Underwear found in a time capsule

BY PAM LOBLEY

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

NOW THAT'S FUNNY

When you're sending your child off to camp — don't forget to pack an extra pair of underwear. That way, he or she can spare a pair to sneak into a time capsule.

This is what must have happened way back in 1979 at Stonybrook Day Camp in Randolph, New Jersey. The capsule was recently unearthed and revealed the typical "kid time capsule" items like crayon drawings, a Polaroid of the campers, tie-dyed tee shirts, a softball, and, as a bit of a surprise, some tightie whities.

Roger Black, whose family has owned Stonybrook for decades, has spent 7 years looking for the time capsule that he had helped bury. He knew it was somewhere, he just couldn't remember where. Finally, a 7-year-old camper with a metal detector located the capsule, which was an old metal milk jug, and the capsule was dug up.

I'm glad they finally got to the bottom of it.

There was much anticipation surrounding the opening of the capsule. Mr. Black gathered 300 campers around for the opening. Jen Hubert, the junior camp director, shouted with excitement when she saw a shirt with her sister's name on it. The various items provoked interest and nostalgia, but Zachary Solano, the kid who had used the metal detector and found the capsule wondered aloud "Who puts underwear in a time capsule?"

A kid with a sense of humor, that's who! I would love to know who was mischievous enough to do this. I would swear it was my husband, but he never went to Stonybrook. Whoever he is, the kid deserves credit for his true appreciation of slow comedy. Doggone it, why didn't that kid's mom write his name in the waistband with a Magic Marker?

My oldest son will be heading off to camp in a couple of weeks and there's nothing more heartwarming than thinking of the silly pranks and memories that he will create for himself there. I am going to make sure I write his name in every pair of underwear, just in case.

Shirley Brittner, of West Orange, a former camper who helps manage the camp today, says there's another time capsule on the property somewhere, and it is about 50 years old. She indicated that it's under there somewhere.

Underwhere?

Pam Lobley writes the "Now That's Funny" column. Sign up for her mailing list at www.pamlobley.com.