Greetings, Gentles. The Stout Master continues his report on the Antagonistic Buddha's early life, when he was still known by his given name of J_____. We are presently examining the four years he spent among the "drunken scholars," the Great Sage's colorful euphemism for his college years.
Our last report introduced the character profile of J_____'s esteemed mentor, the Drunken Master. We shall now continue with the development of their friendship and the establishment of their controversial secret society.
J_____ did not meet the Drunken Master until his second year. It is likely, though we do not know for certain, that J_____ first observed the Drunken Master's daily practice of kung fu on the Quad behind the Science Building. As a keen student of martial arts, J_____ surely found the unusual Zui Quan style favored by the Drunken Master compelling. The Great Sage has said that his first conversation with the Drunken Master was motivated by his great desire to learn the "Drunken Monkey Fist" form.
Although the martial arts provided the initial common ground, the two cemented their friendship in an epic drinking bout. The Great Sage recalls what he termed an "Around the World" party. In this sophomoric ritual each room along a dormitory corridor is designated to represent a different country of the world. The occupants are required to offer an alcoholic beverage native to that country. It is amusing to hear the Antagonistic Buddha, now a devout tee-totaller, to describe this phase of his youth. The Great Sage remembers -- vaguely, he laughs -- that he and the Drunken Master recognized each other as kindred spirits in the Japan room over sake. They pledged each other as blood brothers over plum wine in the China room.
I must now introduce a third figure, J_____'s future roommate, Tom Collins. Tom had no kung fu, but he also had a prodigious intellect and a mighty thirst for beer. Tom's chief talent was for organization, planning, and logistics. Years later the Great Sage heard Tom Collins was an aide to a Congressman and helped to draft several sections of the 2009 Stimulus package.
It speaks to the fraternal bond among the three men that they could reliably be found together on Friday nights at a round table with a ready supply of Jack Daniels bottles arranged at the center. The Drunken Master, Tom Collins, and J_____ became legendary for the heady conversation at these sessions. Their favorite topic was cosmology -- not only the nature of the universe, but especially man's place in it. The philosophy would not end until either the whisky was gone, or dawn broke.
Spectators were welcome -- and, in fact, frequent. Though it was not unknown for observers to clutch their heads and run screaming into the night after trying to follow the discussion. It was considered a great honor to be invited to sit at the table to join the conversation.
Tom Collins was considered the "head" of the group because he organized the sessions and scouted for promising thinkers to participate. The Drunken Master was the heart because he argued the most passionately, he invited the adoring girls, and it was his wit that kept the audience entertained. J_____ was considered the soul as it was he who encouraged the guests to contribute and encouraged an ongoing dialogue between sessions. Together, these three formed the nucleus of "The Drunken Disciples of God," a secret society originally devoted to debate. It would become so much more in the turmoil to come.
Our last report introduced the character profile of J_____'s esteemed mentor, the Drunken Master. We shall now continue with the development of their friendship and the establishment of their controversial secret society.
J_____ did not meet the Drunken Master until his second year. It is likely, though we do not know for certain, that J_____ first observed the Drunken Master's daily practice of kung fu on the Quad behind the Science Building. As a keen student of martial arts, J_____ surely found the unusual Zui Quan style favored by the Drunken Master compelling. The Great Sage has said that his first conversation with the Drunken Master was motivated by his great desire to learn the "Drunken Monkey Fist" form.
Although the martial arts provided the initial common ground, the two cemented their friendship in an epic drinking bout. The Great Sage recalls what he termed an "Around the World" party. In this sophomoric ritual each room along a dormitory corridor is designated to represent a different country of the world. The occupants are required to offer an alcoholic beverage native to that country. It is amusing to hear the Antagonistic Buddha, now a devout tee-totaller, to describe this phase of his youth. The Great Sage remembers -- vaguely, he laughs -- that he and the Drunken Master recognized each other as kindred spirits in the Japan room over sake. They pledged each other as blood brothers over plum wine in the China room.
I must now introduce a third figure, J_____'s future roommate, Tom Collins. Tom had no kung fu, but he also had a prodigious intellect and a mighty thirst for beer. Tom's chief talent was for organization, planning, and logistics. Years later the Great Sage heard Tom Collins was an aide to a Congressman and helped to draft several sections of the 2009 Stimulus package.
It speaks to the fraternal bond among the three men that they could reliably be found together on Friday nights at a round table with a ready supply of Jack Daniels bottles arranged at the center. The Drunken Master, Tom Collins, and J_____ became legendary for the heady conversation at these sessions. Their favorite topic was cosmology -- not only the nature of the universe, but especially man's place in it. The philosophy would not end until either the whisky was gone, or dawn broke.
Spectators were welcome -- and, in fact, frequent. Though it was not unknown for observers to clutch their heads and run screaming into the night after trying to follow the discussion. It was considered a great honor to be invited to sit at the table to join the conversation.
Tom Collins was considered the "head" of the group because he organized the sessions and scouted for promising thinkers to participate. The Drunken Master was the heart because he argued the most passionately, he invited the adoring girls, and it was his wit that kept the audience entertained. J_____ was considered the soul as it was he who encouraged the guests to contribute and encouraged an ongoing dialogue between sessions. Together, these three formed the nucleus of "The Drunken Disciples of God," a secret society originally devoted to debate. It would become so much more in the turmoil to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment