The seniors at Barclay’s have a key collection. All four classes have access to it, but it is “incumbent” on the seniors to maintain it. Various keys have, over the years, been acquired by . . . one method or another . . . and added to the collection. There is, for example, the key to the gymnasium. Not that any of the girls would ever need to use the gymnasium . . . stealthily . . . but if they do, they are ready. And there is the key to the apple machine, where, at various times, oranges, potatoes, and even Beanie Babies have appeared.
And, at the end of each school year, there is something of a ceremony, where the keys are passed down . . . from the outgoing senior class to the incoming one . . . so that the mischief making may be preserved.
It was two years ago . . . or there abouts . . . that Mr. Hendersen had loaned his car to a couple of the girls. That was a mistake. They, of course, had copies made of the ignition and trunk keys and added them . . . duly labeled . . . to the collection. And now, on this night, that ignition key is going to be put to use.
Kelly is the “wheel girl” while Gretchen, Missy, Rachel, and Jody are “schlepping.” The car is unlocked and Kelly gets in. She puts the key in the ignition and gives it a slight turn . . . freeing up the steering wheel. She then puts the car in neutral . . . and the other four girls start pushing. They get across the parking lot and on down toward the lake. At the edge of the lake Kelly puts on the brakes and the car comes to a stop.
Sandy, Laurie, Sadie, and Celeste are in the water . . . steadying the float.
And this would be the float that, under normal circumstances, is securely anchored off the far shore of the lake . . . a float that was designed to be used for recreation purposes, but is now being used for, well, recreation purposes.
Kelly eases up on the brakes and the car is very carefully guided onto the float. A goof-up here would be disastrous. They get the car completely onto the float, and wood “blocks” are placed in front of the front tires and behind the rear ones. The four girls in the water then swim the float . . . and its cargo . . . out to the island, where six more girls are waiting. The float docks up against the small pier on the island and it is a pretty close fit. The front blocks are removed and the car is pushed onto the island where it is then maneuvered into a parking spot. The car is now facing the “mainland” and, with the trees and other foliage on either side of it, it creates a nice picturesque scene for the mainland viewer to appreciate.
The six “island girls” and Kelly then board the float and are given transportation to the shore. The four girls in the water then return the float to its original mooring, drop both anchors overboard, wash off any tell-tail signs that a car has been there, and swim to shore.