Charles and Jr were perfect examples of the success of such a system. Along the fence keeping the children from wandering away to the ice cream shop down the street were tiny cracks in the blacktop. If you possessed enough conviction - and strong enough rocks - you could expose the dirt underneath the asphalt, and Charles and Jr did just that.
Having met in Kindergarten, the pair had been inseparable for four years. They inspired each other to be creative and grasp for knowledge, making them two of the smartest children in their class. On this day, the boys used their recess to see if they could break through the next layer of earth.
"We need to find a sharper rock to get through the other side. Ugh, why didn't I bring my collection to school today?!" Charles said as he threw his pale, smooth stone to the side.
Jr passed Charles the chipped piece of asphalt he was using. "Here you go. You have tougher hands than I do." Jr reached into his pockets and pulled out a squarish, brown rock.
"Yeah. Yeah, this should work. Thanks," he paused to make sure no teachers were around and whispered, "bitch."
Jr giggled, happy his friend was using the naughty words he taught him after learning them from his older sister. Jr stared at him for a beat and then continued to clear around the sides of the nearly foot deep hole as Charles went back to work on cracking the base.
Behind them, all the children of the odd numbered grades played. It wasn't that the duo was antisocial. Surprisingly they were very popular, especially after Charles stuttered through the morning announcement, Jr naturally by his side. The two just weren't athletic. During gym, instead of getting pelted with giant red balls, they would hide by the radiator on their side of the cafegymatorium and pretend they were in WWII trying to survive the bombings. The imagination these two had knew no bounds.
A green ball crashed into their worksite, startling the young excavators. "Sorry," Rashida called out to them.
"Throw us the ball," Sean teased them. Not having learned how to back down from a challenge yet, Charles picked up the ball and attempted to shotput it. The ball flew three feet and rolled to Rashida.
"That was better than yesterday. Not bad." Rashida flashed a smile and ran to join Sean and the others in their bastardized version of four square.
Jr looked on as Charles blushed over Rashida, the girl that had his first name as her last. Jr knew he was imagining his name as Charles Charles again and didn't like it. The Porteguese sidekick stood up and shook the dirt off his pants like his daydream.
"Where are you going? We haven't gotten through to the Mesozoic era yet. I know there's a stegosaurus under this last plate!" Charles called after his friend.
"I'm done. And you know it's not a stegosaurus. It's gonna be a triceratops. Plus, I think the bell is gonna ring soon."
Like a sound cue, the teacher on duty rung the handbell signaling recess was over.
"I hate your sense of timing."
Jr shook his long brown hair out of his face and messed with his friend's tight curls, running away after. Charles gave chase for five meters before his asthma kicked in and waited for his best friend to help him. The boys walked into together, equal in every way save the limits of their imagination.
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