A Trip Down Drunken Lane

Last night a group of co-workers, myself, and my new guy met up after work at The Junction Sports Bar & Grill, a tavern within walking distance of work.  We were all celebrating both Andrea and Adriana's 21st birthday.  Oh to be 21 again!  Okay, not really but I do remember fondly the days of drinking into the wee hours of the morning and still being able to get up at 6am with a smile on my face!  I also remember, and not fondly, the nights of shots and Hamms beer (the only kind a poor student could afford) that included ferocious vomiting, stumbling around, and spewing a variety of idiotic comments that I thankfully cannot recall. 

During my college years at CWU, my roommates and I would live for Friday after class when we would strap on our boots and hike in the snow to the local liquor store (none of us had cars so walking was always in order - just like the postal service, we walked through rain, sleet, and snow to get our weekend drink.)  We would pick up our favorite pint (for some reason mine was usually gin) then hike on back to our dorm, or to someone else's, to partake in a regular Friday night party.  We spent many an evening at our friend Janie's dorm at Barto Hall (the party place), playing quarters and flirting with fellow students. Janie was short, bleached blonde, petite, and always dressed in pink.  I don't mean now and then...I seriously mean ALWAYS.  In some way it was cute; in other ways it was simply weird.  Sometimes I wonder if Janie continues to wear pink now that she is in her forties.

On one occasion a roommate and I attended (which meant we walked to) an off-campus party.  The drink of the evening was referred to as "Purple Jesus"; it contained grape juice, vodka (or perhaps Everclear), and dry ice.  It may also have included several more items because at one point I remember sipping it, then the next moment I woke up in bed (well, on top of the covers) next to a random guy with my roommate on the other side.  Thankfully we were fully clothed but that was the one and only time I had a blackout moment during my college binge-drinking years.  That's not to say I didn't make a few more stupid errors in judgment during my twenties; I certainly can't blame it for my first marriage so I'm unable to use the alcohol card for that mistake!

Back to Andrea and Adriana - after the sports bar, they ventured off to downtown Olympia for the rest of the evening while my beau and I made our way home.  Their night involved numerous stops at several party-filled taverns and culminated with the two being driven home around 3:30 by their designated driver.  I'm happy to report they made it home all in one piece!!