The only downside of finishing school is good friends often go overseas to either study or live. This is sad as no one likes to lose friends and face the possibility of never seeing them again. This was no different for me as many of my good friends either went overseas to live or to study for a number of years. The positive aspect of this is when they return for holiday, the celebrations are of a top calibre. They often visit for 2 to 4 weeks and that is just enough time to blow the monthly allowance on a long lost friend in various clubs and bars that has been sorely missed by the returnee.
I have one friend, Prawn, who went to the United States of America to further his education in bugger all and play rugby for Arkansas University. As many people know, Arkansas is a dry state which means no or limited alcohol may be consumed as long as you are in the borders of that state. When Prawn decided to go there, most of us were shocked as he was not exactly Muslim when it came to alcohol. Many of the biggest nights have started at his household so to think that he was now limited by being under 21 in the States and by living in a dry area, made me feel like much potential was being lost. However, Prawn was scheduled to be coming home for a month and would be frequenting to Stellenbosch for a few student nights. I was looking forward to his return and participation in evening festivities as he knows how to get a party going and also how to keep a party going.
Another friend, Freddie, grew up in Australia but happened to come to my high school when he was 17. He had gone home to Australia after school to live and further his career on the couch in front of the tv watching live and taped sport. To call him an academic is to call a pig beautiful- it just doesn't feel right and cannot be further from the truth. Freddie was relying on his rugby talent to get him through life which was problematic as with every step he took, at least one knee would give way. Just by chance Freddie was scheduled to return for a holiday at the same time as Prawn. Some would say this was fate and others argue that is was complete coincidence. The only thing that was for certain was this was a lethal combination and promised much in the nights out to follow.
Combined with Fanta, a redheaded specimen and the clown of the group, the scene was set for an entertaining night out in Stellenbosch. This was going to be the biggest and best night that we had all had in years as I hadn't seen these two in a year, Prawn hadn't seen alcohol in 13 months, Freddie hadn't got off the couch since leaving South Africa and hadn't been to a social gathering since his family lunch at Christmas and Fanta would bunji jump without a rope if it meant he could be involved in a party. The scene was set, the characters were present and it was a Wednesday in Stellenbosch which is legendary. What could go wrong?
There was one factor which I had not taken into account: Girlfriends. Prawn was the first to go. He had convinced us to get out of our comfort zones, something that I am not prone to doing, and go to a digs party that we were assured had free alcohol for who ever attended. Again, what could go wrong? As we arrived, Prawn disappeared. We thought we had left behind but a few moments later revealed that his "girlfriend", who had also returned from studies in the US, had captured Prawn and we knew that was him lost for the night. There was no snatching him back from her claws. No matter, there were still 3 of us who were eager to continue with the festivities.
As we got to the bar, we were told that all the drinks had run out. Prawn had not only led us to an empty watering hole but had ditched us at it without any means of return. Freddie was all to keen to leave as soon as possible which came as no surprise due to the lack of liquids available so we managed to bum a lift and head to town. As we neared the queue of Freddie's desired destination, i noticed why Freddie had been so eager to leave the last place: There, in the queue, stood his girlfriend. I knew at that moment that Freddie was lost for the night. This meant that I was left with Fanta who had become the king of deceit and any story that he tried to feed me to believe that he was there to go out with his mates, had long since ceased to have me fooled. The rest of the night was dreary and somewhat sad. I had to cling onto Fanta and his girlfriend for the rest of the night making small talk like: "cool music, hey" while bobbing awkwardly. I had to remain far enough from the couple so to not be accused of trying things with Fanta's girlfriend while staying close enough to them so that I wasn't thought of being a lonely dancer by fellow dance floor occupants.
That is how the most anticipated night of the year, and one of the few times that I would be able to go out with Prawn and Freddie, ended up. I have learnt from this experience and I now refuse to go out anywhere near my friend's girlfriends's potential whereabouts. The other solution is to take my misses out and put those selfish bastards in the position that I was in.
Regards
Student Micky.
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