I started at my house. Two friends brought over five bottles of wine and some beer. We sat downstairs at the bar. The lights were dim. We listened to
Joe Cocker, watched
American Psycho, and drank.
By one o'clock we had consumed the five bottles of wine, the 12 pack of Natural Light, another bottle of wine, and a third of a bottle of Korski vodka. We had heard about a party at a nearby residence, so we got in the car prepared to have a laugh.
We walked in the door and were greeted by all of the people we knew. Several others, whom we didn't know, were there. They were from Ohio University, in a fraternity with the owner of the house. What immediately struck me as absurd was the five males crammed on the couch. They all wore similar collared polo shirts, had hair unctuously combed forward. With my liquid shield, I was feeling bold. I said to my friend, "Look at this. Ridiculous."
We went to sit at the bar, and one of the frat members gave us ice beer. I struck up a conversation about football, and we got along well. I got drunker.
My pal was just as drunk. And as stupid. He took out his Bic and set fire to the black mane of another friend, who was talking to an attractive young female. I can't remember his reaction.
"Look at this waste," the same friend said, picking up two untouched, opened, stranded beer cans. "These kids don't know." "Yep," I said. At this point a frat member said, "That's bullshit, man. You motherfucker. You Star Trek motherfucker!" I burst out laughing. The fact that I wear glasses and wasn't part of the fraternity elicited such a response from a person who looked remarkably similar to me. "Excuse me, gentleman, you must be mistaken," I said. "I do not watch Star Trek, nor did I mean to offend you personally." I was quite eloquent. I looked at him and laughed like a punk. My friend grabbed him and apologized. Trekkie said he was sorry, and I did too. We shook hands.
I was in good spirits, having not been stirred by a near fight with someone who would most likely have hurt me. I went outside, had a smoke, and we all left.
The "moral" of this story is: I don't remember much from that night. I was obnoxious and careless. I blacked out several times. I must have consumed around fifteen drinks, so I was hung over on New Year's Day. I drink too much. I have to stop. That's my resolution.