Afterglow 2008 - Day 6 Thursday

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As expected, as soon as the goofiness on the beach was finished, everyone flocked out to the raft to stand upstairs on the high dive. There's not too much else in the world that is as predicable as what we do as soon as we enter the lake. And after all these years, I still can't explain what is so fun about standing on top of an object floating in the "middle" of the lake. We just do it cause we like like to. That's it.

Kevin and Brian were extremely thankful that the contest was over, and they could now go into the water and wash off. I don't know how they did it. I wouldn't have been able to stand being buried alive in the sand. I guess if I was drunk enough and I passed out, and some kids buried me then it would be a different story. But these kids did it willingly, and were the center (and only) part of the sandcastle. Good show boys, now go wash off so you don't keep looking like a bunch of dirty old hobos. Having used up all that energy just laying there, I knew that they were headed for the top of the raft so that they could lay around up there.

I wish I knew then what I did now so that I would have spent more time hanging out with Faith and goofing around. She really is an amazing and special kid. Maybe I'll run into her someday when she is all grown up and we can hang out again when she is no longer governed by her mother's rules. But enough of that, I won't drag that drama onto these pages since the Afterglow write-up is supposed to be talking about the happiest time of our year and I need to check my drama at the door before I start typing. But she really is one in a million. I'll miss her.

We used to count on the "big" kids like James and Dale to get the party started and keep it going throughout the day. But now it is up to the "little" kids to make it happen. I get why James and Dale aren't as animated as they used to be up here. Some people will throw the "age" card out there, but that isn't a very good card to play. I get it because now I'm in the same boat as they are. It's not that we're too old to party and have fun, it's that back home we work 40 + hours a week and Afterglow is our chance to kick back and relax. For the kids, it's a week to throw in as much fun and excitement as possible because this only happens once a year. I just want to lay back, sip my drink, and do nothing.