Nothing to do in Las Vegas?

It really seemed easy. I watched as three grandchildren tried the ridiculously easy task of kicking a sponge ball through a space of about two feet square. What’s the big deal?

Carly, Celina and Arthur Roland, my grandchildren, couldn’t knock the ball through; in fact, most of the time they missed the ball completely. The catch? Jennifer Ballen, of the San Miguel County DWI task force, had them wear goggles that simulate how an intoxicated person would see things.

“Let me show you how it’s done, grandkids,” I said. I put on the special goggles, carefully checked the location of the ball on the floor and let fly a kick that would have made Sebastian Janikowski of the Oakland Raiders envious.

In your dreams, super kicker. What happened instead was a missed kick, following by a bit of tittering from folks who’d gathered ‘round.

They were part of the crowd Saturday at the Sunrise Kiwanis Outdoor Recreation Show, which featured a number of booths ranging from Frisbee Golf to archery to displays by agencies and organizations.

But back to my poorformance: As I failed in every attempt even to make contact with the ball, I wondered how anyone who’s taken in too much sauce could pass a sobriety test, similar to what police make suspected drunken drivers perform.

On the second attempt, I felt the precise location of the ball with my foot, confident — this time — I’d make the equivalent of a LeBron James-type three-pointer. Same result. Shall we prolong this non-coordinational tragedy?

Well, just a bit longer to explain my trying to walk a straight line, heel-to-toe, while using the eyewear. That was even harder. My eyes and my mind kept telling me how to walk; my body thought otherwise. I thought of Nik Wallenda, walking a tightrope across Niagara Falls and declaring, days before the attempt, that he never even considers the idea of failing.

Well, even with Carly guiding me on the left side and my grandson and namesake on the other side, I wobbled. I believe I would have crash-landed if I’d continued. That experience makes me wonder how anyone could even think of driving drunk.

• • •

“There’s never anything to do in Las Vegas.” People who say and believe that obviously live in the other Las Vegas. It’s amazing how many activities, especially on weekends, this little burg has.

I set out early to accompany Arthur Roland as he searched for photo-ops for the special page he is helping set up to run Fridays. Each week is a different theme.

When we met, at the Abe Montoya Recreation Center, we were greeted by volunteers Wilma Brown, Debbie Mills and Em Krall, who handled registration. Inside were numerous booths and exhibits. Attenders took part in line-dancing, with a group of some 20 participants, led by Denise McElroy, with Floyd Chavez as the only male in view.

In another room, Debbie Pike gave safety pointers and practice on archery to a group of youngsters. Alan Franken took kids through the paces with Frisbee Golf. At a booth set up by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manager Rob Larrañaga distributed literature and placed non-permanent tattoos on willing children.

Debbie Mills and Denise McElroy led kids in a hula hoop competition, and volunteers at several other booths passed out literature and gave out samples.

And in the fitness center, on the east side of the recreation complex, Ryan Aragon worked on calf raises on a weight machine, under the guidance of Edmund Ekeoha, his trainer.

After a few hours there, we returned to the Luna Car Show for more photos, drove by the Plaza to watch workers prepare the ground for sod, visited Lincoln Park for more photos, went to the Highlands Natatorium, where a group of young men played water volleyball, and ended up at the Tux-and-Tails event.

By the way, my grandson and I dropped in to the Fort Union Drive-In Theater the night before to take photos. That was a challenge. Though most people there seemed friendly and cooperative, one asked whether we were filming “The Avengers” and “Men in Black 3” in order to take the footage home and watch from there.

We were especially interested in the acres of vehicles — mostly pickups — parked facing away from the screen. That way, folks were able to take out their lawn chairs and stretch out and watch unobstructed.

Las Vegas is fortunate to have one of only two remaining drive-in theaters in the state, the other being in Carlsbad. Jeanna DiLucchio continues to run the business after about 20 years.

Arthur Roland wasn’t sure what I was pointing to when I showed him a couple of objects attached to a post, left there on purpose.

The funny things, in front of the concession stand, are the speakers from an earlier era, that we’d attach to our driver’s-side window. Now, people simply tune a selected FM frequency without worrying about driving off with the speakers as they leave.

• • •

Please, Las Vegas, let’s not cross the Rubicon prematurely; let’s not take that irrevocable step.

Friday’s Optic explains that because of a financial crisis — is anybody surprised? — the City Schools may be forced into a four-day school week.

Let’s remember that the shortened week was not intended to be wrought by financial exigencies. But apparently now it is: We’re short of money so let’s cut down to four days; next year, maybe we can get by on only three days.

Let’s not allow the financial shortfall to dictate the calendar.

Let’s think consolidation with West before plunging into a schedule that fails to mesh with other schools of similar size.

Additionally, it would be helpful for the East board to inform the public — unambiguously — whether meetings are convened for discussion of a shortened school week, or for some other purpose.

And clarifying how exactly the plebiscite was conducted would be helpful. How was the voting conducted? Who was eligible to vote? Could anyone vote twice, or thrice?