I thought I would write about the whole FOJ experience in one post, but the hot dog-eating contest seemed to deserve its own space. I'm not sure if I will have to break it up at all into categories as I go. We'll see.
Jake was dressed extra crazy this year. He had the FOJ trunks on with suspenders, a bow tie, and knee socks. The bow tie with his bare chest made him look like a Chippendale's dancer, I told him. People kept snapping his suspenders which he said didn't hurt on his bare chest. Robby C. was decked out too, but not as much as Jake. Robby C. just had the same trunks as Jake and a bandana. Other friends who were there: Alex Calder, Ian McEwan, Lucas Allen, Michael Bundas, assorted girls that you probably knew-I think Kayla but not Annie or Sarah.
It was a beautiful day-perfect weather. There were probably about 30 kids there and 10-15 parents. I think the first thing I noticed and continued to notice throughout the day was the massive amount of alcohol that was being consumed. All different kinds and constant. Jake was going at it, big time. It made me a little sad at first, wondering how much drinking you might have done over the years there. I got the nerve up to ask Nance later if you guys kept an eye on each other if someone was getting out of hand and she said yes, but Lucas was in really bad shape later in the day and ended up passing out. Michael Bundas was also drinking a ton. There was so much available-there wasn't even any pop, just beer, hard lemonade, wicked ale, Nancy had strawberry daiquiris made, Jake had a flask he kept passing around, Jell-O shots, the list goes on and on.
I have been thinking about it since yesterday, but I don't understand what the mentality is in providing that, in that quantity, to minors. I know they think they are being "good" by having everybody spend the night and not letting anyone drive, but aside from breaking the law by providing minors with alcohol, they could be creating alcoholics. There is also the risk of alcohol poisoning when so many different kinds of alcohol are combined in such a young person. Something else that scared me later on was Jake, Robby C. and Michael were swimming in the dark from boat to boat when we were in the middle of the lake for the fireworks. What if they passed out when they were in the lake and drowned? There were just so many risks that were being taken.
It made me think of how I tried to keep you safe when you were little and our family stayed away from alcohol all those years and how you were exposed to all of it anyway and allowed to partake of it without my consent. You could have (and anyone else) could just drive off in the middle of the night-they aren't taking everyone's keys. There are so many bad things that can happen from this situation. They're basically fortunate that nothing serious has happened all these years. It still could though.
It bothers me that people can take such risks on a regular basis and nothing happens to their kids and my kid just gets in a car to go somewhere one morning and gets killed. I was so diligent on keeping an eye on you everywhere you went and trying to keep you safe (and Hope and Carter). Some parents just let their kids do whatever and nothing ever happens to them. The obvious question is, how is this fair but I know that's not how life works.
Anyway, this is what stood out to me most of the day. I was impressed with Ian McEwan who wasn't drinking but that didn't make him very popular with the others. Alex Calder wasn't as drunk as Robby C. and Jake but I know he had a few. I also couldn't get over all of the scantily clad chicks running around there. I was tired of seeing girl's butt cheeks and their little skimpy bikini bottoms. There seem to be no rules there, which is probably the appeal. Hope and Carter had a blast with the kids, but I think it's because it reminded them of hanging out with you. I don't know what we will do next year about going.
A few other happenings of the day-I got a chance to talk to Lucas Allen's mom, Janet, which I enjoyed, but she didn't seem too concerned about Lucas' state of drunkenness. We let a paper lantern off the end of the dock in your memory but no one could really hear us say anything or paid attention to it. I said, "We love you and miss you." She said maybe it would go better next year. One thing that surprised me about the lantern is that I thought it would drift out and up slowly after it was lit, but it went straight up and then started drifting. It was a nice thing to do-I'm glad Nance found them.
There were points of the party where nothing was going on and I felt like cleaning up to help Nance out. She and John kept getting mad at me for helping, but I put all of the remaining snacks and desserts together and helped clean up the dinner food, took out some trash, etc. I don't know why I like cleaning up after parties-I just do. There were tons of cans everywhere. Jake told me to stop too. I think Nance appreciated the help though.
I don't really have a final thought on this. It was kind of what I expected but on a grander scale. Carter reminded me that we didn't want to go last year, it wasn't just to give you some space. I know later last year that Dad and Hope ripped on me for not going. I think Dad sees it now. I know the Aulisas appreciated us coming, so that would be a reason to go next year, but maybe not for the whole day. We will see. Love you boy!
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