The pipes in my chemistry room had been groaning and knocking intermittently for several weeks. I mentioned it to several of the custodians asking if it was a problem. It has been my first year in the old building so I really had no idea if it had always been like that. Not to be a killjoy, but I was under the impression that pipes reacted like that when air was rushing through them.
So, on Thursday, the pipes started serenading us again but it seemed somewhat different this time. This time, instead of the few seconds of rumbling, the noise sounded more like a steady tapping noise. Not being anywhere near a prison or the Goondocks, I assumed that it wasn't being caused by any underground travelers. Finally, after about 10 minutes, the knocking and groaning subsided and I was finally able to bring my class back to order. Apparently, noisy pipes are more interesting than my noisy windpipes. Several minutes later, a cryptic announcment came across the PA requesting the presence of a particular class. Then, a few more minutes later, we were informed that we were without water because the main had broken and flooded the old gym with several inches of water. The gym is set into a hill so it was an obvious destination for low viscosity fluids. To understand the "severity" of the issue, bear in mind that our school has been the home of the state champion basketball team for two consecutive years.
So, the entire school spent over half of the day without water. In a move that still reeks of poor decision, the admin decided that we could still continue on with our daily schedule. Of course, with no flushing toilets or working sinks or water fountains, this was an obvious choice for anyone with an advanced degree in education administration. The middle school across the street agreed to allow our students to stand in ridiculously long lines just to perform the most basic of biological functions in a sanitary manner. I did still manage to get a bit of teaching in, but I had to scrap my idea to have a lab in AP Chem and I stumbled through an ill-prepared introduction to intermolecular forces, not that it means much to the average reader.
I suppose the situation has one positive outcome. Now, when the upperclassmen sell passes to freshmen for the pool under the gym floor they won't be guilty of false advertisement or representation.
