Fit to be Tied-Tied up That Is!

Today is New Years Eve and I couldn't help but reminisce about the days when our three sons would have a New Years party. We encouraged it and provided plenty of soda, chips and snacks for the group of boys who seemingly enjoyed coming to our house. Most were still high school boys who were junior firemen like our sons. They enjoyed being together and there was always the tomfoolery which comes with the territory when you have a group of "rednecks." teenage boys.

We did have a pool table and of course the TV in the basement and a VCR player. There were a couple small tables where they could play cards or simply just sit and talk about all the stuff boys talk about, I suppose that meant more than 4X4 pickup trucks and who was the cutest girl in their class.

The evening went fast and I would go down to check on them ever so often, especially if it had gotten too quiet. I went down to check on them about 4 am and found two of the boys busily tying up one of the young men who had fallen asleep on a day bed. The kid was one who was an easy target and had been the subject of previous pranks lay there looking like an angel with that big old black cowboy hat pulled over his eyes.. On this night he had come to the party wearing a cowboy hat, boots and he really looked the part of a real Texan though his frame was much smaller than one might expect of a real Texas Ranger. The boys soon had his feet tied with rope and had placed some of the Christmas bows left over from my wife's wrapping of presents. He looked like a big gift and the only thing missing was he wasn't stuffed under a tree.

I smiled as I went back upstairs wondering what might happen when he woke up. Sometime around 6 am I heard the awfullest commotion in the basement and cussing that would cause a sailors face to blush. The boy had woke up and found his feet tied and all those bows. He was furious and threatened to open up a can of "whup ass" on almost everyone who were laughing at him. Interestingly he accused two who did not have any part in the prank.

Soon the commotion settled down and breakfast served. I don't think to this day he knows who tied him up but each years since, I find myself smiling at the memory of that evening.