have a wonderful yellow flower that turns into a toy kids can play with.  What's not to like?

Oh, Sure!   Big Turf would have you believe that those pretty little yellow flowers are the DEVIL!  But they are just trying to sell you poison for your yard, so you can kill the flowers... and the worms.. and the mushrooms, and pretty much everything else that lives in the soil of your yard that is not your grass.   If you like poisoning your yard,  you dog,  your kids, and your neighbors....  By all means,  Wage war on the dandelion!  Cute little dandelions...   Just trying to help humanity and getting persecuted for it. 

But I digress!  Dandelions are Edible!   And a wonderful foraging opportunity for those of us in the know.  I'll see if I can harvest some tomorrow,  now that the rains have sped up their growing.  

In addition to the Daffodils and Dandelions,  There were Daisies!   

Well,  I know they are not daisies.   But I was going for alliteration.   Not sure what flower this is,  but it is popping up in the forest on the hill.  

Sticking with the "D" theme... There was also the Dryad Saddle.   Also known as the Pheasant back.   An edible mushroom that comes out in the spring and the fall. 
  Spring time is the best time to gather them, because they are not filled with bugs and you have the best chance to harvest them before they get too tough! I know this log from last year,  so I have been keeping an eye on it and today I could see a few mushrooms "Pinning" through.   Depending on the weather,  they may be ready to harvest in a day or two. 

D is also for DOG!   Today Parkside was filled with Dog Walkers!   One couple had 5 dogs with them!   As opposed to several  couples who only had one dog.  (Try explaining those  sentences to someone who had trouble with English.... Like a Physics Word Problem...  "How many Dogs are there?")

I love Dogs!   As much as I write about them, you would think I would have one as a pet.   But running outside and petting other people's pooches is enough for me.   No feeding,   no bathing,  no vet bills.    And best of all I don't have to pick up any Poo while in public!  ( Or private!  I personally try to make it my goal NOT to pick up Poo... From anything or anyone!)   

That last little tid-bit of information probably explains a lot about me and the life choices I have made.   Why I'm not a Doctor... Or a Plumber!  Or a Farmer.  Etc...   Butt I digress!

I should also mention I saw a Raccoon near the creek.  
He looked like he was just chillin' in the sun and soft grass,  so I left him alone.    It is rare to see one during the day,  unless they are living it up in a dumpster outside McDonald's!  (But that is another Story....)

I bring up the park sightings because I have now run the 6 mile loop twice!   And today was a sore day for me.   But the Half Marathon is a little over a week away, and I still have to do a long run.  It is going to be tough, and I am not the best trained for it.    Honestly,  the thought has been coming up in my head that I should just skip it!   That is when  I have to remind myself that my goal is to finish and survive... Not win it.   In the long run,  I am in a race against Death.... And Death ultimately will win.  But I want to make sure it is not easy and not for a long, long time.   

And besides.  I know where I'm going.   So death is not as scary as all of those Hollywood movies make  it out to be.  So if God calls my number,  I'll be ready!   (As long as it is not during the race... that would be embarrassing...) So until them,  I have to make every second count!