In an odd coincidence, received back-to-back e-mails today from Chris and Anthony, my freshman college roommates in Russell Hall A at the University of Delaware. Hadn’t spoken to either in years. Just totally random.
Our room was tiny. T-i-n-y. We were put together until something opened up. Chris was quiet and dour; a nice kid from Long Island who I never fully understood at the time. Anthony was loud and boastful. He was a high school lacrosse star who scored, like, 10 trillion goals back in the day. Both guys drank pretty heavily, and both did well (as I recall) with the women. I fell short on both fronts.
In fact, I never got drunk until early my freshman year. Our dorm had something called an Around the World, where each room hosted a different genre of alcohol. Enough peers said, “Pearl, you’re drinking tonight!” that I drank tonight. I remember downing grain and fruit punch in the room of a tall guy we called “Sambuca.” I did some shots of rum in Scott and Lumpy’s apartment. Julie and Dawn had wine.
Within an hour, my brain started spinning.
Within 1 1/2 hours, I was sitting on someone’s floor, asking girls to rub my head.
Within two hours, I was kneeling before a toilet, puking my brains out. Anthony actually led me there, and held my head above the white bowl. I can still feel the cool water reflecting off my face; can still feel my insides burning like wildfire.
Shortly thereafter, Anthony had his day. He drank too much grape Mad Dog 20/20 and puked all over our student directory. For the remainder of the semester the book was purple and crusty, and sat in the corner of our room.
Chris moved out.
Just looking at the Mad Dog bottle mad me smile and then it made me queasy. I guess MD 20/20 is a freshman ritual regardless of the location of one’s institution of higher learning.
I had a similar experience in Russell A, rm 109 back in 1986….I visited the campus last year and I don’t think much has changed….probably a annual ritual, but the beach looks much better these days than the dust bowl we put up with.
“asking girls to rub my head”…hehe