MHSBAND : The MHS Band's Adventures with the JHS Band in Richmond, Part Three

The MHS Band's Adventures with the JHS Band in Richmond!

PART Three: The Banquet and the Dance

At around 6:15 p.m. most of the MHS band members were at the Stratton building, where the cafeteria for the banquet was. They were there, because they were the hosts and were supposed to meet the JHS band members! Everyone dressed normal except for Sarah, who was the only fancy-dresser there.
Mr. Stephens wasn't there yet, so everyone stood around, talking. Some eighth grade (and ninth grade) idiots decided to turn on some foam fire extinguishers on the lowest level. Seb and Ben arm wrestled (so Seb could become the "King" in something else).
Finally, the band members couldn't wait any longer, and they entered the cafeteria at 6:30 p.m. The JHS band members and Mr. Stephens weren't there yet, but the cafeteria people said it was OK if the band members came and sat down. So they did.
So everyone was waiting inside the cafeteria of the Stratton building, waiting for the very late Michigan people and Mr. Stephens. Finally, at around 7:00 p.m., they came, making a grand entrance coming down the stairs. Mr. Stephens was also with them. All the MHS band members applauded. The twelve who got sick, however, were still staying at the hotel.
The dinner was served, starting with the salad. Then came the main meal: fried chicken, Kentucky style green beans (overcooked), baked potato, with a garnish of radish and parsley.
Mr. Stephens sat up at the front table, where all the big people were. Mr. Stephens told Shay to come up, because he was band president. So Shay went over and ate with the big guys.
While everyone was eating, some JHS band members sitting way back suddenly started clapping. This was a joke to make everyone turn around and check if someone was coming down the stairs. No one was. So when the second group of JHS band members arrived with Mr. Felder, no one really believed them when they clapped.
Then came the desert. After finishing the desert, a lot of the JHS band members started to leave. Mr. Stephens had to yell at them to come back, because it wasn't time to leave.
For all of the MHS students, however, it was time to go! Everybody, except for Jimmy and T.J., went out of the Stratton building and into cars parked out there, to head out to Boonesborough (Boon-es-borg for the Michigan people) and set up for the party! Keith, Joe, Bert and Stacey all drove.
Jimmy left a few minutes later, and caught up with Bert, Shay, Josh, and Sarah loading food up at the bandroom, which they had bought earlier. While lifting some bags, Josh's nose all of a sudden started to bleed!!! The others had to do all the work while Josh held his nose for several minutes.
After loading up all the food and taking Bert's backseat out of his van to make more room for the food, all five squeezed inside. They went to Sarah's house, so she could change her clothes and they could get all 70 pounds of ice that she had. After that they drove to the Drive-In Liquor place so Bert could get two small cases of beer (the guy there thought it was two large cases, and said that it would cost Bert about $50, which really shocked him!). Then they stopped at Convenient to get some gum (to cover the beer taste), then they headed on the highway. Jimmy started to tell to Josh some of the tips to prevent drunken drivers from wrecking.
Meanwhile, at Boonesborough, everyone was setting up for the dance.
Meanwhile, at the Stratton building, T.J. was wondering where everyone else was.
Mr. Stephens had let Joe use his record player and amplifier, so Joe hooked it all up in a small building on the Boonesborough campground, where the dance was to be held. Joe also brought his box, to play tapes. Some people had brought their own tapes and records. Kurt brought just about his entire record collection.
Meanwhile, back in Richmond, Mr. Stephens announced that it was time for everyone to leave for the dance. All the JHS band members (and T.J.) loaded onto their buses and headed for the dance.
Back on the highway, Keith was driving pretty lousy and Willie kept telling him that they were due to arrive in Alaska any second.
Back on a side road, Bert was drinking his beer and driving for the dance, with Sarah laughing like crazy, and Jimmy praying in the back. But luckily they arrived in one piece at the dance. They walked in carrying the food and drinks and put it all on one table. Already people were dancing, and a lot of MHS guys were awaiting some of the fabled Michigan tongue.
Kurt was D.J.ing. However, there was no light at the D.J. stand. So when Kurt had to change a record, he shouted for someone to turn the light on. Someone did, he changed the record, the lights went out, and everyone resumed dancing. After doing this awhile, it became real annoying.
Shay came in. He went over to where Kurt was spinning records. He didn't see the power cord. He said "Hey, Kurt. . . WHOOPS!!!" and tripped over the power cord! The sound went "EEEEEWWWWWOOOOMMMMMM" and diminished to nothing. Everyone started yelling and complaining. Shay quickly put the plug back in and everything became normal.
Jimmy decided to go out and find a light. He found one of the bus drivers had one, and was promised that he would get it after the bus drivers turned their buses around. While standing outside waiting, all of the female chaperones asked Jimmy to bring them some drinks. He thought they were joking and didn't do it. So they asked T.J., who came out later with the drinks!
Kurt gave up D.J.ing and Joe took over, then Bert and Jodi. Everyone was dancing, hanging around outside, or walking in circles around the whole area. Jason Jones had several girls around him (because he was so "casual") and a lot of other band members were getting some. What they were still waiting for was the tongue, which never really showed up.
Joe then gathered everyone outside for a joke they were going to play on the Michigan band members. They were going to make fun of their passing out that afternoon. They were all going to go inside, dance around, Joe would count to three, then they would all pretend to pass out onto the floor!! Everyone went back inside, ready to play the joke.
Most of the band members walked back into the dance area, and started to dance together with each other. Joe then said "1. . . 2. . . 3!!" and everyone collapsed to the floor! They stayed that way for several seconds, then got back up. The joke wasn't as funny as they planned, but it was amusing nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Steve and Carla headed off into the woods nearby. . .
The dance wasn't as fun as expected. No one was really eating or drinking, and if anyone did, they took the whole bottle or bag or whatever they were eating or drinking.
Bert and Jodi finally gave up DJing and Jimmy took over. The first thing he played was "Mars", but the bass was too high and it didn't sound good. Then, he planned to play "Dancing in the Dark" extended remix, but he rewound the wrong side of the tape and played "Trapped" (also by Bruce). Shay screamed, "That's my song!" and grabbed a girl. No one really complained, because it was a slow song. Hardly anyone knew what it was. After that song he played "Money for Nothing".
Then Mr. Stephens came over and told them to fade the song out, because the dance was over. At 10:15 p.m!!! The reason was because all the Michigan people had to get back to the hotel, because they had to leave early the next morning! Another reason was because Mr. Felder was a @#$% jerk, but no one said that in public.
Everyone went out and loaded in their own cars. Some people had no rides, like Jimmy and Peggy, so they boarded a Michigan bus. When they got on, everyone in the bus shouted "WWWOOOOOO!!!!!!!" referring to the "perfect couple". The two sat in the back with a percussionist named Keith, who was nothing like the MHS version. He bragged about how he was going into the army, and how he was on his fourth car in two months.
Meanwhile, Stacey and Meena were supposed to take Carla back to Richmond, but Carla was nowhere to be found. They waited. . .
Keith and Bert drove off, with their cars full of MHS band members. Bert (of course) started to get the 24 bottles of beer out.
Aaron Francis had come by earlier and helped Mr. Stephens take his stereo equipment back. Shay and Josh rode with him, with Aaron saying that he didn't drink or do anything like that anymore. Mr. Stephens, Mary Lou, and Susan followed later with Kurt's records.
Thirty minutes later, Carla and Steve came out of the woods, with Carla wearing a strange smile. They got into Stacey's car and drove off.
At the hotel, everyone was saying goodbye to each other (MHS and JHS). Especially in the back of the hotel, second floor. Keith had to get home at "a specific time", and he was taking several band members with him. He hugged Jodi goodbye, then left with Seb, Brian, and Joe Williams. As he pulled out of the parking lot, Brian Fardo jumped onto the back of the car. As the car went into the front and passed by Mr. Felder, he shouted "GET OFF OF THAT CAR!!!". Brian jumped off quickly and got into the car.
At the same time, a lot of people were ordering pizza.
Jimmy and Peggy went back to the school to get Jimmy's car. Jimmy got Kurt's records from Mr. Stephens at this time. He went back to the hotel. He was looking for Kurt, who was off near some wall with the girl he got. He was getting some. . .
At about the same time, others were getting some. . . . pizza.
Meena, Stacey, Stephen, and Carla returned to the hotel. Shay and Jimmy asked Carla what she did with Steve, and she only gave them a strange little smile. A few minutes later she and Steve disappeared with Bert. Meena and Stacey were looking all over the place for them, because Carla was supposed to stay with them.
Jimmy was getting some. . . pictures of the JHS people. Sarah Low called up Jonathan and woke him up. One person was giving out pizza. Everyone was saying goodbye. Shay to Trudy. Josh to Amy N. Jimmy went to say goodbye to Jason Jones, who was ordering some pizza and wearing no pants. He also left the door wide open, so girls would see him and his roommates with no pants, and come in, and also get some. . .
Finally, the chaperones came by and started to chase MHS band members out. Shay, Jimmy, and Josh went around to the other side, where Joe and Denny French were there, talking to Rhonda and her mother. They talked for several minutes, Rhonda hugged everyone (she asked Jimmy first if he did that sort of thing), then they drove off. . .
Meanwhile, Bert, Carla, and Stephen were out getting drunk. . .
Meanwhile, Kurt was partying with his girl. . .
Meanwhile, Meena and Stacey gave up on Carla and went to spend the night with some of the JHS girls. . .
Soon, the Thrifty Dutchman was quiet, as the night came on and the adventures of the Michigan band in Richmond came to a close. . .
Meena and Stacey tried to spend the night with the Michigan band members, but couldn't because @#$% Mark Felder wouldn't let them. He chased them out.
A few hours later (around 8:00 a.m.), the JHS band members were getting up and going over to Shoney's for breakfast. Afterwards, they went back to the hotel to pack up and leave. Shay, Meena, Stacey, Aaron Francis, Josh's parents, and a few other MHS band members went back to say goodbye for the last time.
The JHS band members got onto their buses and drove away from the hotel, heading up to the Kentucky Horse Park and then back to Monroe that night, because they had to go to school the next day (Monday)! What happened at the Horse Park is probably the subject of some guy's "band adventure" at JHS.
What both bands learned through this three-day experience will not be covered here, lest we get philosophical and all that stuff. But it was no doubt an interesting experience.
THE END

Photo Gallery from the JHS Band's Last Night in Richmond