Help Me Identify a Story About A Pool Party Bomb
November 29, 2007 4:08 AM Subscribe
TeenAngstFilter: Can you help me identify a short story about a student who blows up a pool?
When I was in 6th or 7th grade (somewhere between 1995 and 1997), a mean librarian from New York came to work at my school in the Midwest. The first day, she read a fairly disturbing short story about a violent high school student, which she described as her "favorite story". I have never heard of the story before or since then, and I remember most of the plot but not the title or author. I think she read it out of a book of short stories, but I'm not sure.
Plot Description:
A nerdy high school student is picked on mercilessly by bullies. The story starts with the nerdy student getting a "swirlie". In order to get revenge, the nerdy student invites everyone from his class to go to a pool party in a high-rise building. He invites the girl he has a crush on, but does not tell her that it's a pool party. He secretly sets up a time bomb at the bottom of the pool. During the pool party, he and the girl he has a crush on do not wear swimsuits, so they are not in the pool at all. The nerdy student, the girl, or both are thrown into the pool as a joke, just as the bomb goes off. It blows a hole in the side of the building, and creates a giant whirlpool. The nerdy student manages to save the girl, but he himself is sucked out through the hole and out the side of the building. The story ends with him falling to his death.
Other details:
- I think the story takes place in New York City.
- The nerdy student makes the bomb using fireworks that he buys from some kid on the street. I think the kid is described as having a mustache.
- The girl he has a crush on wears a dress, and when she is in the pool it floats around her in a big circle.
- I think other people besides the nerdy student are sucked out of the pool, but I'm not sure.
Can anyone find any more details on this story, and possibly direct me to where I can find it?
When I was in 6th or 7th grade (somewhere between 1995 and 1997), a mean librarian from New York came to work at my school in the Midwest. The first day, she read a fairly disturbing short story about a violent high school student, which she described as her "favorite story". I have never heard of the story before or since then, and I remember most of the plot but not the title or author. I think she read it out of a book of short stories, but I'm not sure.
Plot Description:
A nerdy high school student is picked on mercilessly by bullies. The story starts with the nerdy student getting a "swirlie". In order to get revenge, the nerdy student invites everyone from his class to go to a pool party in a high-rise building. He invites the girl he has a crush on, but does not tell her that it's a pool party. He secretly sets up a time bomb at the bottom of the pool. During the pool party, he and the girl he has a crush on do not wear swimsuits, so they are not in the pool at all. The nerdy student, the girl, or both are thrown into the pool as a joke, just as the bomb goes off. It blows a hole in the side of the building, and creates a giant whirlpool. The nerdy student manages to save the girl, but he himself is sucked out through the hole and out the side of the building. The story ends with him falling to his death.
Other details:
- I think the story takes place in New York City.
- The nerdy student makes the bomb using fireworks that he buys from some kid on the street. I think the kid is described as having a mustache.
- The girl he has a crush on wears a dress, and when she is in the pool it floats around her in a big circle.
- I think other people besides the nerdy student are sucked out of the pool, but I'm not sure.
Can anyone find any more details on this story, and possibly direct me to where I can find it?
Response by poster: Nice! I was expecting it to be out of print or so obscure that nobody would recognize it. Thanks for your help!
posted by burnmp3s at 8:50 AM on November 29, 2007
posted by burnmp3s at 8:50 AM on November 29, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
Darkness Creeping
posted by kumquatmay at 8:24 AM on November 29, 2007 [1 favorite]