Frankie and Slim

Frankie and Slim
Happy New Year

Friday, November 20, 2009

THE JOCKS ARE LOOSE

You can tell around here when high school football has ended. They turn the poor football stars out without any direction and you can count on them following the annual tradition of driving country roads and busting mailboxes with ball bats. Isn't that cute?

Instead of this being treated as the Federal offense it is, all the natives just say, "boys will be boys" and they build big concrete and/or brick padding around their mailboxes. Those of us who cannot afford that kind of security have to settle for replacing the expensive box periodically. Our lovely receptacle took a hit last night. At least it wasn't totally demolished like the last one was.



11 comments:

  1. I could see that happening around here, but the jocks go from football to hockey then either to track or softball.

    It happened every year when I lived in a REALLY small town.

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  2. We don't have mailboxes here in the UK that's very much an American thing, and they look great, but I can understand why they could be a target for abuse.

    Sorry about yours.

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  3. I used to date a boy...not a jock...in high school who busted his neighbors mailbox on a regular basis because he didn't like his neighbor.

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  4. I just don't understand why anyone would think that was fun.

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  5. My kids' fall sport was soccer. The day soccer season was over the next morning they were in the pool at 5 AM for swim team morning practice. After school they swam from 2:30-5:00. They didn't have time or energy for vandalism. It's a good thing, too, because their dad and I would have killed them.

    I heard parents of kids who did such things say, "They're just kids!" and it galled me. AND destroying mailboxes is a federal crime -- in case anyone forgot -- and there's a hefty fine and jail time if one gets caught.

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  6. My esstranged youngest son was football crazy, he played all year round, went on to be a pro. until a smashed ankle forced him to hang up his football boots,
    Enjoyed your write.
    Take care.
    Yvonne.

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  7. Annie, the football players should be charged. That is destruction of private property and yes, a federal offense, even here in Ontario. I remember when we lived in the country that on devil's night some of the local teenagers used to knock down mailboxes. The Ontario Provincial Police charged them if they were caught. The same should go in your area.

    Hoping your mailbox can be repaired.

    Blessings,
    Mary

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  8. I hear ya. We had ours damaged a while back. It was so infuriating! Had to replace the ding dang thang! Sorry about your box.

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  9. This is awful....why in the world is it allowed? Boys will be boys my butt!

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  10. Football is over and the boys have no direction for their pent up energy so they drive the country roads and swing at rural mailboxes with a bat. There have been serious repercussions for some of the kids. One man filled his box with concrete and the bat bounced back and hit the kid. The homeowner was sued for injuring the child. I guess the guy's homeowners paid. I have thought about setting an open can of paint inside the mailbox and when the kids hit the box the paint splatters the kids, the car, etc. and the culprits can be identified. T

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  11. Seems to be a country thing. The guys used to like going to a deserted country road and having target practice on the road signs. Not a smart thing to do either... The first time I hear about the baseball bat and mailboxes was on CSI not long ago... Not cool! The guy put a cement block in his mailbox and well it being CSI, somehow the kid got hurt and lost control of his car etc. etc.... I hope you can catch the mailbox gang and at least get them to buy you a new mailbox. Blessings to you and yours. Happy Thanksgiving. Love and Light, Nina P

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