April 22, 2025

Today is a special day for a special friend of mine, Dr. Paul Boring.  When I was a sophomore in high school, Paul (of course he was “Mr. Boring” then) was a first-year teacher.  He was my biology teacher.  I’ve mentioned before that I was not a good student either academically or citizenship-wise.  I got along well with Paul though.  It was also the first year for a program called Sesame Street on PBS TV.  Paul started every class of every day with a groaner joke.  I’m not quite sure how it came about, but a few of us started going to his class during lunchtime and watching Sesame Street.  Word got around and soon there were more students joining us for lunch.  Well, one day the door opened, and the principal stuck his head in.  He looked around, looked at the television, at us and then said to Paul, “I heard about this, but I had to see it for myself”.  He then just closed the door and left.  Someone asked if we were in trouble and Paul said, “your probably not, but I might be”.  Well, nothing more was said about it, so we just kept doing it with what we assumed was the blessing of the principal. 

Towards the end of the year, Paul asked me if I would be his lab assistant for the next year.  In shock, I suppose, I accepted his offer and for the next two years I helped in the biology room.  His fellow science teachers told him that he made a huge mistake, but Paul saw something in me that most missed.  We have remained steadfast friends ever since.  We often try to out groaner each other on texts, to this day. 

Our welcoming commitee

The Dancers

Bungee tower

Meanwhile back in paradise we went to the Vanuatu Islands.  In the morning, we watched a dance ceremony and then went to another Island where bungee jumping was first discovered.  It was a very interesting day.  At the first stop, everything was interrupted by a very large rainstorm.  The trail to the bungee jump was muddy and slippery.   One guest said, “while we’re taking pictures of the jumpers, they are taking pictures of us falling down”.  That got quite the laugh out of everyone.  The locals were very friendly and helped those of us that needed help get up and down the trail.  It was a great and memorable experience.

The night before at the Briefing, we were warned that there would be nudity on the Islands.  Then later he said that if we wanted to go swimming from the beach to please swim in our clothes because our swimsuits would possibly offend our hosts.  Of course, and it wasn’t me this time, someone made a comment about they can walk around naked, but we can’t wear swimsuits?  I just thought about my earlier comment about speedos and bikinis needing age limits.

More later…….