Water Tower Wishes

Tonight as we drove by our small town's water tower lit up with a Christmas tree spanning the entire length of it, as it has every year since I can remember, I made the following announcement to my three children:

"Guys, I'm gonna climb that water tower one day, " said in the same matter of fact tone that I imagine Christopher Columbus did when he announced he was going to sail the ocean blue.

"But Mommy why?  It's so high."

"Well, because every good country song about living in a small town talks about climbing the water tower and for as long as I've lived here I"ve never done it.  It's time."  (And now that I say that I can't really think of a single one but I know they're out there, I've heard them!)

"What if you fall and break your arm?" (As if, don't they realize I'm as graceful as a ballet dancer?)

"Isn't that illegal?" (Obviously, they don't know I've been on that side of the law before.)

"Oh it will be fine.  It'll be fun!"

"I don't think it's such a good idea." (Who taught them to be so conscientious, such rule followers?  Geesh.)

"It's a great idea.  I can't wait to say I've climbed the water tower.  Maybe I'll even paint our name on it!"

"That's really NOT a good idea because then they'll know who did it and WE don't want to get in trouble."

"You guys really need to loosen up."

"We're gonna tell Daddy, he won't let you do it."

Tattletales. 

So who's up for a little water tower climbing?!?  Anyone?  Anyone? 

And now time for a side tangent that just happened, real time:

And right here I was going to post a picture of our town's sweet water tower lit up as a Christmas tree.  Bet that's never been done before huh?  Not the posting of a water tower picture but the lights hanging from the tower to form a Christmas tree.  However, when I googled it instead the first thing that came up was a picture of one of the boys' wrestling coaches, which is odd because I had no idea that he was responsible for the water tower, but that wasn't it.  Then I thought maybe he too had dreamed of scaling the utmost heights and getting a view from the top and he was featured in the county news right next to the tidbit about Bertha going to town for a pedicure on Thursday, but nope that wasn't it either..  I was completely optimistic until I looked a little closer at the picture and thought it looked a lot like a mug shot.  Not that I'm familiar with mug shots, after all when I had my run in with the law they refused to take my mug shot even though I asked...repeatedly.  A few more clicks and I had my answer and it wasn't pretty, friends.  He is on the sex offender registry.  *giving you a moment to gain your composure while that sinks in* And now I'm freaking out.  Here's the good news:  a)  he's considered very low risk and has no restrictions such as where he can live, work, etc b) it was 10 years ago and it was with a woman over the age of 18 (maybe his wife?) and c) he's always been a great coach to the boys and very polite, nice and helpful with us along with his wife who is basically running the wrestling program.  The bad news?  Well, you know me, I don't know if I can just pretend to be blissfully oblivious. How can I not pose the question to the head coach about his judgement in allowing a registered sex offender be an assistant coach to our kids?  And also, shouldn't we have been made aware?  What if he doesn't even know?  Oh dear, what have kind of can of worms have I opened here?  Am I overreacting?  Should we let bygones be bygones?  All I was trying to do is find a picture of the water tower for crying out loud.  What would you do?  Talk to me.  It's all fun and google until someone shows up on the sex offender registry.  Ugggh.
And while you're at it, tell me if you'd climb the water tower?