Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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A Stude IRY DOUG WILLIAMS Sleeping bags, blankets, mat tresses and folding lounge chairs were everywhere. The only light came from portable heaters, candles, or flashlights that illuminated poker, bridge,hearts or Old Maid. Every once in a while, an abnormally large sleeping hag would betray a pair of lovers nestled inside. One person was cooking some canned food and warming milk for hot chocolate on a portable stove. It was a bit cold; an intermittant brisk wind kept the chill factor low. It was like Times Square on New Year's Eve, or a disaster area where, through an uncanny series of events, people who never knew each other previously were sud denly thrust together. Or maybe more than anything else, the whole scene reminded one of a refugee camp. Students, hundreds of them, were waiting at the Coliseum for tickets to the USC-Notre Dame Basketball game Saturday. At least, most of them were there to get tickets. "I'm not here to pick up tickets," one student said, his breath reeking of liquor and his slurred language showing it. "I'm here just for the party. I even bummed a halt quart of liquor. The party's whei ever you decide it is." Another guy said he just saw the crood5.ind, after a quick change and the purchase of a couple of six packs, returned to party. Even the people who were there to pick up tickets could not help nt Refug4 Page 4 Feb. 14, 1974 indulging a bit. Beer cans covered a wall along one of the Coliseum's Green Street entrances. A bottle of tequila was being circulated among some of the fan s. "Hell, the only way to stay warm is drink a lot of beer and stay drunk," someone muttered. "I got here at around seven," on( student said. "We've beer drinking ever since. It's fantastic: it's great: I love it." A lot of people had indeec arrived early; some as early as 10:30 Tuesday morning. And many had been drinking evei since. One guy was wandering around talking with everyone, regardless of whether they were asleep. HE was wearing 'an old army jacket, and had just rinished off the last sip of a can of Schlitz. He threw it to the ground and reached into his pocket for a quart of Rotgut wine. Hle eagerly chased the beers and chatt.ered. Another student was wanderint around trying to find a girl he had net earlier. He began to get loud and ohnoxious, so a couple of people told him to shut up.. They were bigger than he was: he shut up. Sudd-nly. the guy in the arm: jacket :-trolled up. He had foun somec (,(d drinking buddies fron ituden Sprir - Feb. 18-19, - Feb. 25, Car CTIONS -*March 4, Ele *March 6, 1st - March 8, 2n, - April 1, Ina ?e Camp home. - o 1hey stood around ana passed their favorite tales. He was talking about ticket pick up in "968 for the USC-North Carolina game. "It was great," he mused. "Some girl got raped and another guy broke his arm." "Was that the guy that fell out of the pain etto...no, magnolia tree?" "No. that was the guy who decided to ulay Tarzan and sweep across the room in the Russell House tat that time, tickets were picked up in the Russell House) on a rope. He grabbed a fistful of-. tickets and kept going. only I problem was, when the rope swung I back, he fell off. That's when he I broke his arm. And that's no lie." I He punctuated the story with a I slug of wine. I Fina ll' , a fire was started on the I Green Street side. One student I was peeling apart a book and I tossing it into the blaze. I "You idiot, that's a library I book." I He ript'ed the hook apart again | and threw it into the fire. I Later t he old friends, led by their man in the army jacket, were still I going at it. But the hours had taken their toll. The formalities of ice, glasses and mixers had been dispensed with. They passed the bottle around. The cheap wine was all gone. Theirtalkwas incoherent. Then a guy came roaring around the corner on a bicycle with a can in his hand. "Four o'clock and all's well he shouted. I And. despite the fact that nearly I 1 e'veryone was asleep, it was. I I .t Govei ig Eleci Filing Date (Rus rtpaign Starts~ ~ct on Run-Off d Run-Off gu rat on HELP WANTED FULL-TIME PART-TIME AND EVENINGS Apply: BURGER 1211 College KIN Street Jim Grheady's KEG O'NAILS Your One Stop Party Center Discount Wine & Beer Open Mon. thru Thurs. 10A M. -10P.M. Fri. & Sat. 9 A.M.-11P.M. Mixes- Party Supplies- Ice- Snacks Kilborne & Rosewood Dr. - Ph. 782-5397 nment * :10ns sell House Lobby 9-5) *