13. Roof Rattling...a Rhodesian thing?

                                     A building with a corrugated tin roof

I don’t know where “Roof Rattling” originated. I’m guessing Rhodesia as I haven’t heard it mentioned anywhere else...but don’t quote me on it.

What exactly is “Roof Rattling” I hear you ask. Look no further than the name. The sole objective of “Roof Rattling” was to rattle roofs...or 'is' if it is still happening today.  

I hesitate in calling “Roof Rattling” a sport although it involved running and throwing. On reflection it was more an activity for teenage boys - immature teenage boys, which encompassed a whole swathe of teenage boys including me and my brothers.  I should also add, and this goes some way in proving our immaturity, we found it side-splittingly funny. 

The sole objective may have been to rattle roofs but the consequence was to scare the B-Jesus out whoever it was who had the misfortune to be targeted.

A night would be selected..."Roof Rattling" always took place under the cover of darkness not only to hide the identity of the 'rattlers' but because it added an extra element of terror to the 'rattled'.

                               handfuls of stones similar to ones we used!

Together with our mates and clutching handfuls of small stones we would surround a house – preferably a house with a corrugated tin roof as it added to the noise level – and at a given signal we would all started hurling the stones onto the roof ="%@}{ #+!!"#^%!# (the symbols  illustrate the noise and not the colourful language used by the occupants of the "rattled" house).

The accumulative racket as a hundred or so stones landed on the tin roof and clattered down into the guttering was absolutely deafening and must have terrified the occupants witless.  

Just as soon as the last stone landed we legged it. There had been cases of enraged occupants unloading both barrels of shotguns at fleeing "Roof Rattlers" as they disappeared laughing hysterically into the night.