Last Year's Schoolyard Launch Stories

At my early morning schoolyard launches, there is usually an elderly couple walking. They get their exercise by walking around the basketball courts, over and over again.
They recognize me now and we wave when we see each other.
I know they watch the launches but no words are ever exchanged.

At a recent launch my Batrock model drifted over the fence into a residential area.
I walked over to where it landed (past the courts and walkers) and looked over the fence. The lady walker shrugged her shoulders as if to say: "Oh well!"

The next model was the carded Bandito with an A3-4t, too much altitude for this small field. Even with the streamer it drifted into the same row of houses.
I went back passing the walking couple. The woman talked for the first time saying:
"You've got to move your launcher farther that way."
Thanks lady, I know.

There isn't usually many people at the schoolyard at 7:00 a.m. But, one morning there was a small group of young teens. You know the type, little "gangsta" boys  with baseball caps on backwards and low hanging jeans.
All walked over to see what I was doing.

The group "leader" was really the only one talking and made remarks:
"Hey, put a big engine in it and send it up really high!
Hey light it on fire and press the button!"

He kept up, I kept my cool explaining what model rocketry is.
One more remark and I'd had enough -
"My cousins rockets are bigger than these things."

I said: "For someone who doesn't like these rockets you stayed for every flight. You held the controller, counted down and launched one!
If this wasn't worthwhile you wouldn't have walked over in the first place. Sorry if I took up your time."
I started packing up.
He stood dumbfounded, his friends laughed.
Touche' rocket nerd.