An Evening with Mark

Mark is the step dad of my friend Sam.  It has been many years since that statement was true.  I believe that Mark and Sam's mother are separated now days.  That part isn't important to the story I want to tell today.

I was not present for this story, just wanted to make that clear before I get into the events that transpired.  Once again we go back to when I was a teenager running around with Houston and Sam.  It was a Friday night during the summer between my freshman and junior years of high school and Houston and Sam wanted to go hang out and a few drinks.  I can't remember why I turned them down that night but I know I was tired and decided to head home around 9:00pm and get some sleep.

The next morning, I was up early and took off out of the house to head over to Sam's to see if he was up and then we could round up Houston and see what kind of trouble we could get into...little did I know the trouble was all over by this point and I had missed everything.

I ran up to Sam's window, which was about eye height when I stood in his mothers flower garden in front of the house.  Sam would usually keep his window cracked so he could smoke in the house and blow the smoke out the window.  I first noticed his window was cracked any and was reaching to knock on the window when Sam's mother, who I had not noticed, said from the from the front porch swing "Sam is grounded.  He won't be coming outside for a long time."  I nearly jumped out of my skin she startled me so bad.

"Uh, ok..." was my very eloquent response as I stepped out of the flower beds.

"Tell him I am going to head over to see Houston, please."  was my next attempt at small talk.

"Oh, I don't think he will be going anywhere for awhile either."  was her reply.

I quickly thanked her for the information and took off to Houston's house to find out what the heck happened last night.

I had a little more luck with Houston't parents who at least let me in to talk with him so I could find out what happened.  Houston recounted the previous evenings events.  After I took off for the night he and Sam went back to Sam's house to get a couple of things before returning to Houston house.  The plan was to play video games and sneak out to Allie's house around 2:00am,but when they got to Sam's his stepdad Mark was laying int he middle of the front living room listening to his old records and well into his way through a 5th of whiskey.

Mark asked Sam and Houston to have a couple of drinks with him and check out his old rock albums.  This went on until the 5th was empty.  At which point Mark declared it was time for a alcohol run!  Of course my friends were eager to tag along and free booze so they all piled into the family mini-van and took off to town.

It has been many years since I heard this story but I think Mark bought them some Vodka, Crown Royal, and a pack of Jolly Ranchers.  Then bought himself another 5th of whiskey and they all started drinking on the way back home.  As you can expect a very inebriated driver on a Friday night quickly lead to blue flashing lights, right across from the country club in town and still 25 minutes from our neighborhood.

Mark quickly failed a sobriety test and was escorted to the back of the police car.  The officer then returned to the car and ask Sam and Houston if either of them had a drivers license.  Sam told the officer he has is permit but Houston had his license.  The police officer in his infinite wisdom let two teenage boys who had been drinking leave in the family mini-van.  Sam and Houston had a heated conversation about how effective Jolly Ranchers were at covering up the smell of alcohol and if the head light were on or not in the mini-van.

When they got back to Sam's house they parked the van, which they had spilled the bottle of Crown Royal in the back seat in the drive way and took off to Houston's house to finish up drinking.

The next morning the phone rang at Houston's house, it was Sam's mom who wanted to know where Ralph was and why her van smelled of liquor!  Sam left to go home and explain that Mark had was at the police station and the events that lead up to his arrest.

After Houston finished up the story, I was asked to leave.  I was really bored with out my partners in crime and as I learned "any time soon" means about 2 weeks of time to be grounded.   In hindsight, I am happy I missed out on this adventure!