Good Times!

I was lucky to have parents that felt young at heart.  They got along very well with my friends and encouraged me to have them over.  I remember having one toy or another strewn around the basement, making it hard to navigate through.  Be it a long slot car track right down the middle or the pool table that really didn't fit, they didn't say much.  When I turned 18, the Vietnam War was in full swing.  All us guys were subject to a draft lottery.  We sat around talking about what we were going to do to avoid being drafted.  Some of us joined up, others went to Canada and some stuck it out.  I stuck it out.  Yes, I was scared.  When I was called to go in for a pre-induction physical, you know my heart was racing.  Due to a numbness in my left hand, I was ruled 4F.  They couldn't and wouldn't take me.  Ah, so sad.  Anyway, as my friends came back from boot camp, my parents allowed us to have a beer.  They figured anyone that could die for their country could certainly have a drink.  Amen!  About the time I turned 19, it was decided that I could invite my friends and they'd invite theirs to a party that I'd throw at our house.  Creedence Clearwater Revival was blasting through the speakers as the beer poured from the tap.  Oh yeah, my parents bought a keg of beer and we all shared it.  Those parties are still mentioned when I talk with friends that attended them 40 years ago.

I was one of the first people in our group of friends to move in to a house.  I was 23 and wanting to party!  So we did.  Every Friday and Saturday night, it was normal for 20 - 25 people to "drop" by.  The music was blaring, smoke was billowing out the front door and I'm sure the neighbors wondered what the heck was going on.  On Sunday, we'd tame things down by washing cars and shooting hoops in the back yard.  As time went on, my friends were getting married and having babies.  The herd was thinning.  So I looked for reasons to get together.  Fourth of July, hyrdro race day gatherings and the occasional BBQ.  I got married at 27, but things didn't slow down too much.  (I have the pictures to prove it!)  I was into organizing dinners at various local eateries.  The Old Spaghetti Factory, Round Table Pizza, The Doodle Sack drive-in and numerous other joints.  The year most of our group turned 30, I secured a banquet room at The Wharf.  I invited tons of people and tons of people showed.  My aunts, uncles, neighbors, parents, and of course many friends.  A good time was had by all.  As time went on, I continued to try and get "the group" of friends together.  It was getting harder 'cuz people had families and just weren't in to doing that as often.  No matter, I didn't give up.  I enjoyed seeing my friends enjoy themselves.  For a few years, I secured a covered BBQ area at Carkeek Park on the Sunday of the 3-day Memorial day weekend.  If it rained we could hang out under the roof.  Some years, 50 or more people turned out.

About the time I turned 40, depression was setting in big time.  It was hard to do much that I enjoyed.  It really took effort.  I tired of doing all that I felt I was doing to keep our group of friends together.  In my mind, nobody else did anything!  Looking back, I guess I was right.  Yes, they'd show up, but few put much effort into making whatever event better.  Thanks to some advice from a customer, I saw a shrink and life got way better.  Through my 40's and 50's, my wife and I continued to try and get a few friends together, but once again, the herd was thinning.  We'd made a few new friends, but not many.  As I look back now, I'm pretty certain that my friends didn't like being around me in a one-on-one setting.  To say it mildly, I was very opinionated.  Republican opinionated with few facts to back up what I thought I believed in.  All this coming from an angry point of view to boot!  Rush Limbaugh all the way baby!!  Thank goodness for Paxil.  I no longer need RL in my life.  Who wants to be angry?  Him, I guess.

So what's the point to this story, right?  This year, what's left of that old group of friends is turning 60.  I'm thinking of making one last attempt at getting them together.  I know they'll have a good time, all I have to do is find them.  (I did a very small get together a year or so ago and everyone had a great time.)  So if you were part of that group, please email me and let me know if you'd like to be included in this one last hoorah.  This might be our last run at remembering the good old times!

Big Dogg Out!