Twenty-three years ago during the summer after my junior year, I was invited to represent my beloved Capuchino High School at the annual Boys State conference in Sacramento. Attended by a pair of male delegates from every high school in California, we descended upon the Sac State campus with the express purpose of immersing ourselves head-first into an investigation and exploration of government at the state level for five glorious days.
Unfortunately for the powers-that-were who thought that sending me was a good idea, I am sorry to inform you that this delegate from sunny San Bruno has absolutely no recollection of participating in anything government related at all. I do, however, remember these things:
- My first taste of freedom away from the parental units. College couldn’t get here fast enough for me.
- They have a Burger King on campus, OMG.
- They have college women on campus, too. OMG, OMG, OMG.
- Which group of friends could I talk in to going back up to Sac State the next week for Girls State. (We, being Tim, Dan, Mick, and me, were on our way until Mick’s car broke down in Pinole).
The one thing I remember most about that week was a book I was reading. It was a collection of comic strips by future Simpsons creator Matt Groening called Life is Hell. I enjoyed it so much that I went out and scored his other two books Love is Hell and Work is Hell.
Apparently now, Emma has discovered them, too.
The Adventures of ALS Boy 
Cool, this is something else we have in common…
Just a few years 🙂 before your adventure, I attended Boys State in Tallahassee, Florida. My only solid memory: one kid “missed” the bus when we headed back south to the Fort Myers area. A Florida Highway Patrol officer raced down and caught up to the bus. Next was what everyone thought would be a humiliating “prisoner” exchange. Instead the kid confidently strutted onboard the bus cursing that he was found before Girls State started the next day! I always admired that he knew he wouldn’t be in nearly as much trouble as the adults who left without him.
Ah, the mystery is solved! John still laughs about Pinole, and every time he recounts the story (“Man, that was stupid!”), he can never remember why you guys were headed up to Sac in the first place — he thought it was to crash a cheerleading camp or something…!
I remember how pissed off my dad was when he came to pick us up! And it turns out we were like a few blocks from a BART station right?
Homer rules!! I’m keeping u and your family in my prayers!! Your writing has encouraged me to do the same!!!
Life in Hell was great – I still have those books too.
I remember that day every time I drive through Pinole (which is several times a year). At least Mick and Jas have the excuse of being in highschool – Dan and I were 19 and John a ripe old 20.
That is one of 2 times I’ve seen Frank Germano pissed off. And yes, the BART station was 3 blocks away.
If a memory lasts this long, it’s important to your life, right? But to steal from John, “Man, that was stupid”.
Mick had already graduated by that point, too. So only Jason gets to plead the “young and dumb” defense! (Although I think we all did some even dumber things in the years to follow…!)
I’m thinking Jas may need to change the title of this blog post to “Pinole is Hell.” (No offense to the residents of Pinole, who I’m sure are lovely people.)