It was a weekend of celebrations as two birthdays and two graduations were observed.
Prior to the festivities, I hung out Friday night at MoFoS with JTH, PCR and JBT. I often work the register to lend a hand, and (more importantly) to ensure an employee discount. During this process, a disheveled man came in enquiring about VHS tapes. This, along with preferring full screen movies, is never a good sign.
When the man checked out, one of the strangest one-sided conversations I have ever had incurred. It began with an endorsement of Alex Jones’ infowars.com and disseminated into an endless rant that concluded with the United States on the verge of becoming the totalitarian society as depicted in V For Vendetta. The man seemed highly pleased that I was familiar with 9-11 conspiracy theories and the V movie. This diatribe took minutes and remembering that I base my entire life around the fact that a man died, and rose from the dead for my sins, I tried not to laugh at his seemingly implausible theories. Seeing my discomfort and the fact that I was on the verge of laughing hysterically, PCR informed me I had a "phone call in the back." My only thought was, "I’m not even supposed to be here today."
For what its worth, the man advocated Ron Paul for president.
Later that night, MPW's 24th birthday was celebrated Bailey's Sports Grille. I made two sacrifices to be there - I missed Psych (the only TV show I watch) and I went to a smoke-infested sports bar. I learned the hard way several months ago that smoke free legislation does not include places like Bailey’s.
JeML and JiL reserved a private area so that we would be assured of a ping pong and pool tables. More importantly, we were secluded from some of the smoky atmosphere. This meant that my clothes would only need to be excessively washed as opposed to being fumigated.
Our party consisted of JTH, JeML, JiL, MPW, RAW, and two girls I was less familiar with Cassie and her roomate, EM. EM has one of the most implausible jobs ever - she teaches Latin at Austin-East High School.
Unfortunately, KLTW left her license in a diaper bag that was with KJW in Sevierville so she opted not to come. I do not know why as I have never been carded there. Then again, she does not have facial hair. So with that, RAW left his date and mine with family. It would have been cool to have KJW there. I had visions of Reese Witherspoon entering and saying, "Look at you, you have a baby... in a bar."
We mainly played games. Up until the last game, I was undefeated at pool and winless at ping pong, the latter of which was expected when considering I am terrible and three of my opponents own ping pongs tables. JeML and JiL actually brought there own paddles. Speaking of that last game of pool, EM and I teamed up against the birthday boy and EM’s roommate. I played what could possibly be the worst game of pool EVER! And I was the only one of the four not drinking...
On that note, I also learned that water drinkers are second class citizens in waitresses’ eyes.
As an aside, at a nearby dart game, a girl seemed very happy to score "triple sixes." Are dart throwers (what is the word for that?) big fans of Satan?
I left early (still after midnight when MPW’s birthday was officially over) and made it home just in time to catch the 1 am rerun of Psych! So my two sacrifices were not all that grand after all.
Saturday, I ate breakfast with my parents at IHOP and spent the afternoon watching an abysmal Tennessee basketball effort against LSU at MPW’s condo with he and SMA. My commentary on the game is posted under the View from 315A.
After the game, we watched part of the low budget 1991 film The Pistol: Birth of a Legend. It is the story of Pete Maravich. If you like montages, this is the film for you.
That night we celebrated WML & CAL's master's degrees with their family and mine at the Copper Cellar. All three of us were raised together in Newport and all of us now have master’s degrees. I am very proud of them. WML's degree is in business and is seeking a job. I am so impressed as he worked full-time and was a great husband and father while earning his diploma.
CAL was very late arriving as she was replacing a faulty iPhone. She just recently began practicing law in Newport and unfortunately, just lost her first case. It was not her fault. She represented "the beater" in a domestic dispute. On the plus side, she did elicit tears from the abused...
Later Saturday night, we celebrated SMA’s 28th birthday at the Irish Times Pub & Restaurant with SMA, JTH and WRK. This was three days early but he was to be in Birmingham on the actual date. There was scintillating conversation I am sure. I could not hear much of it due to the unbelievably loud cover band in the background. I am not bitter about it though...
Sunday morning, I taught Sunday School at Topoco. The lesson notes are online under the heading "Bible Study."
After class, SMA, WRK and I ate. I made the choice of eating at a place that served brunch or one that served breakfast/lunch. So we ate the Copper Cellar. After not having eaten there in years, I ate there twice in a 24-hour period. The food was wonderful. Having not planned on eating there, we were all underdressed, much to the chagrin of the hostess.
We then toured SMA's family's new home in the Jackson Bend subdivision on the lake in Louisville. The house is equipped with a spa, a theater, a wine cellar, a boat dock, a swimming pool, etc. NFL star Albert Haynesworth owns property a couple lots over. The only things we could determine the home was missing were an ostentatious name, a chocolate waterfall, and most importantly a portrait of Abdullah the Butcher to hang over the mantle, preferably in velvet.
So, if anyone knows where I can find a professionally made, velvet, life-sized portrait of Abdullah, let me know.
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