Charmin, Charmin everywhere! We suspect that the unidentified culprits are probably young, muscular, agile, and fun-loving. This was the view out my bedroom window last Thursday morning. I was visiting my wonderful Houston friends and enjoying their hospitality for a few days when the "white-out" occurred.
The paper icicles were hung beautifully, as if planned. It was refreshing to "feel" the chill in the Houston heat and humidity. The neighbors came out to inspect the scenery and gathered together for the view. There was much speculation and concern.
This teen-age past-time is called Tee-Peeing and is usually performed as an honor for some cute teen-age girls. It's one of those "I like you and want to give you some attention" rituals. The whole idea is to surprise the girls (and their parents)by covering the trees in their front yard with miles and miles of toilet paper. The artwork is created in the cover of darkness usually by some boys that are friends with the girls. The guys buy the medium at the local grocery OR perhaps steal it from their parents bathroom, head out in a group all the while swearing secrecy and silence. Sometimes hours are spent slipping through the trees tossing whole rolls of the 2-4 ply white tissue paper high into the air, letting it unroll and cascade down through the branches of tall pines and scrub oak.
THIS particular display missed it's mark. Evidently the boys got confused about the appropriate address and "hit" the yard of my friends. They are Empty Nester's and GRANDPARENTS and as one neighbor declared "the nicest people on the street!" Who in the world would want to mess up THEIR yard?
It was my friends opportunity to step up to the plate and once again display grace and humor. As she laughed and assured the neighbors that she truly was not offended, we picked up what had hit the ground and reached up as far as our short arms would allow, pulling the trailing tissue from the branches. Mom after Mom stopped by with apologies and promises of help from their daughters with the clean up. No need!
We piled mounds of gathered tissue and several rolls into the trash can and left the rest to the wind and rain.
Teen-agers are great, aren't they? Not that many years ago they were tipping over out-houses, stealing watermelons from the gardens of farmers, and painting the small town water tower the color of the local high school mascot. Oh, now I remember, that was US, wasn't it?
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