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Thursday, January 15, 1998 |
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One Crazy Night
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Well, what an interesting night I had last. It all started out so innocent, it was just supposed to be a night out with all at work, Linda, Mark, Matt and I. Well it turned out that Linda was tired and didn't want to go out, so Mark and I made some plans. Mark's friend Seth was in town from Pittsburgh. Seth is one of Mark's fraternity brothers from WM College in Pennsylvania. He and his roommate have decided to move out here after their graduation in May of 1998. Seth came out here for a vacation and to see what Phoenix was like.
Well it turned out that Mark, Seth and I were going to be the only ones going out. Mark and I were going to take Seth around and show him Scottsdale. We left MicroAge and drove around Camelback Mountain looking at the huge mansions. Neither Mark or Seth had been there before. From there we headed up to the Scottsdale Princess Resort. We wanted to show Seth how nice it was there and play shuffleboard at the Caballo Ballo lounge. We walked around a little there and then each had a beer at the bar while playing shuffle board. It was very nice at the resort, as they had the fires burning, and the smell of mesquite wood filled the air. Mesquite wood is a familiar smell that brings back vivid memories of my first year in Arizona.
Following the Princess we decided to stop and get something to eat. Rather to go somewhere expensive we decided on a quick bite at Boston Market.
From Boston Market we decided to head down to old town. We started our trek of old town at AZ88 on Mark's recommendation. It was very crowded and quite mixed. I'm glad that it wasn't a very noticeable gay crowd when we got there, but as we were getting ready to leave many started to filter into the bar. We were leaving at a pretty good time. While sitting there at the bar, we almost called it a night, as all three of us were getting tired and started running out of steam. But rather have anyone actually admit they didn't want to go anywhere else, we pressed on.
From AZ88 we walked over to Patti's 1st Avenue Lounge. As usual it was around 9pm and there was not a very large crowd. It was Karaoke night, and there were some pretty talented individuals singing. We stayed there for a while just talking, playing sex trivia on the quarter machine and downing a few drinks.
From there we seemed to pick up a second wind. We decided to go up to Martini Ranch. There was sure to be a live band there, and all three of us were in the mood to hear some good music. Indeed when we got there, a band was getting ready to play. We stepped out to the back patio for a few minutes. It was very refreshing to get out into the night air. The bar was lightly populated and there was no one else on the back patio. We stood and talked until the band started playing and we moved inside to hear them. We were all wide awake at this point and ready to stay for a while. Following several sets from the band, several drinks, and several shots, we decided to walk over to Maloney's before it closed.
Maloney's was crowed with people. It wasn't clear why there were so many people there, as it didn't seem if anything special was going on. Seth decided that he wanted a cigarette in his drunken stupor but was afraid to ask anyone. I turned around to the guy behind us and asked him for a cigarette. He said "let me guess you're a drunken smoker" I said no, actually he is, and pointed to Seth. He gave me 3 cigarettes. So at this point we had no matches. I told Seth to go over to the bar and ask the cute girl sitting there if she had any matches. He didn't want to do it, but finally I convinced him. After he got the matched, all 3 of us lit the cigarettes. Mark and I only smoked about half, as he used to smoke and didn't want to get started again, and I didn't really want to smoke at all. Smoking that cigarette affirms why I think it is a nasty habit, and why I do not have a desire to smoke. We had a drink and stayed there until closing. From here we headed out to the car and started down to Tempe. What was to follow was unforeseen by all.
We started heading down to Tempe. Mark was hungry and Seth was barely able to keep his head up. The plan was to stop and grab a bite to eat, and then take both of them to Mark's car which was left in the parking lot at the MicroAge office. Well on our travels down Scottsdale road, I happened to drive a little quickly past a police officer sitting in a parking lot. The next thing I knew he was right behind me. We turned the car onto Apache off of Rural to go to the IHOP and the police officer turned on his lights. We were all nervous at this point. I turned right at the very next turn which was the entrance to an ASU parking lot. I knew I had been irresponsible to be driving and I knew very well that I was over the legal limit for driving intoxicated. My only thought was that of the pennies. I had always herd at Penn State if you suck on pennies and have to take a breathalyzer test it will skew the results. I immediately grabbed some pennies from my change tray and put them in my mouth.
First he asked me if I knew why he was pulling me over. I said no. He said that I was driving too fast, and weaving in and out of lanes. He said that he had to do about 75mph to just catch up with me in a 35mph zone. He asked me if I knew what aggressive driving was or road rage. I said yes but I thought that road rage was when you actually shoot someone while driving.
The officer in his usual routine asked me for my license, registration and proof of insurance. I quickly got him my license, and insurance card, but could not figure out which of the dozens of papers was my Arizona registration. He immediately asked me if I had been drinking this evening, to which I answered not at all. I told him that I had lived in 3 different states, and I had no idea what the Arizona registration looked like. He had me flip through all of the papers until I came across the registration and told me which one it was. I gave it too him and at that point he asked me to step out of the car. I thought I was in big trouble at this point.
The officer pulled me to the side of the car and again asked me if I had been drinking and where I was coming from. I told him no, and that we were coming from my friends house in Scottsdale. He didn't seem to be convinced that I had nothing to drink. He told me to stay and he went back to the car. He asked Mark if I had anything to drink. Mark told him that I had a Martini at about 8pm. He asked Mark if he could drive, and Mark said no. He asked Mark if anyone could come and get them and he said no.
The officer then came back over to me. He said that he smelled alcohol on me and asked me again if I had been drinking. I said no, and he asked not at all? I again answered no, and he began to tell me that my friends said I had been drinking. He told me they said I had a martini at 8pm. I told him that I had nothing to drink. He told me that he had a few tests he wanted me to perform to check to see if I was intoxicated. He said he would explain the test, demonstrate it, and then I would perform it.
After asking me the question about mental problem, medication, vision, etc. He started describing the first test that we are all familiar with from viewing cops on television. He said that he wanted me to keep my hands to my sides and walk a straight line heel to toe for 9 steps at the same time counting them out loud, pivoting at nine, and then doing nine back. I was standing on the crease of the cement walkway, and he told me to move off of it so that I didn't accidentally stumble. I started the test, and had no problems with it at all.
The second test was for me to life the foot of my choice about 6 inches off the ground, point my toe, tilt my head back, keep my arms at my sides and count out loud in thousands until he told me to stop. I started and went from one thousand one to one thousand forty before he told me to stop. I didn't loose my balance or miscount. I could have kept going on. I did that exercise many times when I used to take karate.
The third test was to put my hands to my side, heels together, close my eyes tilt my head back and estimate 30 seconds. When I thought that 30 seconds was up, I was to look up and say stop. He said start and I silently counted to myself again in thousands to thirty and stopped. I believe that I was pretty close to right on. I did not feel dizzy or sway or anything. I felt totally sober.
The fourth test was again to put my heels together, arms to my side, fingers pointed and eyes closed. When he called either right or left, I was to take that arm and touch my nose with the tip of my index finger. He called left, right, left, right, right. Each time no problem. I hit my nose on the tip with pinpoint accuracy. I even impressed myself, as I can't do that very well sober.
I think at this point he was totally annoyed with me, as I had passed each test successfully. He said that he had enough proof to arrest me, but I didn't really believe him. He told me that he would let me go if I admitted to him that I had been drinking. I again said no. He asked me why he smelled alcohol on me and I explained that I had carried shots/drinks over to my friends and spilled some on myself. He didn't buy that. He asked me if I had anyone that could come and pick us up. I told him no. He said no one? I again replied no. I told him I was by myself from Pennsylvania. He asked me if I was their designated driver and I told him yea. He asked me where I was heading to. I told him my friends house which was at Elliott and the Point Hilton South. That I was taking them home. He asked me if I was staying there and I said yes. He said that it was my lucky day and that he was going to let me go and that he suggested that I go right there and stay. He then handed me back my license and paperwork. I said thank you and go back in the car. Mark said that he had been praying that I passed. By the time that I had pulled away, it had been almost 45 minutes total that we had been pulled over.
From there we could think of nothing else except for getting right to Mark's house. We didn't want to stop and eat anywhere or get his car, we were going to just go right there. Mark said that it was fine for me to stay at his place.
We go to the front gates of their apartment, and not having his card, we had to buzz the apartment and get either Bill or Matt up to let us in. Bill answered the phone and playing with him we said that we were the Phoenix Police and there was a disturbance reported at his apartment and he had to let us in. He hung up. We tried to call 2 more time each he just hung up. At the same time, what else, but another police car comes pulling out of the complex. What more could happen to us. He just drove up the street. When another car pulled out we drove in through the out and went to Marks apartment.
After pulling in, Seth was totally out sitting in my back seat. Mark and I decided to leave him there for a few minutes and go inside. We went inside, and Matt had gotten up and Bill was still up. The both eager listened to Mark and I explain what had happened with us just getting pulled over and myself having to go through the sobriety tests. They were amazed. Matt then went outside with me to get Seth out of the car. After shaking him several times, he finally swung his legs out the door and stepped out. Matt and I had to walk him up the stairs, as he had no idea where he was or where he was going. It was actually rather amusing, although I was still humbled by my experience several minutes before.
Mark decided to call his neighbors, the girls that he is always talking about and asking them to come over for a minute. He said that we were all going to go get in the hot tub. They showed up, I was introduced and Mark, Seth, the girls and I all headed down to the hot tub. I had no intention of getting in, I just figured I would go along and talk to them all. Mark had put on a bathing suit already, but Seth and I were still fully dressed. Mark and the girls go right into the hot tub, Seth whipped off his clothes and went in with his boxers, and I sat to the side. We all chatted for about 20 minutes. The girls wanted me to get in, but I declined. They thought that I wasn't getting in because I was wearing "tighty whitey's" I said that wasn't the case, I just didn't feel like it. I did, but I didn't want to get all wet, as I didn't want to drive home wet. After Mark decided that the water was too hot, Mark, Seth and I headed back to Mark's.
After getting back, Mark and I started chatting, and Seth headed back to the hot tub. He must have thought he was going to get laid. It was actually pretty funny. After chatting for a bit Mark herd the girls outside. He decided to go out for a minute, and then Seth came back. Seth and I started talking as he didn't remember anything between Martini Ranch and the hot tub. The last thing he said that he remembered was sitting in Martini Ranch and then just now in the hot tub. He didn't remember going to Maloney's or getting pulled over. I told him all about it. About then I was getting comfortable stretched across the couch, I think I started to doze off. Seth got some food and then asked me if I was going to stay. I said that I didn't know. We started talking again, and I eventually started to get heavy eyed again. He was tired, so he decided to go to bed. I decided to lay on the couch for a bit longer, and Seth turned out the living room lights. Well I must have fallen asleep, because about an hour later there was a banging on the front door. I got off the couch and opened the door as I knew it was Mark. He had gone over to his neighbors for a bit, as he thought he was going to get laid too. Funny what people think when they have been drinking. He told me that he didn't want me to drive back, and got a comforter out of the closet for me to have. So I decided that I would stay for a little while on the couch. It was actually very comfortable.
I awoke to the sound of Matt in the shower. About the same time Matt came out to the kitchen dressed, Bill came out also. It was about 7:30 am, and both of them were heading to work. I got up and was going to leave. I went in and woke Mark up right after Matt and Bill left, but we realized that he car was still at MicroAge. I told him lets go and get it now, as I wanted to get home. He was really tired, and said that he was going to take off work today. I said that I think I would also, and that we could go a little later, that I would lay back down on the couch for a bit. I went back out to the couch, and awoke again at about 10am when Mark and Seth came out to the living room.
From about 10am until around 1pm we just sat around and chatted about pretty much everything. It was actually really very refreshing to have an intelligent discussion with other people about attitudes, opinion, and just whatever came to our mind. It reminded me of the late nights I used to spend with my fraternity brothers in Altoona just sitting around talking. I was really enjoying myself.
At about 1:30pm we decided to go out and get something to eat. Mark gave me a T-shirt to put over my dress-T-shirt so that I didn't have to wear my wrinkled White button down out. It was 70degrees outside so I would be comfortable wearing my khakis and a T-shirt. We then headed over to Macayo's in Tempe since we had to go there to get Mark's car anyway. We had lunch there, drank a bunch of Iced tea, and then I took Mark and Seth to MicroAge to get the car. At that point we parted until work tomorrow. I headed home to call Rob, shower, and get some stuff done.
It was probably one of the most interesting night's I've encountered in a long time. I can't say that it was bad or good, but rather mixed. I had a great time, a terrifying experience, and some great discussions. Night like last really stir the memories I have from Penn State and my friends. I miss not having anyone close out here to hang out with and talk too when Rob is gone.
I honestly felt that last night really strengthened my friendship with Mark. I think he is a great guy, and I would love to spend more time with him and his brother Matt. As far as Seth is concerned, I will most likely see him again when he moves out here. He too was a really nice guy, and as I told Mark, any friend of his is a friend of mine.Labels: AZ88
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