Sticky mess
A year 12 physics lesson and we're learning of the joys of viscosity. The experiment basically involved pouring honey over a glass plate and timing it as it spread out. In order to ensure a constant volume of honey, we chopped the bottom off film canisters and placed them on the glass plates. Simply fill the canister with honey, then remove the canister and watch as the honey slowly spreads out over several mind numbingly dull minutes.

Simple enough. However, for one individual this proved a far too complex task. Rich was, shall we say, hard to like. He was once heard to utter the phrase "Of course we're only using the jag while the Bentley's being serviced" and was basically Richie Rich without the kidapult or rollercoaster in his back garden.

Rich finds the careful spooning of honey a far too laborious task, so he instead decides to pour the honey staight from the jar. Of course he needs a good look at what he's doing and so he picks up the film canister and holds it about an inch from his face. You see, Rich had completely failed to notice that there was no base to the canister and, viscous as the honey may have been, there was absolutely nothing to stop it running all over his shirt, tie, trousers, pretty much everywhere.

I stared in disbelief at this kid intently wondering why its taking so long to fill what is effectively a tube. All the while he's adding another layer of honey glaze to his clothing. A couple of classmates start to laugh and Rich too starts to chuckle, horrendously unaware of what's going on. At this point I'm pretty much on the floor I'm laughing so hard.

I think I almost stopped breathing when he held the canister up and peered curiously at the bottom ...
(wordsworthless is outnumbered but never outpunned, Fri 30 Jan 2009, 0:49, Reply)