May The Fort Be With You

In college I once lived in an apartment with some of my best friends.  It was a really special time.  Yes, we were inseparable.  And yes.  Sometimes that led to an almost freakish knowledge of the ins-and-outs of each others’ lives.  But I digress….

Anyway, when it came time to graduate we all felt the need to truly celebrate.  Not just your run-of-the-mill celebration.  I’m talking full out.  I’m talking supreme celebration.

That’s right, I’m talking about a fort.

This is Alison (bottom) and Sarah (top).

We called it ‘The Fort To Be Reckoned With’ and it was, by all accounts, the most awesomest fort ever built.  Why we felt the need to assert our newfound adulthood with a past time that is more commonly associated with four-year-old boys is beyond me.  But it sounded great at the time.  And it was great.

That picture doesn’t really do us justice.  If I were more technotronic (thank you Big Brother) than I would upload a blueprint of the layout, but alas… they will let just about anyone have a blog these days.  Even if you only know how to turn your computer on.  Anyway, we brought the beds from the back of our apartment into our living room and hung sheets from the walls.  This meant that when you walked into our door you could go no further than the living room unless you were willing to crawl under Alison’s bed to make it to the kitchen or bedrooms.

We even made up a password and hand gesture that people would have to do if they wanted to come inside (and yes, it was a beating to everyone who wasn’t us)…. (and no, I can’t tell you the password because then I’d have to kill you).

Here is Daniel, earning entrance into the fort.

If you know Daniel (my bff Katy’s hubby) than you know he is- not unlike our fort, a force to be reckoned with.  He’s a Marine, and could probably kill me if I looked at him funny.  So, I don’t think he’s always been thrilled to partake in our silly games (i.e. grown women building a fort in their living room), but he agreed to do this, plus he let us take a picture of him doing it, which makes me unbelievably happy.

Anyway, this just so happened to be the day that I was supposed to have my computer fixed.  The company had called me and told me that the man was planning on coming sometime between 3 and 5.  I made the appointment and promptly forgot it. 

We were all sitting around the fort when I got the call.  The repairman was in the parking lot and he would be in my apartment in about 5 minutes.  You can’t imagine what it felt like to have a group of people stare in bewilderment at you as you try to push a twin bed, covered in sheets hanging from the ceiling, across the room.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the darn thing to move at all.  Stupid Tae-Bo.

I’m guessing you have never been in this particular situation, but you might be able to imagine what it felt like as I told the repairman to “please follow me through the fort” and “I hope you don’t mind getting onto your knees and crawling under this bed with your repair kit”. 

And, since I’m hoping this won’t ever happen to you, you’re going to just have to take my word for it- it was embarrassing. 

As I led the repairman under the bed I almost thought I heard something.  I’m pretty sure it was ‘Adulthood’.  And I’m pretty sure it whispered in my ear: “Welcome to the world.  Sucker.”