Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Hooky

On the way to work this morning, I saw a kid, maybe 13 or 14, walking along the side of the road where there was no sidewalk. He had a giant mop of black hair in big, loose curls under his hooded sweatshirt, and beautiful olive skin. He was walking in the direction of the high school, but a long way away, and it was almost an hour after the start of classes. And he was just sauntering along and smiling.

Remember how fun it was to ditch school? How the day stretched before you? How free you felt, when no one on earth knew where you were, and how your feet could take you anywhere?

10 comments:

Heidi said...

are you promoting hoodlem-ism? LOL! Hookey was a fun thing - wish I could still do it! I'd encourage anyone to do it while they're still able to! Feeling like having a day of hookey myself!

SalGal said...

Isn't it sad that I don't think I'd like a day of hookey by myself? Once, I drove up the canyon and read a book while sitting on a boulder in the sun instead of going to school.

Sounds amazing, no? It actually sucked...

Ditching school with friends? Much better!

Marta Nielsen said...

So, it's funny because each community has it's own term for "not going to school when you're supposed to." From hookey, to ditching, to wluffing, which is what we called it at good old MHS. Though it was fun to sluff with friends, I did enjoy going to the local cafe on a snowy day, reading the indie paper and sipping a hot steamer, all by myself.

Marta Nielsen said...

By wluffing, I did mean sluffing.

Denise said...

Why no, I can't say I have any clue what that feels like. You'll be shocked to know I was not a rule-breaker in high school, lol.

Unknown said...

Denise ... IT'S NOT TOO LATE!

Unknown said...

Marta, we should make up something fun to do and call it wluffing. Or fluffing. Or something.

Marta Nielsen said...

I have the most fantastic idea. Ever. Wluffing is work-sluffing. It can just mean not going to work to do something much more fun. We will be wluffing on mom's birthday :)

Unknown said...

I will be wluffing on your birthday, too, dear!

Marta Nielsen said...

Really? Unfortunately I have classes on my birthday, so I would have to sluff, which is not really an option at this point.