April 14th, 2005

Ribbon’d!

Yesterday at work, I received a “goodie bag” in my mailbox. I was hoping for free samples of candy and gadgets, but was disappointed to only find anti-tobacco propoganda. There were pamphlets, pens, and one of those magnetic ribbons that people are so fond of putting on their cars these days. You’ve seen them – yellow for “support the troops,” pink for “breast cancer awareness,” red for…well, who can keep up with them, really? There are too many. Name a cause, there’s a ribbon color for it.

Well, add green to the color list. The green magnetic ribbon in my goodie bag has “Tobacco Awareness” printed on it. Does this strike anyone else as odd? I’m aware of tobacco. I’m aware that people smoke. I’m even aware that tobacco, when grown, is green. But slapping “Tobacco Awareness” on a green magnetic ribbon seems…goofy. A little like someone wearing a Rice Chex T-shirt in my mind. “I’m aware of tobacco!” it says. “But not of how tacky it is to put magnetic ribbons on my vehicle!” it also says.

Last night after practice, my two best IRL friends Kat and Matt and I went out for a bite to eat, then caravaned back to Matt’s house. Before we pulled out, though, I was struck with an idea, so I slapped the Tobacco Awareness ribbon on the car Kat was driving. Matt and I got a huge kick out of seeing it on there and joked about how it was going to have to make the rounds between our three cars from now on.

It was an idea relished in its infancy as we imagined the other two unsuspectingly showing up somewhere with the ribbon attached to their vehicle.

The idea was quickly abandoned, though, when we pulled up to Matt’s house.

“That’s the guy who was having that really loud party the other night!” he said, pointing at a cranky looking dude rummaging around in his pickup truck.

“We should totally put the ribbon on his truck,” I said, totally aware of my anti-prank stance, but feeling this particular brand of street justice was warranted.

Matt had been opening the door, but quickly shut it to help stifle the giggles with which he was suddenly struck. Kat by this time was outside the car and wondering why weren’t getting out.

As soon as Truck Dude was done rummaging around in his truck and wen back inside, Matt opened his door, dashed around to the back of Kat’s car, grabbed the ribbon, slapped it on Truck Dude’s truck, and hurried back around to join us where we stood, too amazed to laugh.

We had just started to realize the silliness and simultaneous wonderfulness of the stunt when Truck Dude came back out. We busied ourselves saying goodbyes and chit-chatting, trying to look unguilty, knowing for sure that Truck Dude was going to wander around to the back of his truck, see the ribbon, and kill us all. What actually happened was that he got in his truck and pulled out, leaving us laughing and maybe whooping a little bit. Take that, Truck Dude!

I’m struck with a few thoughts after the fact. One, I’m kind of sorry to see the magnetic ribbon go. It was fun just waiting to happen. Two, I’m glad the magnetic ribbon gave its life for a good cause. Three, with the amount of laughter and possible whooping we were doing at 11 o’clock at night in Matt’s parking lot, it’s possible that he could be on the receiving end of a similar prank in the future for similar reasons. Four, I wish I could see the look on Truck Dude’s face when he sees the magnetic ribbon and says, “Man, I’m already aware of tobacco.”

10 Comments on “Ribbon’d!”

  1. Brian Arnold says:

    That's one of the best entries I've read in a long time. Much joy it did bring.

  2. Kimberly says:

    I loves me some Mup. That entry was awesome.

    I want a random magnet. :(

  3. Pixel says:

    Ooh! Goodie Bag!

    I love free stuff like that, especially the magnet. I would put it on my fridge, or something.

    I'm so desperate for free stuff, that I feign interest in the army so the recruiter will give me a lanyard and a stop watch.

    I'm also going to donate blood next Tuesday so I can get one of those rubber bracelets that says "I donate blood."

    That was quite enjoyable, though. Yay for crazy antics and people you don't know.

  4. bd says:

    You may now add 'light blue' to the color of magnet ribbons for things. It's to promote chopping off your pets naughty bits.

    Apparently, Iwantamagnet.com can custom them up for you.

  5. Starf says:

    That was an awesome post Mup.

    Man, you sound like you had quite the adventure!

  6. The Obscure says:

    Since when are you like, y' know, all totally n' stuff?

  7. KiltyAsCharged says:

    I got into a magnet war one time. One of my friends was working at a pizza place and took some of those fridge magnets that tell the phone number and address of the store, and stuck them on another friends car.
    Well, that other friend picked up a case of these little magnets and covered the first friends entire car. It was awesome

  8. MadMup says:

    I had to go over to Matt's house the other day to feed his cat (the much-famed Princeton) and I was hoping to see the truck, but it wasn't there.

  9. Truck Dude says:

    Wait til you see where i stick that magnet next…

  10. Anonymous says:

    Well, in all reality, the green ribbon really stands for organ donation awareness, sad that more people dont know this

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