Men of the Skull Chapter 65: Routine

 Some songs bring back wonderful memories.  This chapter is one of those memories.  It's also a slice of what a fraternity party was like at that time- in that house.  At the time, I felt truly happy: I was young, at Penn State, and dancing with whom I had strong, if conflicted, feelings.  The floor was sticky, and the house smelled like stale beer- but for that moment, it was heaven.  

Things were looking up for me.  When I think back on my time at PSU, this is one of the happiest memories.

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Chapter 2.65:  Routine

Saturday, April 18, 1987 Sixers and fans salute Dr.J

Midnight and I left Dave’s dorm room.  I walked downhill on the straight path through campus: past the new bio building that was under construction, past the HUB, and following as it tailed left by Atherton Hall toward the Saloon on College Avenue.  Crossed College and up Hiester St to Beaver Hill.  There I changed my shirt to something a little nicer and splashed water in my face.  Then I went out, up Beaver Ave to Locust Lane, past Cedarbrook, DU and Acacia.  Drunken couples, knots and groups were already staggering around from place to place, party to party: talking too loud and pissing in any available bushes.  I crossed East Foster Ave, passed Phi Psi and arrived at Crow House. 

As always, the line was very short.  The Crow pledges were getting to know me by sight by then, so they just waved me in.  I tossed my coat onto the pile behind the DJ area, and headed left through the living room.  One of the lil sisters called out a hello, so I smiled and waved.  Down the wooden stairs to the basement, down the hall a few yards, and left into the party room.  It was crowded, but not packed.  I waved at a couple other smiling lil sisters as I dodged my way to the bar. 

“Ah Love Rock And Roll, So Put another Dime in the Jukebox, Baybee!”  Joan screamed from the speakers around the room.  The usual ten or so people were behind the bar, including Virginia.

From April 17, 1987 Collegian

See, we had an agreement: early Saturday night was Friends time.  I’d hang out with Dave or my brothers or whatever (almost always over Dave’s) and she would see her friends wherever.  But midnight was the deadline- that’s when I’d head over to Crow, usually arriving around 12:30.

And Virginia would always be there, behind the bar, playing Flip a Cup. 

She handed me a beer and smiled.

“Did you have fun?” she asked.

“Yeah.  Walt had a case, so we played Ace Face.”

“Cool!”

“How about you?”  I asked.

“I went over to Mandy’s and we hung out with a couple of the sisters.  We had a few kamikazes and got here around 10:30.”

“Skull!  Drink!” came a shout from down the bar.  Rich Duke had his elbow pointed at me.  I took a big gulp and swallowed a burp.

Party room at AXP, taken decades later.  Back in the 80s, the bar went all the way across with no access from the front.

“Sorry dear” Virginia said, almost sincerely.

“Any rules?”  I asked.

“Standard and no cursing” she answered.

“Drink bitch!”  Rich pointed at Virginia with his elbow.  She did sign language for “fuck off” while four people at Rich’s end of the bar pointed elbows at him for cursing.  Virginia finished her beer, and refilled.

From April 17, 1987 Collegian

So we played.  An hour maybe, if that.  Virginia filled a pitcher and pointed toward the ceiling to indicate she wanted to go upstairs. 

I broke away from my side of the bar and squeezed through the nearly packed party room. 

“Don’t change for you.  Don’t change a thing… for me!”  INXS pleaded through the speakers.

As I wormed through the crowd, I saw Judy speaking to Michelle and I waved.  She waved back unenthusiastically and without smiling, so I didn’t stop.

“I found a love that I had lost.  It was gawn for too lon-onnnng!” crooned Michael Hutchence.

I met Virginia at the base of the stairs, a quick kiss, and we squeezed up the right side of the steps past the people coming down until we arrived at the first floor.  Left turn into the living room where we sat on a windowsill.  Virginia refilled my beer.  By then the pitcher was already half finished.

She smiled at me and raised her plastic cup to toast.  We touched cups and drank. 

Virginia was wearing a tight white turtleneck and the usual tight jeans.  The turtleneck really showcased her large breasts, and every guy passing took a good look, even though some of them tried to hide it.  She told a couple of them to “take a picture- it’d last longer.”

We sat and talked about nothing for a while.  I described the Ace Face game and she updated me with all the new Crow lil sister gossip.

My house was partying that night as well, but going there never crossed my mind.

We finished the pitcher and Virginia pulled me to my feet and toward the dance floor.  As we passed the stairs, we passed Judy who coldly watched us go by. 

“American Pie” was playing, and everyone was dancing and singing along.

“Bye, bye Miss American Pie.  Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry…”  Crow played this every party, and everyone always sang along.  Loudly.

From April 17, 1987 Collegian

Soon the song ended, and another began.  Synthesizer and drums: Prince’s “Take me with You.”  Several people were bouncing around to the beat, but Virginia put her arms around my head, pressed her breasts against my chest and her crotch to mine and we gyrated slowly.

She sang to me- her voice clear and her happy eyes dancing with mine. 

“I don’t care if we spend the night in your mansion.  I don’t care if we spend the night on the town.  All I want is to spend the night together.  All I want is to spend the night in your ahhhhrmmms!”

So we swayed and I wished the Moment, the Party, the Night would never ever end.

The room used as a dance floor back then.  The Crows were setting up for a formal when I took this (with their kind permission)

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