Hillsdale Homecoming Part 4

Sat Oct 7, 10:00 am: I am astonished to find out that I a) did not wake up when Tony and Billy return, b) had slept for ten straight hours and c) that my stomach is back to full health after yesterday's funky cappuccino disaster.

10:30 am: Took Tony to Rite Aid so he could buy his supplies. Apparently medicine in Japan is outrageously expensive. Tony also look for a wrist wrap because this was his current injury. Every time I meet up with Tony, somehow he gets injured. I don't think it's me, I think he is just old.

11:00 am: Time to start eating out tuition back. Hillsdale is giving away a lot of free food today and we intend on eating a lot of free food. With my appetite back, Tony and I head to homecoming registration to score some muffins, bagels, fruit, juice, etc. We are badgered by two students to sign up for the free raffle, but as we all know, it is a way to get our info to call us up for the alumni phoneathon.

12:30 pm: Smile! The five year picture of the class of 2001 is taken. Our group counts for 60% of the picture (6 out of 10). Not sure where the other 242 students are. But then again, not sure if they mattered anyway. Oh, more free food. this time they had the little kosher wieners, cheese and crackers, veggies, beer and wine. Must keep eating.

12:45 pm: Catching up with Lantz Romance (and child!), Little Danny Simpson (and child! and another in the oven!), Russ and Gina (and child!). Crazy.

1:00 pm: Make a getaway to the steps of Central Hall. Can't miss the alumni choir production. This is true mostly because my wife is in it (can you find her in the picture?). Billy Boy joins me as his wife is also in it. Couldn't have asked for a better day weather wise as we were truly under azure skies.

2:00 pm: Time for tailgating and more free food in the alumni tent! Excellent. I unfortunately am feeling a little full and know that there is still more free food ahead of me, so I abstain.

3:00 pm: We are at the big game! Hillsdale vs. Indianapolis. We find ourselves down 13-0 early on. Typical Charger football. But we are having a great tim ein the stands. The old college cheer has caught us and we are very much enjoying rooting for the blue and white.

3:30 pm: Decide to make calls to friends who decided not to join us: Jessica Formerly Donda, Meredith Formerly Culbertson and Kwin who is still Kwin. Kwin is the only one who answers, we pass her around the group like a bad cold. So in a way, Kwin did some crowd surfing at the game in Hillsdale all the way from California. Nice.

4:00 pm: Halftime! They announce the drawing for the alumni raffle. Prizes are a brick and top prize is a chair. I announce that I would rather have the brick. "Second prize brick goes to...Lucas Miller." I won a brick! This is an alumni I brick worth $150. I can engrave anything I want on it and it will be places in the alumni walk. Amazingly Ashley Culbertson, Allie's sister wins the chair! Amazing because she is in Georgia. I guess Allie threw her name into the mix. Our group sweeps!

4:30 pm: Joel, Allie and myself head up to the President's box after Joel sweet talks the bouncer. We investigate into our prizes, score more free food (assorted nuts, brats and beer). Give our regards to Larry, share a few Churchill jokes and are on our way.

4:45 pm: Hillsdale somehow wins 14-13 with a freshman quarterback starting his first game due to two other quarterbacks being injured. We actually should have lost, but defenders kept running into each other and the ball would somehow land in our receivers hands.

5:00 pm: Charger victory party at alumni tent. More free food! A great hashbrown casserole, pulled-chicken sandwiches and dessert make for some good eats. I sit with Prof Westblade and family and Dr Turner as well. Lovely conversation with good folk.

5:30 pm: Find Joel, Tony and Muffin. The incident occurs, which I will let Tony tell in his own words: "I expect to read about the runaway baby in the next installment, keeping in mind that yours truly did not know that the baby was barrelling towards him, due to extreme focus on the frisbee. Dad throws the frisbee, mom rolls the baby down the hill... not a hard call to make, except that I saw the frisbee first and have never been that good at multi-tasking." Just FYI, yours truly (Lucas Miller) is the one who caught the runaway stroller, but Tony did catch the frisbee. So we are both heroes.

7:00 pm: Head over to Simpson to chill for a moment. Watch the end of the Tigers game. They knock out the Yankees and celebrate like little kids. Our friend Chas ditched us to go that game. Watching it, I feel he probably made the correct choice. Probably.

8:00 pm: Decide to congregate at Rosalies for snacks and drinks. I had neither as I was stuffed from all the free food that day. Great to see Jen and Kel-Kel again. We were the last to leave Rosalies that evening. Good times.

11:00 pm: Quick stop at Wal-Mart for old times sake. I begin to drool over the ridiculously low prices that are absent from life in Massachusetts.

11:30 pm: Joel, Tony and I meet up with Robey, Mohler and Crazy Carl in the EAR. Ping Pong follows as well as Sportscenter and catching up Mohler on life. Again, we were the last to leave, getting kicked out by security at 2 am.