The Humphrey Room Inconveniencer
or
A Pyramid Scheme
Phase I: conception
The plan developed something like this (greatly condensed):
me: We need to build something large and awkward in Humphrey’s room. So awkward that he finds it inconvenient but not so awkward that he ever gets around to taking it apart.
Phil: Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
Chris: How about a frame made of PVC around the walls of his room? This will slightly reduce the usable size of his room by making it impossible to push furniture all the way up to the wall.
Phil: What if we build diagonal crossbars on it? Better yet, we could build a pyramid in his room, right over his bed. He will have pyramid power!
Erik: But that might be too inconvenient.
He might just take it down.
Phil: Hmm.
Erik: But it would be a lot harder to take down if we fill the whole PVC structure with water!
Phil: Ooo.
And so the Humphrey Room Inconveniencer had been given shape. It would be a pyramid frame of PVC pipes and the pipes would be filled with water to discourage any rash acts with a hacksaw.
Phase II: construction
The first step was to build the corners at the base of the pyramid.
Next we assembled the crosspiece that would be at the apex. The purple stuff is PVC cement primer.
With the fittings done, it was time to get started assembling the whole thing. First up was the base.
Then the diagonals went in. By a series of happy coincidences, the standard 10′ length of pipe was exactly the size to fit in his room and exactly the length needed for the diagonals of a pyramid, minus the bit at the top that’s replaced by the crosspiece. This means no cutting and no extensions for all the struts, which was very nice.
Success!
Phase III: Reaction
Discovery.
Confusion.
“What… what the hell is it?”
“Filled with water? You’re kidding.”
“OK, this isn’t actually filled with water, right?”
“Holy crap, it is filled with water!”
Grudging acceptance.
