Super Bowl Make-Up

John's parents hosted a Super Bowl Party. John is best friends with the Mike's. I had been watching on facebook over the past few days as John was asking who would be at his Super Bowl Party. John didn't invite me. He invited the Mike's and Randy. One Mike was going to Randy's party and I saw that on John's page. The other Mike, the one I'm closer to didn't respond whether he was going to John's party or not. I was in a dilemma up until today as to whether or not I was going to go. I was invited because John's parents and my parents are good friends. I was specifically invited to this party because his parents always forget to invite me to their others. I asked friends what they thought about me going. I was going to not go just to avoid conflict. John's parents I'm sure didn't know about the drama going on and I was worried the Mike's and the Mike I'm closest to attending and with his parents. I was convinced I wasn't going until my mom said she would only make 7-layer bean dip if I go.

So we get to the party at 2:40. It started sometime between 2 and 3. We got there in the middle- there were about 5 people already there and about 9 other people showed up after us. We were told to grab food. We say hi to the people we knew. I walked over and shook hands with John and his sister, then got a plate of pulled pork, hot sausage link, macaroni salad (which was delicious) and some rice salad with a vinagrette (which wasn't so great). We brought the 7-layer bean dip and that was gone by 3:45. Everyone was eating it and asking for the recipe. John's cousin Chris went over and told my mom how delicious it was.

John came over and talked to my parents and I while we were finishing eating and told my dad about him trying to become a forest ranger. Some of the late comers sat at our table and my parents knew them, and talked. I sat talking with John's mom, my mom, and dad until the 2nd quarter about 4p.m. My mom and John's mom crocheted for a while. Then my dad got up and went over to meet some of the other people there. I went over and talked to John. He asked what the Mike situation was and I just said that it was a big misunderstanding and I said you and I go way back, you know I wouldn't do anything like texting friends and say I'm glad they lost their job. No real explanation was needed- he just listened and said "ok"-he's not one to say a lot about things like this.He introduced me to his girlfriend's family. John and I stand around talking about random stuff- school, the CBEST, CSETS, and things like that. He is taking the CBEST this month and wanted to know what was on it. I told him. He is possibly going to go into teaching, but would ideally like to be a park ranger. We join the young crowd there and the subject of Bingo comes up because John and family played it last night. I told them about my bingo outing a few weeks back.

John's cousin Chris was playing resident bartender and serving up margaritas, shots, you name it. John's dad was offering up cigars. John's sister Tory was consuming the majority of the margaritas. We ran out of tequila shortly, so John says we need to go to Staters. He asks if I want to go. My dad was sitting outside watching us take off, then my mom watched as we walked outside. We decide who will drive. I offer and John offers. We're both sober. He drives his sister's friend's Toyota Highlander. I sit next to his girlfriend in the car. His sister is talking about being scandalous and getting her HIV test with one of her sorority sisters there, then pointing it out to everyone what she was doing and how embarrassing it was, but she laughed it off. Tory asked if I was going to drink and I said "HELL NO, NOT WITH MY PARENTS AROUND." She said I'm drinking and my parents are around. I said your parents are cool with it, mine aren't. My parents don't drink- period. She laughed and said we'll change that.

We go to Stater Brothers in the 3rd quarter and walk over to the liquor section and debate over what kind of Tequila to buy. We decide on the $30 big bottle, then get a bottle of Jack. Tory asks my drink of choice and I tell her- Jack and Coke. She said we have me covered. We make random small talk on the way home. Tory asked about my drunkest story, so I told them about New Years Eve. She said she loved my story because anything that starts off with New Years Eve has to be good. I just told her what I drank and she was amused.

We get back and parade in with our alcohol- it was obvious what it was. My mom saw it. My dad saw it. Oh well. Chris starts mixing drinks and he says I need a shot. I said "no," and he respects that. Then Tory is watching for when my dad walks inside the house and then she is insistent we take shots. I take shots with all of the guy's there. I take shots with all the guys. Then my dad comes out, so the shots cease. My dad stays out for about 10 minutes or so, but it seemed like an eternity. Once he goes in Chris offers me a cigarette and so I smoke one with him and we just hang out (ok- shame on me), then have a margarita he mixed. John's girlfriend's mom comes over and wants to partake in the shots with us. We do some more tequila shots. My dad comes out, so I forego on the next round. My dad stays out for a while, so I just sit in the midst of all the action. John's girlfriend's mom makes a comment about how innocent I seem. Tory is soon in my lap telling me how drunk she is, how she needs me to watch her phone, and stuff like that. John's girlfriend is drunk also and tells her mom. Her mom just said be a "nice drunk." Her mom kept taking round after round and asking for us kids to pass her the bottle. Judy, one of the mom's there even took a shot, which was surprising. She seems really pure. My dad kept walking in and out and when he wasn't out there I was taking shots and puffing on a cigar (shame, again). Tory lit up a cigarette and John says how bad that is. John's girlfriend put the cigarette out. Had my parents seen me, they would have blown a fuse, but Tory's parents didn't care. In the last few minutes of the game Tory was all over everyone- John's sister, me, him, etc. Chris asked me if I wanted another cigarette and I said no. Chris joked I just didn't want to get cancer like him. I counted and had a dozen shots within the 4th quarter. I also downed a margarita. John didn't do any shots with us, but he did have a beer toward the end.

The game is over and about 5 minutes after my dad wants to leave. I drove, so of course I had to go. I tell Tory I'm leaving and she says I need a shot. I said no, that was ok. She insisted, so she poured me a shot of Jack Daniels Whiskey and I drank. I downed it with some more margarita. I go back in and stand around with John and my parents. They're talking about work. I tell John thanks and he says we should go to Casino Morongo soon. I said I'd see him soon.

We make our way out to the car and my dad asks where we went. I said Stater Brothers. He asks what for. I said Cheetos and "other stuff." He said oh, maybe we should have brought more Dorito chips. In my mind I said yeah, we should have, uh huh, you think what you want. And I drove home. Nobody has ever driven my car except for me and I was feeling fine. I still am. I hold my alcohol well. I know I probably shouldn't have. Yes, we did see the sheriff as we turned off of John's street onto the highway. John lives about 2 miles from my house- and a mile of that is just driving up his street. On the way home my mom just asked what John and I talked about, what John is studying, stuff like that. She asked about his girlfriend, if he was driving back to school tonight (he goes to a UC in NorCal), and I said him and his g/f are napping, then leaving at 2a.m. I know what was going through my mom's mind- they're spending the night together- or at least that's what I think she was trying to figure out.

And the game? Faith Hill and Jennifer Hudson rocked it. The game was pretty entertaining, especially the last few minutes there in the 4th quarter where there seemed to be hope for Arizona.

Fun times... I'd swear John's girlfriend's mom would think I'm schizophrenic or something because I wanted a shot one moment, then the next I wouldn't... oh well... fun times indeed. I'm so thankful that I got to have this time with John, especially after what has taken place over the last few months. I've known him since first grade