Caleb Wilkie's Day Off

I’ve always thought skipping school is a great idea. School policy is that the student who misses more than two days of class has to make up those days. Personally, I think that this policy is foolish. The student is only injuring themselves (if there is injury at all—most likely there isn’t) when they skip school. What ever happened to personal accountability?
That’s my view on that.
Knowing now that I am all for skipping school, what would I do with my free day?
Well I’d probably wake up pretty early because I always tend to do that. Two cups of coffee most likely in front of the computer or outside on the porch would get me going. After a morning of writing, I would get together with some of my friends and go rock climbing because I rarely get to do this during the school year. After a day of bouldering, we would come back home and watch a movie and eat a fantastic meal.
An observer might think us humble I suppose. Rock climbing doesn’t require fashionable attire—unless of course the observer is from the climbing world. Climbers as a stereotype are nice and hospitable. When two groups meet at a rock, members from both discuss their skill level, they borrow crash pads, and encourage whoever is up on the boulder. For the extended excursion, climbers share meals with strangers or set up tents in the same vicinity. It’s a neighborhood of amiability that exists out there in the woods. I would cite nature itself for such behavior; people united to experience the wilderness find solace in human company. Most climbers are mindful of the environment. They all wear the normal brands: Patagonia, The North Face, Black Diamond, etcetera…
If I was out with my climbing companions we would blend into the small groups at the boulders. Someone is lugging a crash pad. We all have water bottles, chalk bags, and climbing shoes and we pet our neighbor’s dog when it intrudes on our excursion.
Few things make me feel more free than climbing. It’s a challenging activity, but I boulder which is the most leisurely of rock climbing styles. Still, bouldering presents me with plenty of problems to master. By the end of the day I wouldn’t regret a minute outside in the mountain hollers.
Perhaps the only regrettable party would be my Calculus class. With me gone, there would be few indeed who would ever answer questions. Poor souls.