The Freemanville Water Tower

Gloria helped carry her uncle's telescoping ladder to the water tower.  It was midafternoon. Neighbors drove by and waved. Kelly waved back.  She loved this town.  People minded their own business. 

After stretching the ladder to its full length, Kelly began climbing. Gloria held it steady.  When she reached the tower's access ladder, Kelly pulled herself onto the first rung.  She could see the police car in the distance, so she hurried, climbing like the ladder was her natural habitat.   Gloria, hearing the siren, panicked.  She let Uncle Tim's ladder fall to the ground and took off running.  Kelly watched her sprint across the cemetery as the cop car parked below.  She continued climbing.

She was over half way to the catwalk when the cop yelled for her to come down.  Kelly just yelled back, "What?  I can't hear you.  I'm climbing the water tower.  My grandmother assisted with the design of this tower.  It's okay."  

For the next 30 rungs, the cop and Kelly repeated this exchange, him yelling for her to come down, her yelling back that she couldn't hear what he was saying.   In this way, she made it to the catwalk and took a victory lap around the perimeter of the tank. "Freemanville sure looks fine from up here," she mused as she circled her way back to the ladder.   She could see the cop below, leaning against his car.  Was he smoking a cigarette?  

Exhilarated, satisfied, she began her descent. She had climbed her grandmother's tower. She had seized the day. She had honored her unique, adventurous spirit.  

At the end of the access ladder, Kelly paused.  Without Uncle Tim's ladder, she would have at least a 20 foot drop.  She lowered herself and hung from her arms, taking a moment to gather her gumption.  

The cop walked beneath her and held up his taser.  "Don't tase me, Bro," Kelly yelled to him.  

"What?  I can't hear you," the cop replied, calmly blasting the taser upward.  

Handcuffed in the back of the squad car, Kelly looked out the window.  She was amazed that she wasn't more hurt. A broken foot wasn't a big deal.  She'd be fine.  She looked behind her and waved to her parents, following in their miniature van. They weren't smiling, but still, Kelly was grateful that Gloria had alerted them that their daughter might need some assistance over at the water tower.