Spring has sprung - unfortunately. The calendar technically indicates that spring is a few days away.
Forget the calendar - I know it is spring because the young local residents started celebrating the passing of the cold weather a few weeks ago at the school in my neighbourhood.
Normally at 12:51 a.m. on a Friday morning I am sleeping soundly. That wasn't the case last week. The party last Thursday night spilled out onto the streets near the school some time after 11 p.m. The group of 30 or so people taking part in the outdoor gong show were loud enough to generate numerous noise complaints to the RCMP from people who were either prevented from sleeping or awakened from their state of slumber.
When police are called to my neighbourhood to disperse groups of people making too much noise, an interesting game unfolds. Last week, the police prowled the dark school ground and when the substance-fueled mob realized that "It's the pigs," they all ran and hid. A bright light on the police vehicle scanned the area, insults were hurled from the dark hiding places and the police left.
Minutes later the group congregated again on the school grounds and the noisy social club started to yell, scream and hold loud discussions about everything from Todd Bertuzzi's big hit to the grade 9 girl who has a reputation for offering sexual favours.
I started to wonder if some in the group were hearing impaired, because many of the speakers could be heard clearly a block or more away.
The RCMP may have left the school area; however, they certainly weren't finished testing the sprinting legs of the after-hours track team.
One of the RCMP members hopped out of his vehicle, walked a few blocks and snuck up on a small group. He successfully apprehended one person and almost got the individual into his vehicle. Five friends of the young man over-powered the lone cop. Buddy broke free and ran away.
Some time later, one individual was caught after a foot chase through three yards. The party carried on while the lone sucker who was caught was presumably taken to Tantalus Road. As tempers rose and punches started to fly at the outdoor circus near the school, I'm sure the parents of the lone person apprehended were being called and awakened or disrupted from their night-shift job.
The police eventually came back to the school and the streets surrounding it. Their presence didn't discourage the group. If anything, it fired up the male hormones even more as one guy kept yelling that he wanted to fight the police.
Ah, spring time. Drunk teens roaming the streets. Lost sleep. Broken bottles on the school grounds. Random house egging.
I love this time of year.
