The 3rd Day of 340

Phil joined myself, Sil and Jimmy Shay in October 1975 and simultaneously I grew up just a little by gaining full-time employment. I have worked a full-time job ever since.

Soon it was back to three when Jimmy moved on with his girlfriend if my memory is working. If you were on West King Street from 1974-84, on an average day 2.64 of the three of us where there. I'm a numbers man I can't help it.

Throughout 1976, the Bicentennial, it was the three of us and it was an eventful year full of common interests and events - Olympics, All-Star, APBA Convention, Lenny Lane, a Presidential election, as well as the Bi-Centennial itself.

We expanded back to 4 in January when Chris Joyce moved in. Chris' tenure began a wild period - not blaming Chris just describing the atmosphere - at the 340 Club. Chris was there for a single semester but clearly his impact is still felt.

Tim Getzloff, a 328 Club veteran, returned in May 1977 paving the way for the Club, after Chris departure, to take in a marriage refugee Dave Petkosh that October. Mr. Petkosh, a school teacher and young parent (albeit older than Phil who became the second oldest in 340 history), moved into 340 seeking respit and, I like to think, found some during his short stay. He was gone in early 1978. Presently, Dave is feverishly trying, even as I type, to master the Blogger technology ladder in order to post. It will be worth the wait.

Dave's departure, perhaps a testimony to his rationality, once again put some strain on the household. The next two guys in knew no boundaries. Up till now, with arguably an exception or two, the residents of 340 were largely a sanctuary for middle/upper middle class, Catholic, college or some college, beer swillers, just finding their footing with that other gender type of guys. Enter a pair of Crazees - first Mitch Herr; followed closely by the late Gilt. According to my records/memory, Kenny's entrance was the last straw for Sil. It was nothing personal between them; the madness was simply too much. I certainly couldn't handle Mitch & Kenny but my reaction was not to abandon ship but rather to push the pedal. So Sil was not dealing with those two crazies but three. Phil usually a rock of stability also couldn't help being drug along with the vibrations coming from the adjacent rooms. It was now when the landlord finally had enough and issued a few pontificating epistles.

Kenny fouled out after just a couple of months. He remained an active member of course but no longer occupied a bed or had to feel guilty about not paying rent. Mitch, also committed his 5th foul as reported by Phil earlier in this Blog. Both of them were gone by autumn.

In between there departures I was gone ... as a firt time homeowner on the fault line between the Bloody 7th and the Gentry. A fault line that has not moved a whit in the thirty years since my move. Jimmy Shay was my first roomie. The amazing Ron Botzum next; and the randallion cat, the lizard king, the one and only Randy Brown was my next roommate in a small, 1 1/2 story home, that became known as The Outpost of Humanity.

That left Tim & Phil. A friend of mine and street hockey teammate of Phil's Dean Staherski signed on the Titanic for the maiden voyage but ... it was interrupted. As Phil has reported earlier; first Tim, then Dean and finally Phil - the Birdman of 340 - had to leave the trash and varmint friendly 340. Before '78 came to an end, Mr. Kratzert was looking for new tenants and West King Street was devoid of us for the first time in over four years.