Junior year of high school is normally filled with stress over exams, ordering class rings, getting your first car, and for some select few, engaging in potentially life threatening activities. We will call the students in question Sue and Jill. I actually attended a few classes that semester with Sue, Jill was only in chemistry class with me.

This day really began like any other. That is, until chemistry lab. Now this was a while ago, I am out of college and working now, so forgive me if a few details are a little hazy. The experiment in question today found us handling 3 molar Hydrochloric Acid and standard US pennies. We basically cut the pennies to expose the metal core and then plopped them into the HCL solution. After a while, to just about everyone's delight, the core of the pennies began to dissolve! After we saw this, the professor began his lecture on properties of acid. Now by the time class ended the pennies had not yet fully dissolved. Can anyone see what is coming next?

While everyone else was packing up their things and heading out the door I noticed tweedle-dum and tweedle-dumber (e.g. Jill and Sue, respectively) hunkered over the sink in the lab. I figured they were just sniffing glue or something "normal" like that, so I left them to their highs and made my merry way to my next class. I arrived in class and took my seat. A few minutes later I see Tweedle-dumber walk in carrying a disposable white plastic cup covered with celophane. This is when I start to get scared.

I didn't really have time to think much about it because as soon as she walked in, class began. Now imagine this. There we are, sitting through a lecture about medieval England, when I hear "HEY!, YOUR CUP IS MELTING!". I didn't want to look, but I did anyways, TWEEDLE-DUM AND TWEEDLE-DUMBER HAD DECIDED TO CONTINUE MELTING THEIR PENNIES! Sue then picked up the melting cup (with bare hands, mind you) threw the cup in the trash and ran to the bathroom to wash off what she had gotten on her hands. She had set the disposable plastic cup on the ground next to her bookbag with hers and her friend's pennies and a considerable amount of 3 molar HCL. Some say it is fortunate that she hadn't had the cup sitting between her legs, some say it is unfortunate that it wasn't. I am of the latter mindset and wish that she hadn't been able to contribute to the gene pool.

The Chemistry teacher was subsequently called to the room with a solution that neutralized the acid and settled down the history teacher. Tweele-dum and dumber were then suspended for 3 days.

Now, this doesn't merit an award, but I think a HM is in order for the outstanding showing of stupidity by these two. Anyone who has watched even a smidgen of television or movies knows that a flimsy plastic cup is not sufficient to hold acid. Judge for yourself!

Submitted on 06/05/2007

Submitted by: rtruesdale@gmail.com
Reference:

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
It certainly merits consideration as a PA! Gadzooks, these chicks were just plain LUCKY! Thanks, that was quite funny!

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
"Hey, let's put this dissolving metal in a plastic cup!" That certainly sounds like Darwin grade stupidity to me. Thanks for sharing this with us.

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