Today between trips to the water closet I got an email from a freind from.........yes I spelled freind wrong........I always do..........a freind from Lock Haven saying to check my myspace (which I do about every 7 months). So I did and got a blast from the past of some very dear memories. A friend named Terri had contacted me and filled me in on the goings on in that town in which I spent too many years (for more than one reason as I really didn't like the town all that much......LOL let's just say there was a contest going on with a group of fellows as to how many semesters we could stay freshmen, I remember hearing "seventh semester freshman" muttered once and felt defeated).
But Terri's group of freinds are a part of a family that belonged to a house just up the street from the campus. The Havoc was the name of the house. It soon became the Thursday night destination for me and a small core of freinds. Mostly it was just me and Lex. What attracted Lex and I didn't always attract the others because they were also interested in frat parties and well, personally, frat parties sucked. The only cool one got closed down early on in 86, if you can even call it cool. It wasn't, I was just awed by the lineup of 17 or more kegs. The Havoc was cool. That year was the end all and be all of party houses. I was glad to catch it before the LCB busted those other parties and sent everything underground. The Havoc was accepting and homey like no other. Each room had a different atmosphere all equally mellow and inviting. Most occupied was "The Swamp", Shag's refuge and who knows who elses before him as I was a late comer to the whole thing. Shag had the swamp set up just like Hawkeye's and Trapper John's tent (BJ was , well.......not Trapper) in the crazy 4077th. Actually, it was set up better and had the occasional game of "Beer Trek" happening. Beer Trek!
The other rooms were deemed for veterans only usually and I was rarely granted access being a newbie. I have only good memories of the Swamp and it's occupants. Only good memories of those parties except once, being the bastards Lex and I were, we stole Elio's pizza and frozen swedish meatballs from the freezer of our brothers. Shag and that peanut butter eating freak...(having trouble recalling the bearded one's name..ANDY?) chased Dave and I a bit, but soon gave up. I felt bad about it (the pizza probably made me sick anyway) but they didn't care.
I do, however, have bad bad bad memories of Friday morning Biology lab and smelling the formalin..............barfing is not fun!
Happiest moments: tending bar and sneaking tap hits (Andy was the one to pass me the tap...it was like rites of passage, I remember the look on my face, or better yet, what it must have looked like......one of amazement, joy and gratitude........Thanks Andy, sorry about eating all of your Peter Pan), standing on the radiator in the taproom observing and enjoying the people and vibe, sitting on the roof drinking, Beer Trek, the recliner with the cupholders, and the people.
A while back there was a site up made by Weasle about the Havoc. Does that still exist? I never got the full history of the Havoc. I'm interested in hearing it.
I haven't posted here in ages! For those just catching up with me, please track back and see some of my photos of Oregon and such. If there are any up anymore.
For my freinds in Oregon.........I'm glad your Govenor was smart enough to stop giving illegal aliens drivers licenses! Oh yeah, well I miss you all or something like that. Been doing lots of fishing and teaching. Slowly getting my woodworking shop set up in the back. Start sending in those wood surfboard orders! I'm trying to hook up with an old buddy who is farming Paulonia wood and I want to experiment with that wood for shaping. I got some mega tools for sanding and shaping and well, one day I'll use them! OK, way tired. Gotta bolt.
Terri, thanks for the inspiration!
Next up for me is wooden boat making school on weekends in March and My Coast Guard Captains license course in April........wish me luck!
PIC is my buddy Ian and myself one night working on a presentation for school to get a rugby team going......maybe next year.
3 comments:
Actually, there were two bearded freaks, Andy, and me. I was the one who actually lived at the Havoc... I was Shag's keeper, and made sure that each night his coffin had a enough native soil (from nearby Jersey Shore).
Rugby inspiration? The lads are coming hard this year. Cymru Am Byth!!
DUDE - here's a trick to spell friend.
FRI END
FRIday is your friend because it comes at the END.
Corny, but I bet it works.
HAVOC - what can I say but...It was such fun I remember nearly nothing about it.
So, that's a good thing.
Amy
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