This morning on the way to work I plugged in my trusty iPOD, picked one of my playlists and punched the play button. Two songs into the playlist and a 70's anthem of sorts roared out of the speakers in my Tacoma. All Right Now by Free was cranking up big time in the cab.
Suddenly I was transported back in time. I am on summer vacation in Virginia and I receive a letter from one of my frat brothers Dennis Calkins. In his letter he catches me up on all the doings with all the brothers over the summer and tells me about a new bar in town called the "Help Session".
The help sessions I had become familiar with consisted of being able to go to one of the biology labs, peruse the specimens (be they cut up frogs or other animals) or look through microscopes at organisms and the like. A grad student was usually present to answer questions about whatever was out for view. Because whatever was out for view was definitely going to be on the lab test. Many a lab test consisted of simply identifying parts of the frog or names/spelling of the organism you would see in the microscope.
The Help Session Bar evolved as a partnership involving a fraternity brother and his real life brother. A college town, a bar, and a fraternity. It would become for all Delts in that era "our" hangout, "our" watering hole, and "our" place.
All important dates by the brothers started at, went through, or ended up at the Help Session. Several proposals took place there.....but I am not sure they were all real. Many a magical kiss, relationship, or meeting took place there.
One night we celebrated in style on the day we won the Southeastern Intramural Flag Football Championship. It was the pivotal event that firmly cemented Epsilon Phi Chapter of Delta Tau Delta as a force to be reckoned with on the Southeastern campus. A newly formed chapter of a national fraternity trying to find itself of campus was lead by its number one member Mike Sharp. Truly a rough and tough type guy who knew the importance of bringing his brothers together for a common cause (especially intramural football which was huge on campus) and how it could catapult them into the highest level of fraternity status. It became a signal that not only could a group of smart guys get together and have fun, but, dominate on the playing field.
That celebratory night everyone enjoyed and reveled in the victory. None more than Mike Sharp as he realized just exactly what this meant for the chapter for years to come. One thing about Mike, a type A personality, not only could he lead, but, he could party. What a night!
Sorry for that digression.
Back to the Help Session: Mix drinks i.e. Bourbon and Coke were $.25 cents a piece. Draft Beer, the same. I might have spent more time in the place than in an actual classroom during the time it was up and running. I spent many a quarter in the place and the Sledge brothers were that much the richer. That was up until they hired me on to check ID's at the door. Talk about the Fox watching the Hen House. Oh My God, did I die and go to heaven? Not only could I determine who was in or out of the place, but, I worked for drinks. Huh? I could not believe the luck. I took my job quite seriously.............ok, for four maybe five minutes.......until that first beautiful co-ed that was near 18 (but not quite 18) batted her eyelids, or sweetly asked, cajoled, or worked her way in the door. It was at that door where I learned one of the most important lessons in life: How to work the angle. More on that in another post. Back to the place. If I wasn't King then I was damn near the Prince of the place.
This morning as that iPOD blared I could smell the spilled beer, see the regulars at their barstools, see the smiling faces of my brothers (the Hahn Brothers, Dennis, Mike and Susie, Greg and Tommy and more), see the coeds, see the bartenders, look through the haze, and hear Free cranking out All Right Now. I had, for a brief moment in time, been transported back to the Help Session. A good, warm feeling came over me for that 5 minutes 33 seconds........I was back in time, I was home.
Peace Out.
1 comment:
As far back as the dawn of Man, individuals have climbed the mountain in an attempt to reach the top searching for the "meaning of life". Through this post, I have achieved a similiar goal. I have discovered the "meaning of the blog". This post is the reason why blogs exist. I was truly moved and inspired as I read the words and could even smell the stale bear and cigarettes, hear the jukebox blaring. I have those same flashbacks myself. They are sometimes triggered by smells or songs or scenes on TV or movies. Its amazing how our mind allows us to take those trips back in time to places where life was simple and magical. Truly an outstanding entry. Thanks for the opportunity to take the trip with you.
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