It seemed like it was an eternity, but it really had just been
overnight.
"Grady, this is a great idea. How did you know they had all these
jockstraps lying around?" said a voice.
"Well, detention isn't all bad. See coach had me empty the lost and
found bin of all the discarded jockstraps yesterday, and he had a
closet full of 'em. Anyway we've been trying to think of a good way
to honor the school athletes at graduation, and bronzed jockstrap
trophies seemed like the ideal way."
"Yeah, and there are enough here that we'll be able to bronze a couple
hundred extra to sell on eBay. I bet there are lots of people who
know some jock that would get a kick out of being award a bronze
jockstrap trophy."
Bronzed? They wouldn't? They couldn't? thought Ryan as he felt his
bag being hefted out of the closet.
"I can't believe Mr. Murphy is letting us use his chem lab to
electroplate all these jockstraps, and that the science club is
helping us," Grady said.
Ryan felt several more bags squish him deeper into the stinky
jockstraps surrounding him. He wondered if any of them might be
former students as well.
"Okay, everyone," said Vinnie Cost's familiar voice, "As Co-Presidents
of the Science Club, Stacy and I will be overseeing this bronzing
operation. The first thing you need to know is that electroplating
can be dangerous, if you make mistakes or don't know what you're
doing. Because we want uniform bronzed jockstraps, we need to prepare
the jockstraps properly. In front of each of you is a jockstrap that
needs preparing. We want you to starch and pose the jockstrap, when
the starch dries, then we'll coat the jockstrap top and bottom, all
over with fine carbon powder. Then we'll lower the first batch into
the electroplating tank. If you don't starch it properly, the
jockstrap won't look right when bronzed. If you don't evenly coat it
in carbon dust, then the electroplate won't adhere properly and the
result will be pitted or uneven. Stacy will demonstrate how it should
be done, and then you all will do it. Then, Stacy and I will go
around checking on you as you work."