Welcome to the Virtual 340 Club: Curator's Corner 2

The 3rd periodic 340 Club Reunion has been postponed indefinitely

Before there was an Animal House there was a 340 Club; before there was a Dean Wormer there was a Harold "the fuck" Martin; before there was John Blutarsky or a Daniel Simpson Day there was Tim Lutter, Sil Simpson, Dan Joyce, Tim Getzloff, Dick Lichty, Jim Shay, Phil Zangari, Chris Joyce, Dave Petkosh, Mitch Herr, Kenny Giltner, Dean Staherski, Randy Brown, John Emswiler, Sue Krimmell Emswiler and myself; before there were any Delta Tau Chi pledge pins, there were 340 Club cards; before Otis Day & the Knights, the 340 Jukebox; before there were Delta Brothers there were the usual gang of idiots that congregated at 328, 340 (twice) and 338 West King Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for a decade beginning in August 1974. This blog is dedicated to those idiots and those times. God bless Kenny, Mitch and Chris; may they rest in peace.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Curator's Corner 2

February,1981 marked the triumphant second coming of the 340 Club. I assume we all got badges as pictured above. The "Infinity Sign" signifies that the 340 spirit is endless despite moving on to 338 West King Street in April of 1983 and then to various other locations by mid-year 1984.
This return to the "Club" was celebrated with, as unbelievable as it sounds,a party. My recollection of the events of this day was that the party was either slow developing or lightly attended. Our new "roomie" Sue Krimmell had invited her friend, Karen Wysock who I had known years back when we worked together as counselors at Camp Taemoh. Karen for reasons unknown did not drink beer and apparently was becoming bored with the whole party scene. Sue suggested I take Karen out for a beverage more to her liking which I had no problem with. Unfortunately there were two four to five year periods in my life when I did not own a car and this was one of them.
Sue,graciously offered me the use of her auto,an Opal if memory serves me correct. I preferred the simplistic Volkswagen Beetle because all the other vehicles had "too many moving parts" for me but I accepted her offer. Karen and I left the Club and after fumbling around to find the headlight switch and where to put the key in,we headed off to Cassidy's Tavern.
Upon arrival Karen ordered a rum and coke and I got a beer and we played a game or two of pinball. We got another round of drinks and when she nearly finished the second one I noticed that she could no longer stand up. I literally carried her to Sue's car and proceeded back to the 340 Club.
I helped her up the steps to the second floor where she promptly passed out in front of Sue and John's bedroom door. Sue came out and correctly surmised the situation and exclaimed,"She's drunk,Joe (her husband) isn't going to like this". Proving chivalry is not dead,I covered her with a blanket,leaving her outside John and Sue's door and retired to my room for some sleep.
As Tee alluded to in an earlier post,the next day the phone rang,by this time Karen had recovered and exited the 340, it was her husband,Joe. Tee described him as a 6 foot five inch 285 pound former NFL player which I can't argue. I don't remember if I answered the phone or not but when I got on a menacing voice said,"What did you do to my wife". As I stammered and stuttered my innocence for a few minutes with my heart in my throat,I finally realized it was another Richard (R.E.) Lichty charade,posing rather convincingly as a jealous angry husband. It won't be the last time "Dicky" pulled off this type of caper.