Every summer DeLand hosts “Tropical Nights” in downtown.  They shut down Indiana Ave. and create a street party, complete with live music, food vendors, and (most importantly) snow-cones.  All of the businesses downtown stay open late and have different sales and activities at their establishments to attract customers.  They sell drinks outdoors – in fact, you can walk around with your beverage.  It’s like our own Mardi Gras!   It’s a big success, and I was here for one of them last year.

Last night was the first one this year and I headed down with a friend.  I was shocked, like last time, at the crowd on the sidewalks and street.  It was like being in DC or Boston again; people on the streets!  The night was really fun – we grabbed hot dogs at Casey’s on the Corner (YUM), we took in some music at Da Vinci’s (best outdoor venue for music), we went dancing at Aces of Spades (upstairs in the Artisan Hotel, which changes ownership like twice a year – but good dancing none the less).  We then ended up at Brickhouse, which on a normal night is filled with DeLand residents of all ages, enjoying food/drink and watching sports at the bar.  Unfortunately, we didn’t take into account that Stetson (my alma mater) was in Summer Session and so many college students would be there (it’s the #1 spot for Stetson students to go out drinking).

Things were quite lovely at first.  I was there with my girl friend and two boys and we were all having fun people watching.  Stetson is known for their “pretty boys;” right out of the pages of A&F or J. Crew, they are nice to look/drool at (the girls are very attractive as well, in case you were wondering).  We were sitting at a side table, chatting, when one particularly drunk kid (he couldn’t have been over 19), starts “backing it up” to me.  Booty dancing.  Like a white boy.  A 5’10, 120lb, incoherant, white boy.  It was funny, at first.  We laughed, at first.  But then it continued, and went past the point of being funny, to being annoying and obnoxious.

Now,  having been a college student myself, ages and ages ago, I understand the need to get out there and act the fool every once in awhile.  Especially during the summer, when classes are few and your are probably a freshman who’s enjoying your first weeks of real freedom.

That’s great for you.

However, there comes a point when you eventually cross a line.  Or 12.  We all do it.  And this little boy had crossed his.  I wasn’t even that bothered by him, to tell you the truth.   I was more annoyed that no one had his back.  He was surrounded by other students, who knew him I’m sure, and no one stepped in and pulled him off of me; a stranger, an older women who was clearly done with his attention.  I was really embarassed for my alma mater.

See, Stetson has a reputation among the residents of DeLand of being filled with over-privledged white kids, who come from Connecticut (sorry Conn, you were the first NE state I thought of), and act arrogant and snobby to the town folks.  In contract, DeLand has a reputation (among the students) of being filled with redneck “townies,” who are uneducated and missing some of the teeth.  As you can see, we love our stereotypes around here.

I have defended both sides to each other, as I know for a fact that the stereotypes are (mostly) incorrect.  So when I see a group of students fulfilling that stereotype, boosting it even, it pisses me off.   I’m an alumnae of the University AND its Greek system.  I stress the greek part because they have an even stronger rep for being princesses and douchebags.  So when some 18 y.0. tool and his friends are out there giving my college a bad name, I’m gonna do something.

After repeatedly telling the boy to move on and stop sitting on my lap and grinding in my face, I then show him my drink and demonstrate how I am going to pour it down his pants if he doesn’t move.  He was completely drunk, to the point of not being able to communicate with words, only using his hands (and ass moving) to try and speak to me.  Awesome.  I warn him about three times that I’m going to dump the drink.  Hey, I’m not going to kill you without a warning shot.  He is obviously not understanding me, so when he comes up again I follow-thru with my promise and dump the drink down his back.  He reacted a bit, to the cold I’m sure, and backed off.  He actually tried coming up again, but I think one of his friends finally came up and pulled him back.

Speaking of which, let me go back to being in the friends.  I don’t even care if he was a freshman, someone should have been decent enough to help him out.  It’s one thing for you to act like a fool to other college students/people you know, and quite another to harrass a stranger.  That’s not cool with me and that truly is what set me off.

Had I thought it through, I would have dragged his ass over to his friends and tore them a new one for representing our campus in such a negative light.  No one puts my alma mater in the corner!  Or something like that.

I’ve decided that next time I catch them harrassing “townies,” I will deliver them to the President’s front porch (located about two blocks down), with a note attached to their shirt, and ring the doorbell.

This aggression will not stand!

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In Season 1’s episode, “Hard Ball,” Josh is negotiating his contract with TGS, which is Jack’s favorite thing to do.  Liz warns Josh not to be afraid of Jack’s tactics because advertisers love him and he tests well.  Josh then uses this info against TGS during negotiations, even going so far as to call-in “sick” when he’s actually interviewing for “The Daily Show.”  Liz finds this out by running into him during the middle of the interview, which was taking place in the cafe downstairs at 30 Rock Center.

LIZ:  Josh?  [Josh spots Liz]  You stupid turd.

JOSH:  Hey!  Liz, this is —

LIZ:  Yeah, I can guess who this is.  Are you trying to get on another show, behind my back?

JOSH:  Look, Liz, I’m sorry.  It’s just business.

LIZ:  No.  It’s not “business.”  I stood up for you!  You were opening for a puppet show when I found you!  How could you betray me like this?  You know, that’s not even the worst part.  You want to know what the worst part is? [Starts hitting him]  You. Proved. Jack Donaghy.  Right.  Again!  [Starts to walk away, comes back]  And by the way, what kind of moron calls out sick and then comes in to work to have a meeting?

JOSH:  I get a NBC discount here.

LIZ:  Idiot!