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Backtrack and the green stuff
Entry 7 of 9 | show all | print this entry |
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Athens, GA 12/01/01 - I had certain preconceived notions about Athens before I got there. You see my mother attended school there for a semester back in the 60s and at the time I guess the attitude was a little racist down in those parts. Yeah, she said she met people who really thought Jewish people had horns and the whole segregationist movement was in full effect. So when I first got into Athens I was a little apprehensive of what the people there would be like.
Unfortunately, I got into town on a football weekend so all of the hotels were booked. The ones that did have vacancy had high prices for even the smallest rooms. I guess I would have to do the old sleep in the car thing again. This was something that I wasn't looking forward to. It was a little chilly and my back was starting to hurt from sleeping in my car for a few nights in a row in Atlanta. I decided to try and find the downtown section of the city and see what was going on. It's a funny feeling being in a city you've never been to before. Everything is so new and seems so wide and deep and unexplored. Kind of feels like you are diving in the ocean and moving through water when you are in a new town.
Downtown Athens was a little chilly this night. UGA's last football game was the next day so things were a hoppin. In fitting in with our recent times and world happenings I just happened to run into an interesting little peace demonstration just as I parked my car on Broad Street. Actually, this was the first peace demonstration I had ever seen in person. A line of people holding candles, peace signs and other anti-war offerings moved down College Avenue and onto Broad St. Seeing this demonsration of liberal values so openly displayed suddenly shifted my preconceived notion of Athens as the conservative, intolerant Southern town of my mother's time. I don't know why this suprised me so much. After all, Athens spawned the amazing ultra liberal rock group R.E.M. Even so, old towns usually hold onto some of their traditional habitual values. Across the street from the demonsration I heard several shouted and scattered insults from the vocal conservative minority. I wasn't sure which side I was on but all I know is that it was definitely entertaining. Although, one loud guy on a snorting and popping Harley shouted, "get out of this country," and would have probably loved for a riot to break out, I don't think there was any chance of the two sides becoming violent. There were enough police on scene this brisk night to put any foolishness to rest quickly.
Anyway, the rest of my night downtown was a test of endurance for me. I was tired from traveling and still didn't have a place to stay. I decided to try and see some live music. There's almost no better place for this than in Athens. I slid over a place called Tasty World which is one of Athen's six or seven venues for live original un-signed and sometimes signed musical acts. As I found out from the guy at the door there are about 600 bands that call Athens their home and about 3000 loyal fans shared among the bands. My favorite band that night wasn't from Athens but from New York City. They rocked righteously like an overweight Rush on speed. They are called The Brought Low. Do check them out.
At 1:30 AM I finished the last sip of my pint of Guiness and headed for my car. Still no place to sleep, but I knew my college fraternity had a house on campus. Even though I'm 29 I knew if I found the house tradition dictates that hospitality be shown to a fellow brother. Even a chunky balding one like me. I was right. The brothers were more than hospitable and their house was beautiful. With a fire burning, a leather couch for me to crash on and ESPN on television I was in heaven. Saturday would be even better.
12/02/01- Game day. The Bull Dogs were playing their last game of the season at noon. Red and black were the colors of the day. I woke up at 9 AM. I could smell the hot dogs cooking. I took a hot shower and changed clothes. The frat's pledges were at work early and set up a fine liquor table. I guess 10 AM is not too early for a Bourbon and Coke. Add to that personable guys to tell jokes and share life experiences with, a fresh sprinkling of young beautiful girls, and free tickets to the game I knew I had to stay one more day.
Lesson Learned: Everyone should join a fraternity in college. Why? Because it's a nationwide network of people that you will always have access to and it's fun.
Where I stayed:
Phi Kappa Psi House UGA
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