Fun childhood stories/ pranks.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

I was just talking to a friend who reminded me of something spectacular from my youth. I had completely forgotten about it. I'm not really proud of it, and I did not initiate it, but remembering it gave a good laugh.

Good laugh= vomiting laughter= scared you will die laugh so hard.

When I was young, my friend had a neighbor who was somewhat of an ass. Make that a big arse. This wasn't just a matter between a "get off my lawn" guy and some punk teenagers, it involved the entire neighborhood. One night, another of our friends (who had a deuce and a half military truck) came over.

The neighbor, had his driveway lined with nautical chains- big chains-like those on a ship. Each chain was about 80 feet long and lined each side of the road. The friend, hooked his deuce up to one of the chains and drove off.

What happened next was spectacular. Like the indian from "One flew over the cuckoos nest" groaning/ breaking loose the medical table from the ward and throwing it through the window- the deuce groaned, but broke the chain free. As he drove down the road late in the night, there was a string of sparks about 150 feet long behind us. As he took it up to about 30 mph, the sparks increased in intensity, lighting the night behind us. As we got to a corner, we turned (at full speed to keep momentum), but what we did NOT anticipate was that the chain whipped across the street, wrapped around/ pulled out some signpost or something and started dragging that with us as well. We drove around for some time, then, returned the chains to a nearby location so the neighbor could retrieve it. The next day, I remember a flat bed tow truck delivering the chains back to the neighbors house.

Looking back on this- I'm not entirely proud, however- don't mess with kids from the 80's

Edit- the chain still had a lot of meat on it and serviced as a driveway chain for many years into the future. The neighbor (also) quieted down after that. I also think all the property owners involved have passed on years ago. Now I think about it, about a week later, the chains were stabilized with ground stakes/ rebar placed every other link.

What's your story? What dare you admit to the internet?

[id10t]

Mom and Dad were out of town at a conference in Boston. Dad had just bought the M491 911 a few weeks prior ... and I hadn't driven it yet.

Well, I'm a good boy, so I drive my station wagon. But the battery died. Crap.

Take battery out, grab keys to 356 (been driving that for years, no problem!). Get it going, get battery to store, the battery is fine, issue must be in starter, etc. So go back home, put battery back in teh wagon. Head out to visit a friend, 356 decides to stop running at a light 10 miles across town. Check fuel petcock - yup, in normal run position. Flip to reserve. Car won't restart. Crap. Can see gas with a flash light, so I know it has fuel, was just running, what the heck.... Call AAA, wait 2 hours for a flat bed, driver wasn't sure about the driveway, so he left the car at the top of the drive. No problem - some college guys in a rental house across the street help me push it back up to the garage....

Well... now I'm down to 1 working car out of 3, parents out of town, it is the weekend, and I'm a senior in high school. Must still go across town to visit buddy.

No - did not go insane in the 911. Yes, friend and I hit the back roads, and yes, 100+mph was reached. No, no damage to property, etc.

End of it all, cars are all back where they belong, tell dad of my battery troubles and that I tried to take the 356 to get the battery checked but it wouldn't start, told 'em I spent the weekend riding the bicycle instead of driving

Fessed up to putting an extra 100 miles or so on the 911 a few weeks before dad died, he didn't believe me....

[Don Ro]

I had a VW bug, my Air Force buddy had a BMW R50. We'd swap when he went on a date with his g/f.
So here I am zooming through the back roads of the farm lands in the San Joaquin Valley, CA.
I'm noticing how heavy the Earles forks are just about the time a hard 30 mph right turn shows up.
Across and off the road I go and into an irrigation ditch...totally sunk, water up to the gas cap.
Like a fool I think that I can yank it out...no dice. I'm in a panic.
Half hour or so a farmer comes by, we hitch up the forks under the headlight, I remain on it, and he drags it out.
Water coming out of everywhere. For some reason, an hour or so later I'm able to kick start it up.
I ride back to the base and give her a good cleaning.
Shhhh.............
.
5 years later, buddy visits me in CA and I take a chance and tell him the story.
He was amazed and I was relived that he wasn't pissed.

[rattlsnak]

Used to sneak the parents car out with a few friends for Friday/Sat night cruises all the time when I was 14-15 and I one time I passed my older brother on the cruise strip and we both looked at each other and the race was on... He was in a prefect position to bust me if he could get home first and block the driveway. We both hauled a$$ (in different directions) trying to get home first... I made it first... but only because he got pulled over for speeding on his route home. Looking back now, I'm like OMG.. that could have been WAY bad for me if I were the one to get pulled over. But hey, you never think of things like that at the time..!

[Evans, Marv]

My best bud in Jr. H.S. & I used to sneak his dad's car out at night to go on joy rides. It was an early 50s Chrysler or Desoto, can't remember which. We'd push it down the driveway & a little ways down the street & start it. Coming back we'd get a run down the street, cut the engine & lights, & coast up the driveway & into the garage. Once we nicked a side post going into the garage. One night I said I couldn't go, so there was him & another guy. The police stopped them because they couldn't see a head over the steering wheel and took them to the station. Called their parents at one or two in the morning. When the police told the parents they had their kids at the station, the parents of course said, "That's impossible. Our son is sleeping in his bedroom." That was the end of our joy riding.

[look 171]

When I was grade school, I dumped two bottles of dish washing soap into the small fountain at an amusement park on a school field trip. Within a hour, those were the most beautiful bubble I have ever seen. No one knew it was me but we got into so much trouble. I don't think we were ever invited back.

[HardDrive]

I have decided that because of the Porsche content, I am going to post something that happened to my girlfriend when I was 16.

Its 1986.

The parents are down in Florida. She is home alone, 16, except the caretakers of the property. These are wealthy folks, people with enough money to own horses, large estate near Ann Arbor, MI.

Mom has a bright red 928S4. Out in one of the large barns. Next to the offshore boat.

Parents out of town, feeling bold, grabs moms keys, and heads to school in the 928. Then its time to drive home. She decides to take the back roads home, a road called Huron River Drive that (duh) follows a winding river. The first turn is tight, a devious reducing radius switch back turn that most folks would take at 25.

Car full of friends egging her one, she hits the first turn going roughly 50. The tail end of the car swung out, and by all accounts, there was a good 2-3 seconds where it seemed they were actually making their way through the turn. But she panicked.

The oversteer freaked her out, and she frantically steered into the turn, and let off the throttle. The car did as instructed, corrected course, and kept right on going....into the woods. They went down a shallow embankment and smashed into small trees and under brush.

In full panic, puts the car in reverse, and guns the engine. The car spins its wheels, but then gets traction, and then launch in reverse back up on to the road. All in the car reported that they probably got air in reverse reentering the road.

They drive a bit up the road, and pull off in road side scenic spot. The smell of burning rubber and fluids is strong. She says that she can't bear to look, and my friend gets out and looks at the front of the car. He doesn't know what to do or say. Then he makes eye contact with her and shakes hit head like, 'yeah...its really bad'. She burst out crying.

2 hours later. The guy that manages the horses on the property has come, arranged a tow, taken her back home. She calls her mother, and tearfully tells where what happened. Her mother asked her if she is ok, spoke with her for a bit, then told her, "well I'm just glad you are ok sweetheart".

And she never heard of it again. The car disappeared. When her parents returned from Florida, it was not a topic of conversation. Life went on as if nothing had happened.

[Mike Andrew]

You mean aside from trip wires, Sharpie glasses, engine bombs/whistlers and stuff like that?

Still enjoy a few Stink Bombs and Liquid Ass at rugby post match socials.

No choice in aging but have chosen to remain immature forever.

[Don Ro]

I was about 16 yrs. old.
After my mother got married she moved out to her husband's farm and my sister and her husband moved in.
They were best friends with a married couple and would go out to the lake on Sundays and drink beer.
Husband of married friends had a '46 Ford Coupe that was a car show winner.
All pussed out with a show case hopped-up flathead.
They all went to the lake and left this piece of art sitting at the curb...with the keys just dangling there...beckoning me.
I was under the influence of Glory with my heart pounding...so I drove it a few miles over to my g/f's place where she and her father were sitting on the porch.
Father asked about the car...I said it was mine.
G/f and I drove around a bit and then I drove back home.
All of a sudden, I freaked out about the added mileage so I drove the car backwards around the block umpteen times and parked it.
I worried about the engine being hot/warm so late in the day so I briefly opened the engine bonnet to cool off.
They all came home late that evening and all was well. Whew!!!
.
Just a brief moment in my life when I had a chance for some heart-pounding excitement...and I seized it.
~~~~~~~~~
Same color as this:
.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Mike Andrew

You mean aside from trip wires, Sharpie glasses, engine bombs/whistlers and stuff like that?

Still enjoy a few Stink Bombs and Liquid Ass at rugby post match socials.

No choice in aging but have chosen to remain immature forever.

Thank you for that. Did watch my 10 year old son at a party crush one of those liquid ass ampules on a basketball floor. One of those late night lock in gatherings. It was sweet watching the crowd disperse. I remained silent but was sporting a smirk. I was there at midnight to pick him up.

I got into making smoke bombs in the early 70's. Drugstore sold me saltpeter, sulphur, charcoal and large plastic prescription bottles (go figure). Rocket fuse from the local hobby store.

Giant quonset hut Roller Skating rink with massive intake fans at the rear of structure - but at ground level.

I engaged the device, hauled ass and cleared the place.

It made the news.

Mind you, two years afterwards I took acid and went to see the Exorcist.

Several years after that I graduated Magna Cum Laude with an accounting degree.

There is a genuine danger zone when young but some of the foolishness can be appreciated even when leaving middle age.

[flipper35]

Our youngest in the summer before his 5th birthday took the box of landscape staples and placed them pointy side up in the garden and then covered them with leaves. He wanted to keep animals out of the garden.

Later that year he also hid behind the couch with the home theater remote and when his sister tried watching a movie would turn the home theater off. On, off, on, off. She complained there was something wrong with the unit. Later he told my wife and he couldn't stop laughing.

Mind you I was never one to tie the string pull fireworks to car doors or dress as an old man to peek in the windows of our house when my sister was there watching TV with her then boyfriend (now husband) making enough noise they looked and could see me. My buddy and I made a launch wire to fit the T-top to launch small, disposable rockets from. I bet my cousin she could not blow up one of the small bags for wrapping packages up from the inside by wearing it like a helmet. She failed.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by flipper35

Our youngest in the summer before his 5th birthday took the box of landscape staples and placed them pointy side up in the garden and then covered them with leaves. He wanted to keep animals out of the garden.

Now that is precious.

[red-beard]

I was 17 and my parents went out of town (seemed fine at the time). I had my driver's license, but was not allowed to take the family truckster (1977 Ford LTD Station Wagon). Dad made sure I wouldn't be able to drive it by taking the rotor out of the distributor. HAH!

Rode my 10-speed down to an autoparts store and bought a rotor. I was able to enjoy the car all weekend! I did have to remember to remove the rotor before they got home.

[legion]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Now that is precious.

Or maybe tetanus...

[vash]

my mom brought home some box; it was a 500 piece kit full of random fireworks. i think her grocery store got it as a gift from some vendor.

i stared at that box forever. it just seemed so boring. so i convinced my brother to help me. we cut opened every one of those things and poured whatever contents into a big plastic jar. my neighbor showed up and helped. even the tiniest firecracker, we broke in half and twist-massaged that tiny bit of ordinance into our jar. once we were done, we found the longest fuse we had. it was maybe 10" long. poked a hole and stuck in that fuse. the rest of the fuses naturally went into the jar. we stared at that..then i said we should tape it up!! my friend and i wrapped it up over and over with duct tape. it was about the size of a soccer ball IIRC.

we set that thing up in the middle of the street and lit it. we lived in a big city, on a corner lot of a busy intersection. we ran from that thing like it was a bad movie scene..RUUUUNNNNN! when it went off, it was shocking how loud it was. the percussion we felt at our backs. we ran into the house..my mom was "what did you do?!!" the cops came..and my mom recognized an old cop that was friends with my dad (who was also a cop for a time)

i don't remember how old i was, or if my dad was still alive. i NEVER did that again..in city limits. i know i was a tiny kid.

i remember when i graduated from Civil Engineering, i applied for a building demo company. my mom was giving me the oddest look, when i said.."it would be awesome to blow up stuff for a living!"

my brother and i, and that friend..we still talk about that bomb. you never forget your first.

[techman1]

Was a trainer at my first job.
Got an idea to "Welcome" the new hire, shortly after I was made a trainer.

Showed him the soda machine, that charged .60 per soda. Neat trick, I said. Hit the machine twice on the side, near the coin slot, then drop in your dime. I told him the machine would rock a little, and a sensor thought two quarters had been put in. Had to hit it kinda hard.

He did not see me earlier drop two quarters in. Wow, neat trick, thanks he said. I told him not to show anyone.

Hah, a young teen, not show off? 1 day after training, there he was, showing off to a girl, pounding on the side of the machine, trying to get it to work. Damn near broke his hand, but I laughed so hard. Still laugh, 30 years later.

[Jolly Amaranto]

One of my high school buddies had an old Morris Minor with a really crappy paint job. We decide to repaint it. We used his parents detached garage as the paint booth. After masking off all the windows and removing any chrome we could get off, we covered everything in the garage like the work bench and washer and dryer to protect them from overspray. He had chosen a bright red paint. We actually managed to do a reasonable job of spraying the paint on the car but also got a lot on each other, much of it on purpose. Our old cloths were splattered with red pain as well as our hands and faces. In stead of cleaning up, we jumped into another guy's VW bug. The paint on us was pretty dry by then. It was late and we were just riding around back roads clowning around. A car was following pretty close behind with their head lights shining in. So we decide to put on kind of a shadow box show in the back seat pretending to bludgeon one of the guys with some empty bottles we found rolling around on the floor. The car behind turned out to be a police car and lit up his flashing lights. We pull over and were ordered out of the car. In the head lights, spot lights and flashlight, I suppose it looked like we were covered in blood. The poor LEO was visibly distressed. He had his gun drawn and his hands were shaking so bad we though he was going to accidentally shoot. We all had our hands over our heads and eventually were able to convince him what was going on and that it was only paint. After he calmed down, he gave us a lecture on how a lot of bad things happen on these back roads and that we should not be out and about at that time. We were very polite and promised we would head home and never pull a stunt like that again. We were true to our word.

[LakeCleElum]

High school metal shop. Got the mixture just right on the cutting torch, put out the flame and filled a balloon....Go outside to a fenced area between metal shop and wood shop used to store materials.

Glad I didn't hold the match in my hand. I attached it to the end of piece of a welding rod so I could stand back a bit. My friends said: The explosion knocked me down, I got up dazed, ran in a circle and then took off"......It broke some windows and knocked over a pile of plywood....Stoopid on my part....Got detention for a week as I recall.

[Mike Andrew]

Late teens, early 20's. Got hold of some mace and were sitting around smoking pot and brainstorming what to do with it. Buddy suggested using it inside at the Hollywood drive in, Oh, boy, great idea to our stoned brains.
Pile in car, more pot and laugh a lot about our coming prank. Walk thru with mace pointing to floor and sprayed the whole place. Busy Sunday night with broasted chicken special. My bud, Frank, stops between the doors and really lets fly, explaining people will gasp for air when they hit the first door. He was so right.
Ran across the street, sat in car and watched havoc ensue. The place emptied very quickly and the first to the doors did take huge gulps of fresh air. There was some puking involved and lots of coughing and eye rubbing. Raucous laughter from our vehicle as we watched and fled.
Went to Frank's house and his dad asked where we had been. Seems he had his police scanner on and knew we had mace. Busted!! He did not turn us in but drove us back by where the FD had arrived and placed large exhaust fans to clear the place. Even he chuckled.
Made the local paper the next day. Still chuckle every time I drive past the place.

[GH85Carrera]

My ony prank I can think of was many long years ago. As a kid my dad was an Air Force Major at the time. One of my buddies on base was the son of a Full Bird Colonel. They got to live in the big two story houses and not the crummy barracks like apartments we got. The Col. houses were all arranged in the large circle with a large green area of mostly trees we called Beaver Valley. I don't know where that name came from.

Anyway at that time we learned about Co2 cartridges loaded with match heads. Those are great rockets as long as they are not packed tight. And some gunpowder and they are grenades. We had learned to make those and like idiots made a bomb. Now remember this was the late 1960s but still on a US Air Force base.

We put the cartridge with a cigarette as a time delay fuse inside a beer can, inside a coffee can, inside a paint bucket inside a trash can. Set it on a stump in the middle of the green area in the middle of a bunch of Colonel's and Generals houses. Lit the cigarette, hauled ass back to my buddies bedroom and watched. It sent shrapnel in a wide circle. Of course back porch lights came on all around the circle. Within a minute there was every Air Patrol officer on base there. It kinda made them upset. If that happened in 2018 no doubt the FBI and the ATF and a lot of government agencies would be involved. There was no damage except the cans and the top of a tree stump. We were very lucky that think did not go off prematurely on us. We ended our career of bomb making after that. A few day later we went back there to see the results. Most of the shrapnel was picked up. We did not use gloves so our fingerprints were likely on the pieces.