Chapter 12 - My first standing ovation

Chapter 11 - My first standing ovation

We can all remember our first college party’s right. If you answered yes to that question, you were obviously at the wrong ones. As I assume most of us (especially between the 1997 and 1998 Journalism classes) are still trying to piece together our years, yes I said YEARS in college. Thanks to a few kind souls here's what I remember, (or what I was told) about my first big college party.

Most students lived in close proximity to the college, however I didn’t. If you know where the fire hall in Woodstock is, I was about two streets above that staying with a friend of my mothers. So when the “gang” was going out for beers, it was a little out of the way for me to join them. (that is a long ass stumble home) Oh yeah, and not that it mattered much, I was only 18 at the time.

One day after a couple of heavy classes with Victor, Susan, Bernie and Steve (ok, Steve's classes were a breeze) Danik mentioned he was having a "get together" at his place (the aforementioned Club Kennedy) and that I should come along. I was like, cool, my first invite to a “party.” I’m not going to pass this up.

I told the lady I was boarding with that I was going out and not to wait up for me, as I would probably be out most of the evening. I arrived at my destination, and most of my first year journalism class was sitting around a table playing cards and drinking various drinks. There were even a few second year students there, setting a really bad example and I believe, the culprits were, Mr. Jean Bertin and Ms. Katie Stokes. I forget who jumped up to make me a drink first; it was either Disco Dave Wilson or Danik "the flying Frenchman" Boudreau. Either way I was handed a tall glass that looked like it had orange juice in it.

“It’s a screwdriver,” Danik said. “Orange juice and vodka go ahead it’s good.” This may have been the first drink Danik had made for me, but by the jesus, it sure as hell wasn't the last one.

After a couple of these I had loosened up a bit and had a couple really stiff rye and cokes to boot. This wasn’t the first time I had been drinking, it was however my first experience with hard liquor, so my head was starting to tell me I had enough.

Danik was feeling pretty good at the time (which meant he had a couple dozen into him) and announced that they were heading to the only bar in town called JR’s. This is the place where thousands and thousands of our hard earned government student loans would be spent over the next couple of years. (you are very welcome Mr. Rose)

Being only 18, I was afraid I wouldn’t be allowed in, and didn’t want to cause a scene my first night going to the "big bar.” The gang reassured me that I would be fine, just look like you belong there and you will be fine. Due to the amount of liquor I had poured down my throat, confidence wasn’t a problem. So we headed out. But, we didn’t take the Meduxnekeag Bridge. No no no, you see that would have been the SMART thing to do. We all decided (well at least the vast majority of us anyway) that we were going to take the TRAIN BRIDGE.

For all you students who started at NBCC Woodstock after 1996, this wouldn’t have been a big deal cause the TransCanada trail had already been built. Not in 1995!

The rickety old rail ties were still there, and they weren’t spaced all that evenly either, so just when you think you had a good rhythm going. You had to stop. Which also meant you were probably going to trip or be pushed over by someone coming up behind you. I think this is the time that Danik and Dave scared the bejesus out of Kim Elliot as they were trying to hurry her across the tracks. Hearing her scream was priceless.

Eventually we all made it. And I surprisingly got inside. I wanted to jump around like a little kid, but that would have meant my immediate exit. And being that the bouncers went to the college, I think you can figure the rest of it out yourself.

Thus is the begining of my demise!

We all find a table and sit down, and before I know it Danik puts three screwdrivers down in front of me. There was a 3 for 1 special on that night, and he had intended on taking full advantage of it. I thanked him for them and quickly drank them down.

A couple of rockin songs came on and we all headed out to the dance floor. Which I think Dok described earlier as being about 20x10 in size. But there weren’t many people there yet, so we basically had the floor to ourselves. About 3 songs later, I stumble in the direction of the table, and what do I find on my arrival….ding ding ding ding….yep, yet another round of screwdrivers thanks to the flying Frenchman. Again I thanked him for his generosity, but told him that I was going to throw up on him if he bought me anymore. One thing I quickly found out about Danik, he was very good at pretending to pay attention.

So those drinks go down, and I am pulled back out onto the floor. I don’t know if you have been in this position before, but too many drinks + dancing and getting all hot and sweaty = a straight line for the bathroom. So I calmly but quickly made my way to the back of the bar and into the bathroom. And on the way past the table, yep, were again more drinks on the table for lil’ Dave.

I spent what seemed like an eternity in that bathroom. Danik eventually rolled in to tell me that he was going to finish what drinks he had (which no doubt included the ones I wasn’t going to drink) come in and get me. Danik leaves and the next thing I hear this big gruff voice behind me say that I have to get my ass out of the bathroom cause the bounce staff was on to me, and they were going to kick me out.

I think I had a pretty good grip on that toilet bowl for a small guy, but this guy, who could have passed for the WWE’s Kevin Nash, (Wayne from Graphics circa 1995) promptly removed me from the stall and held me up long enough to get out the front door. Man did that fresh air ever feel good.

WHUMP!

I retreat to the steps and continue with what I was so rudely interrupted doing in the bathroom. Slowly the fresh air got to me, and I wasn’t feeling all that bad. Mind you I couldn't remove my head from my hands in fear of motion sickness.

“What is he doing out here, I told him (me) that was coming in to get him,” Danik sputtered in Franglais (half french half english) on his way out the front door. Wayne and Danik got into a pretty heated argument right in front of me (I know this cause their feet were getting closer and closer together) over who was supposed to take me out of the bathroom. Feeling quite honored and flattered that two grown men were fighting over me, I felt I was the only one that was going to be able to stop it. They were mere inches apart when I finally caught their attention.

“It’s my own damn fault for being in the position.” Not only was I surprised what I said, I was surprised nothing else came out of my mouth.

Finally the war was over and soon enough we were all laughing about the whole ordeal. The next thing I remember is waking up in a very dark room the next morning. Danik opened the door and informed me that if I didn’t get my drunken ass up out of bed, we were going to be late for Victor’s class. I peeled myself off the mattress and probably could have killed anything within 100 yards with the way I smelled.

And there was the light streaming in from the door. You know the scene in many movies where people die and they walk towards the light. That was exactly what I was doing. Club Kennedy's walls were white, their floors were white, everything in the damn place was WHITE, mix that in with some bright ol sunshine and you have one very mad very hungover college student. But alas I made it across the Bridge and up the stairs to class.

Danik had to run to his locker to get something, so I headed right in. Most of the class was already there, and proceeded to give me a standing ovation. Unaware at the time, that this was a very regular occurrence at the first of every year.

I walked back to my desk and very quickly closed my eyes and went to sleep. Minutes later, our fearless leader Mr. Victor Stanton came over and gave me a good ol pat on the back and continued on with the class. Something about a movie with Japanese prisoners of war…(snoring insues)