Gannon Stories

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One of my old college buddies, Tony, put up a photo of himself ‘intently studying’ engineering.

I knew Tony all 4 years.

My memories of him consist of his laugh, a few drinks and rec league basketball.

Tony could handle the rock. I couldn’t guard him. Way too fast.

Yet, my trip down memory lane didn’t stop there. I thought about Tony’s roommates - particularly Brian who I once tried to guard in a rec league game.

My chest still hurts in cold weather because he demolished me on a drive to the hoop.

(They called the foul on me - was a blocking foul they said).

One afternoon ten of us went to Mercyhurst - a college not far from Gannon - we just wanted to check out their campus.

We had beer. There were ten of us in a car that seated six.

“Wow! This is a nice campus,” Brian said. He was sitting on my lap. “Let’s piss.”

Just a simple throw away moment in a life that is approaching 58 years…

…but I can still see the expression on Brian’s face as we busted out laughing.

And then I thought about Saturday nights at the Shiek House. They were the poorest of all the frat houses, but they held epic parties.

They filled the basement with sand and set beach chairs all around. The small pools were filled with goldfish.

Drunk college kids?

Yeah.

We ate the gold fish.

And laughed and laughed and laughed.

So.

To two of my old college pals:

Brian and Tony.

It was a blast.

And thanks for letting me visit those idiots from 40 years ago.

(By the way, there were WAY more ‘idiots’ than that in my orbit). 

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