Drunken Nights Countdown #2

Almost wrapped up with this project that I excepted to finish long ago, but real life happens, and still living that real life day by day. As I been reflecting on this top ten countdown, it allows me to reflect and look back, and have a laugh about what happened, as it is interesting to see how much has change, and how much has more or less remained true to form. So let proceed with Number 2, which mean there is only one left after this.

spring break 2003 before going home from Canada

#2: My First BlackOut 

 In a couple of months, it will be 10 years since this particular incident occurred  On March 27, 2003, everyone was on college spring break, and we all decided to plan a trip together in Canada.  We took 2 cars, and I remember rolling in Tim's car cause he had his Explorer and I would nap while he was driving. Although a few were still 18, most of us were already 19, which is the legal drinking age in Canada. The situation that makes this moment #2 on my drunk ass nights occurs on the 2nd night of this 3 day trip in Vancouver, BC.

On the first night, after checking in the hotel, we ate at this sports bar down the street, and then those that were "legal" went to a hotel casino, and shout-outs to that particular black jack dealer, cause our whole table won money that night. Personaly, I started off playing $60 CAD and won $150 CAD [keep in mind that this was when the US Dollar was much stronger in value, so I believe at this time you would get $130 CAD for every $100 USD, but money's money] and we were all happy about that. I do remember when the deal would bust his hand, he would say "Oops, too much". We left happy that night. But as we pointed out, in particular Melissa, we say that "It just Canadian Money".

After we left, we got back to the hotel room to let the "young ones" know about the money we won, and to also see what kids wanted to do for the nightcap. The guys walked several blocks to find a liquor store to buy some drinks. It seems to take more than a hour cause we couldn't figure out where to find one, and we walked the whole time.

Once we got back to the room to bring the drinks, the guys went back to the same sports bar since it was within walking distance to the hotel and got drinks and wings. I got like a 5 shot set of Kamikaze for $15 (cheap) and this random white guy approach our table and chilled with us for a while. He would start rapping like he was trying to be Eminem, and he asked for a wing and a shot, which we didn't really care so we let him have it. We shared a laugh about it after the white guy bounced. You don't deal with shit like that everyday.  

Tony and Khoi drinking on the balcony

While everyone else went to bed at around midnight, I wasn't trying to go to sleep yet. Tony then came to the room I was sleeping in, and he was also trying to stay up and do something. Tony and I then roamed the streets and went to play billiards at a pool hall, and had a couple of more drinks. The both of us were pretty buzzed cause we intended to only play one hour, but didn't realized about the time and ended up playing for 2 hours and it was already 3 am by the time we got back to the hotel room.


Day 2 was a bit more chill during the day. For lunch we ate dim sum and went to MetroTown Mall. While the girls would go around and do some shopping, the guys chilled at the arcade to hit some sticks. In the afternoon, it was downtime, but I walked around to do some shopping with a couple of kids and got some shoes. Once we started drinking in the room, we all split up and pretty much did our own thing. The ones who weren't old enough to go just played card games (tien lien aka 13) in the room, some went back to the casino to try to win some more money (don't believe it happened that night), and once again it was Tony and I go in the night life.

I borrowed Khoi's dress shoes to wear cause he wasn't going to use them, so me and Tony walked around a few blocks to do some drinking and chill. They was this one spot that we stumbled upon called The Bong. The bouncer was nice enough to at least let Tony check out the spot, but according to him, it was  a no-go. So we left and the was giving me details about what he saw inside. It was like techno/house music and the crowd was Fresh Off the Boat kids doing some crazy dances. He did mention that the waitresses were pretty cute. We then went to a bar called Shenanigans and I noticed that kids were dressed pretty casual. Wearing Khoi's shoes were messing with my ankles, and felt like it was cutting against the back of my heel, so we went back to the hotel room so I could change shoes, as well as get a few more drinks in before having to pay for some.

drinking before going out

We went in the bar and drank some Smirnoff wine coolers, and then I ordered a pitcher of this Canadian beer. Tony didn't like the taste of the beer, so I pretty much had to drink most of the pitcher of beer myself. We just drank and talk shit about life and enjoying the moment. Typical shit while drinking. We left some time later in the night. Oddly enough, Tony was walking pretty tipsy and I felt fine enough to get us back to the hotel room. After that I was ready to go to bed, but it seem that it went from zero to shit in an instant when I got to the room.

I remember waking up the next morning around 7-8ish in the morning, shirtless, surprised, and shocked. I jumped out of bed to checking out my surroundings. Looking around the room, I saw that there was a towel with some vomit on it and wondering what happen to my shirt. Also felt hungover with a bit of a headache, which was the first time feeling like I was on the verge of death. Eventually once everyone else woke up, they tried to fill me in on the details, and making fun of me and giving me crap about what happened the night before. A couple particular moments that they mentioned was about not letting my father know about happen cause I felt he would beat me up if he found out. Another was when I was throwing up a bunch, they had to take me to the shower tub, but I guess Melissa's scarf was in the vicinity  and sadly got some of my vomit on scarf, which she got recently at the time. To this day, she reminds me about it from time to time to give me crap about it. Sorry Smeli, but it was the first time I got fucked up, and as you know over the years, it sure wasn't my last.

Once we left the hotel, on the way home, we decided to give it one last shot at making money at the casino. We pooled $210 and played roulette to double or nothing. We lose it since it landed on a zero. I forgot if we played red or black, but weren't too happy about what just happened. Melissa once again mention that it was "just Canadian money" and everyone else told her to shut up, mostly cause she kept talking about it for much of the trip. Got back home at 3 pm, met up with another buddy, Jumper, and told him about my adventures up north.

Overall, it was a good bonding experience with my high school buddies. Although I only talk to Duke and Tony on the regular, it seems that I don't even keep in touch with most everyone else. I mean, I know we all stay busy living life, but I still got love for all of them, and thankful for their love and support over the years. I'm also glad they got my back even in my less than stellar moments like on that night, which would be the the very first, but certainly not the last time, I drank to the point of blacking out, and not remembering about what happened from the night before, until you hear about it from someone else after.

There is only one last story I will share and that will come in due time. Hope you guys enjoy this tale.

QUOTE TO GO BY: 
" This shit is gay. This is goin to be my last entry cuz i think that xanga is for boatas that have too much time in their hands and for fruity pants" (From Van Le[self]; from an post on October 28, 2003 on my Xanga Page, one of my previous blogs)