I have a friend. She moved last week, but I see her when I look out the window.
She is, in fact, only three short blocks away — happily situated on the tenth floor of one apartment building, while Iβm content on the eleventh floor of another. And, as luck would have it, we face each other. Nothing stands in our way, we enjoy a clear, unobstructed sight line. Itβs a perfect setup.
The nifty arrangement allows us to skip the traditional phone calls and visits. In their place, we use the clandestine messaging technique of 10-year olds: we flash our lights. Every night at 10:00 we position ourselves at our respective stations — she at a light switch, me on the balcony, flashlight in hand. The trial run wasnβt very promising; my co-conspirator fell asleep before the 10:00 pm rendezvous. Thatβs the big danger when youβre our age. Spontaneous naps.
Nevertheless, night two went off without a hitch. At the stroke of 10:00, lights flashed like crazy and kept flashing for long minutes. I felt exposed and conspicuous, standing outside, but sheepish gave way to impudent the instant I started laughing. It was a gas. I waved my flashlight like a shipwreck survivor, sketched wild, swooping arcs with the beam, flipped it on and off and on and off.
Mind you, all this transpires in the middle of downtown, where Iβm surrounded by tall buildings and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of windows. Hotels, offices, churches, hospitals, restaurants, bars. Eventually and inevitably, someone somewhere is going to spot these shenanigans and mistake our antics for a distress call. 9-1-1 will be alerted and emergency personnel dispatched. In that case, criminal charges will almost certainly be filed for issuing false alarms or creating a public nuisance. Theyβll think of something; city officials are notoriously humorless.
In the meantime, however, watch out! Mooning isnβt out of the question, installing a zip line is a possibility. Obscene gestures and profane signage are options, as well. Heck, maybe the flashing will catch on and the entire city will start strobing like a disco ball every night.
copyright Β© 2018 the whirly girl
14 responses to “: the not-so-secret society of flashers :”
Hmmm, between friends? It’s probably fine. Strangers down below..a different story.
LikeLike
Thatβs what I was afraid of. Thanks for confirming; I canceled my order for a catapult π€¦π»ββοΈ
LikeLiked by 1 person
How Fun! I would suggest Bean Bags but, Nerff won’t break a window or hurt anyone if you miss, while slingshotting. Lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oooh, I know! I’ll get a catapult, load it up with water balloons, and bombs away. Is that illegal?
LikeLike
That’s awesome! You have your own (not so) secret club. You should try walkie talkies. As Straddle the Turtle says, “The possibilities are endless!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Walkie talkies are a terrific idea! You know what this reminds me of? Big, the movie with Tom Hanks. Except I’m going the opposite direction — Little.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like it.
LikeLike
Aw, thanks π
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m happy to know there are people who still do stuff like this. You’re right, though. Sooner or later someone is bound to assume the worst. Until then, though–LAUGH IT UP, GIRL! :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad to know there are people who understand how flipping fun this is. Come on, grab a lantern and join us :o)
LikeLike
You should sketch your mind in post-its notes on the window. Always fun.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really? A whole, entire post-it note? That’s way too ambitious for me and my brain :o)
LikeLike
Hilarious! I would be so into this if I lived in one of those windows across from you. I’d do daytime, too, like a parade goer. I’d wave flags for every occasion (patriotic days, St. Patty’s Day, our birthdays… And then maybe pin prayer flags on a clothesline in times of distress. As one of my art professors said about a zillion times, “The possibilities are endless!”
LikeLiked by 1 person
They are and Iβm still considering my options π I wish there was a long range Nerf product I could use β- darts or frisbees or baseball gear. Or, ooh, a water balloon launcher would be ideal. A high-power slingshot. See? Endless possibilities.
π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘π¦π‘
LikeLiked by 1 person