Silly pranks last forever online
It would have seemed such a good idea at the time. It’s the end of the year. The end of school forever for many girls and boys. Ideas would have been tossed around for pranking brother and sister schools.
You want to do something memorable — especially in this age of social media. Something that’s going to get the views and the likes.
However, for a couple of Waikato Diocesan schoolgirls, their leavers’ prank got far more attention than they could have ever hoped for — or wanted.
Oh, there was nothing new about them roaring through the grounds of Hamilton Boys’ High topless. Undie runs and streaks and silliness tend to make the headlines every year around this time as young people end one phase of their life and prepare to begin another.
Their use of motorbikes as opposed to push bikes seemed bold — but then I’m of a different generation. And it is the Waikato. Farm bikes and dirt bikes are ten a penny in the Tron.
What was newsworthy was that a boy ended up in hospital.
A perfectly blameless schoolboy at Hamilton Boys’ High playing football on the school grounds had his leg gashed to the bone when one of the girls riding her bike through the school collided with him.
He was taken to hospital in an ambulance and had the cut stitched and is home with his family. Who seem lovely.
I would love to shout the boy’s father, Glen Kirsten, a pint at Biddy Mulligan’s the next time I’m in Hamilton.
Because instead of going thermonuclear, instead of ranting and raving and setting up a Givealittle page because, after all, his son Kyle is a victim, Kirsten said he and his family are more concerned about he girls.
As Kirsten said, his boy has an injury that will heal. The end result could have been far worse — but it wasn’t.
Kirsten and his family are more concerned about the girls and the farreaching ramifications of what they’ve done.
There are photos circulating on the internet of them dressed in nothing but skimpy undies and motorbike helmets and they will be around forever.
There is talk of the girls being charged — the principal of Hamilton Boys’ High is taking a very dim view. Susan Hassall says they weren’t invited on to school property, the speeds they were travelling at was reckless and a strong message needed to be sent to young people that such behaviour would not be tolerated.
Yes, yes — of course it does. If I put my talkback hat on, I could rail for hours about the irresponsibility of young people.
Principals are responsible for the wellbeing of kids in their care so taking a strong stance is understandable.
But haven’t we all done stupid things? I haven’t had a lot to do with motorbikes but when I have, there has been foolishness involved.
One of the most memorable nights of my life was riding pillion on a motorbike doing stupid speeds on the long straight roads on the outskirts of the city.
I was 17, away from my family and school for the first time and it was the wildest thing I’d ever done. I’ve never felt so close to death — but the yang to that yin is that I’ve never felt so alive.
Another time I came off the back of a bike at Whangamata wearing nothing but a bikini.
No shoes, no helmet.
The bike hit loose metal and we went sideways. Thank heavens we were going slowly.
An old-school traffic cop picked me up and shook me like an errant kitten. “You silly little tart!” he bellowed at me. “I could see exactly how that was going to end.” We were both given a strong telling off and there was no beach for me for a few days while the grazes and scrapes healed. Which was punishment enough.
I hope Kirsten’s compassion counts for something when the police decide to lay charges.
Like me, these silly girls have surely learned their lesson.
As Kirsten said, his boy has an injury that will heal. Theend result could have been far worse — but it wasn’t.
Kerre McIvor is on NewstalkZB Monday-Friday, noon-4pm.
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