No-Work Friday

(Eric Shansby)

Me: You're a stubborn guy. Are you taking Leap Day off?

Karl: Yes. I cleared it with the principal and arranged for a substitute, but when I tried to enter it into the computer system, it didn't recognize the date! See, it's The Man at work, still giving me trouble. I'm also going to pull my children out of school in a form of mild civil disobedience. For me, I worked through established means, but, with the children, I'll have to write them a note to say why. All you have to do is say something like "family issue," and no one asks any questions. Nobody wants to delve into that!

Me: I see.

Karl: I ENVISION A DAY WHEN EVERYONE IN THE WORLD WILL WAKE UP ON FEBRUARY 29 AND DO WHATEVER HE OR SHE WANTS TO DO, INCLUDING GO TO WORK IF THEY WANT TO.

Me: You're talking in all capitals.

Karl: This is big.

Me:

Karl: So, what do you think?

Me: I don't know, man. It's a little thin. I like the idea, but you've got to give me a reason that this is important. What will you be doing with your day?

Karl: Sleeping late, that's all. I won't be drinking alcohol or getting wild. I'm a Mormon. Mormons are very good at things like not having premarital sex. We've come far from our wild, Stick-It-to-the-Man roots.

Me: Hmm. So this is one person's quest to reclaim the roots of his religious identity in a time of flaccid secular homogenization?

Karl:

Me:

Karl: Will that work?

Gene Weingarten can be reached at weingarten@washpost.com.

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