Saturday, June 23, 2007

Adventures in Campbell

Shannon and I were driving home from Santana Row. We had exchanged my chipped and poop-colored squircle plates (deceptively labeled as "espresso") that I had ordered online at Urban Outfitters. I had already eaten my "Jamaica Me Crazy" Sorbet in the sprinkle covered cone from Ben and Jerry's... What are two 20-somethings supposed to do in Yuppy-ville on a Friday night?

So, Shannon asks me: What do we do now?
Me: I wonder if you can climb the water tower in Campbell!
Shannon: They have a water tower in Campbell?
Me: Yeah, it's how you know you're in Campbell.

We drove and got lost and found the water tower, because we are monkeys on the inside. Sadly, there were long metal sheets covering the places you could crawl up the legs of the tower. So, we started semi-crawling on the cables. I mean, we're there, right?

A man on a bike drove by in the dark, a passing shadow, and shouted:
I wouldn't do that if I were you!
Shannon: I think there's a cop.
AND
Shannon (to the guy): Do what?
I laughed.

Sure enough, this white, slightly overweight in that surburbian-kind-of-way, cop gets out of his clever jeep-turned- enforcement vehicle.

Cop: What are you guys doin?
Shannon: Oh, we thought we could climb to the top. But then we found out we couldn't.
Me: Yeah. It's one of those legendary things you always think about: Can you climb to the top of Campbell Tower? Now we know we can't.
Cop: Have you ladies been drinking?
Us: (laughing) No.
Shannon: But you can test us if you want to .
Me: (looking up) It looks a lot bigger from far away doesn't it?
Cop: What would you have done if you got to the top?
Me: Oh, I don't know. I guess you can't even really walk around up there, can you?
Cop: Actually they have a cat walk around the container.
Shannon: Oh, can people go up there sometimes?
Cop: No.
Me: Well, I guess we'll just go swing on those swings over there, since this is kind of a let-down. It was a passing whimsy.

Shannon's turn to laugh.

Cop: Well you guys be careful.
Us: Okay.

The cop gets back in his car.

Shannon (to the jeep-turned-enforcement-vehicle): We won't try to kill ourselves.
Me (in my mind): Oh, he thought we were gonna commit suicide?
Me (Out loud): And we won't set off fireworks and burn down your beautiful Campbell.

We swang on the swings and talked. All I could think about was what a stupid death jumping off of Campbell's water tower would be. I mean, how undramatic!

3 comments:

Shannon said...

trina,
u recant that scene quite well. we're pretty funny

Shannon said...

ps, is recant even the right word? it sounds good to me.

Raquel said...

ok. so, confession time. i have been blog-stalking you. reading the comments you leave on the blogs of people i love...and, well, i like you.

i think you have a clarity of perception that is astounding, but more than that you have the compassionate heart to speak it in a way that people can hear.

i don't know you, in real life, but i appreciate you very much. and i would love to hang out.

much love,
rachell