Turn Out the Lights

The party is over. We meet up on a Friday night, one time a year. We drink, laugh, tell stories on each other and stay awake as late as we can possibly manage in our middle aged bodies that act and feel 17 for at least one weekend a year. We look forward to it, we write about it, we make grandiose plans that may or may not ever happen, and we love each other.

One middle aged school teacher was there for the first time in a few years. We have all missed her as she stayed with her sick mother til the tearful end. This reserved, sweet lady would bounce around the room announcing she was drinking "TeeeeKeeeelah!" Then she started the countdown to passing out, which for some unknown reason she estimated to be around Midnight. "Or I'll turn into a pumpkin."

I tried to calm her down by telling her turning into a pumpkin was not a bad thing, considering what the local redneck boys around here are known to do to pumpkins. Undeterred, about 11:55 she flopped down on a bed that was not hers and waited for the passing-out to commence. Every so often she would pop up with concern all over her face and ask individuals if they were planning on driving home (assuming they were as drunk as she was feeling) then offering to let them sleep with her in her room.

The highlight of last night was when our event organizer mentioned her year of chemo-therapy from breast cancer. She talked about her wig and from time to time walking through the house without hair in front of her son's friends. And I could not contain my question any longer. Like a timid little boy I just had to ask... "When you had chemo... Did you lose your ear hair and your nose hair too?"

I was expecting shock and disgust but instead I heard a shout of, "She didn't lose her pubes! I already asked!" Then another asked, sounding like another little kid in awe and amazement of some totally cool concept, "Did you lose your eyebrows or eye lashes?" and other asked, ""Oooh! What about the hair on your legs?!"

The questions were interrupted by "That would be cool if you didn't have to shave your legs!"

And there we were, thanks to the magical powers of alcohol, transported back to the innocence of youth. Staring wide eyed and open mouthed, waiting on the wonders of grown up life to be revealed to us by the first kid in our group that was brave enough try something new and lived to tell the tale. It was maybe one of the most special moments of my life. I love those guys!

X-Tra Curricular

Back in high school I was in a few extra curricular activities. I was in the marching band in Middle School and then my Freshman year of high school. During that formative year in High school I came to conclusion "Band Sucks!"

Then I switched over the the bad ass crew. They wore three piece suits, carried brief cases and talked about shit nobody else understood. High School Debate. It was work intensive and we (mostly they) were kick ass. We had nearly a decade of winning state and nearly winning nationals. There were actors and debaters and a few cross overs. and we spent all of our time together and nearly all of our weekends together on the road in competition.

Now it is 34 years later. Many of us still communicate on a regular basis via Email. Including the old coach, who was only about 6 or 8 years older than the rest of us. And once a year we get together and hang out and tell wild stories, brag on children and laugh like it was 1979.

So I guess what I am saying here is I will be making light posts through the weekend and then I might need a day or so to detox.

Headed Home

Well the adventure winds to an end here in Death Valley. It was hot, we had Earth Quakes, Y2Kette tried to get her freak-on with d-list actor and my credit card is in sticker shock.

New Co-Worker stayed in last night and did her homework for a presentation for the dudes that supervise her grant progress from the Feds. For a chick that was without clothes OR her computer up until the last minute, she did an excellent presentation. In fact, the supervisors called her presentation brilliant. All the others were told to call the grant over-seers and had a list of corrections. New Co-Worker got praise and adoration. Pretty freakin cool!

So I had planned on the final night to take them both out to a nice steak house like Ruth Chris. They went to the pool and kicked back and never ever called me. When I finally called Y2Kette she was eating her Cheesecake Factory left overs and New Co-Worker had ordered room service. So I ordered up a burger and Y2Kette came over and helped me eat it as she played on the internet and I read my new book from Border's Book Store. Living life on the wild side, huh?

It's been fun to get out and feel like rock stars at a big time Spa and Resort. But I think we are all ready to go home and do all the things that need to be done that make life real.