by Joseph Mcquade

Created on: July 02, 2009   Last Updated: August 31, 2009

When I was fifteen I moved to Tujunga, Ca., a town on the northern outskirts of Los Angeles. I lived in an apartment with my Uncle Bob. We lived on the first floor of a two story apartment building. It was a U-shaped complex that had about twenty apartments, with a swimming pool in it's middle courtyard.

I had an idea at school one day, to turn our apartment complex pool a blood shade of red. So, after school, I walked down to the supermarket on Foothill Blvd. and bought two boxes of red dye. The dye would have to be added to the pool water at just the right time. To escape undetected would require sniper-like stealth. Timing was critical. I had to pull this off during the dinner hour when most residents were home,(but inside), to get the biggest laugh. But, I had to be very, very careful not to get caught. We would probably get evicted for this, then I would be in big trouble.

I arrived back home at around four pm. As the afternoon wore on toward evening, building residents returned home from work, got their mail at the common row of mailboxes we shared and visited with each other in the courtyard. It seemed like it took forever until the courtyard was empty for more than a few seconds. Dusk was just beginning to fall. It was time. I cut the top of each paper dye packet off with a scissor. I looked outside, then walked out to the pool as nonchalantly as I could. Cupped in each of my hands was an open packet. I quickly scanned all the windows overlooking the pool to see if anyone was looking at me, then I moved to the pool's edge. I knelt down and quickly dumped the dye granules into the water. The dye spread quickly, as I looked back it was quickly consuming the clear water. I went back inside and waited. I did not look out the window.

After about ten minutes I heard a woman scream outside, near the pool. I put on my most concerned face and went outside. It was the manager. She was screaming, "there's a body in the pool, somebody call 911." The pool was completely red. I did not break a smile, laugh or anything. I consoled the manager as residents poured out of their apartments to see the drama unfolding. I made sure to make the rounds and talk to each of my neighbors present, showing my concern and wondering aloud, who's in the pool? My uncle Bob got home from work and became one of the gallery of onlookers. He gave me one those looks on the sly that said, "somehow, I know you're involved in this." But, I just kept a deadpan look on my face and stared back

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