The Trampoline Standoff

Today unknowingly and by chance I bought a pair of air mattresses from the same guy who sold me a tent a few weeks ago. The first time we met up at the climbing gym in town and when I told him I needed the tent for Burning Man, he said that he had gone before and was disappointed that he wasn't able to go this year. Today I went to his house to pick up the mattresses and I was like "Hey, aren't you the guy that sold me the tent"? He said when he next digs out some old camping gear he'll just email me directly and cut out the craigslist middle man.

But even funnier than that small world moment was what I saw on a neighbor's lawn as I cruised his street looking at house numbers. I only caught a glimpse of it for a few seconds, but it was all it took to tell the story. There were five or six young kids assembled on a trampoline. No one was jumping. About four were on the trampoline and two standing at the side. They were basically all motionless and exchanging nervous glances, eyes bouncing from face to face. A girl of about eight in a bathing suit, soaking wet, held a hose nozzle in her hand. About eight feet up the hose, a boy maybe ten in regular clothes and dry had the hose folded over in his hands, stopping the water. The other two on the trampoline were in regular clothes and dry. I only caught a glimpse of it driving by and didn't see the conclusion, but the expressions on their faces were spectacular.

However, the power struggle and moral dilemma were appropriate because I just got back from The Dark Knight. Now, I'm a huge fan of the "original" Tim Burton Batman (holy crap that was 20 years ago. I think that's the first time I've ever been able to say that), but I can honestly say this was by far the best Batman movie ever. It was awesome to see in the theaters, and I'm going to go see it again, which I only rarely do (most recently for There Will Be Blood). Heath Ledger was amazing, and it just so happened that when I left the theater all pumped up my car stereo came on with Tool's "Jerk-off Live" track from Opiate, which kicks ass.