I wasn't sure if I should include this or not, but I did get money out of it. It was, however, voluntary.
First, a little background. The previous school year, I volunteered for the University of Oregon Cultural Forum by ripping ticket stubs and hanging posters. I did it so much that I became like an unofficial member of the Cultural Forum. My only payment was in the form of some dinners. I met documentary film maker, Ally Acker and cartoonist, Bill Plympton. I would be dropping names if anyone knew who these people were, but few people do. M.K. Hobson was also a member of the Cultural Forum. Overachiever that she was, she announced plans to start another film showing group on campus, Catalyst Films. This, I think, angered the Cultural Forum. They kicked her out stating that she would be spread to thin if she did two groups. I was also kicked out, basically for not doing anything besides being the best ticket ripper you ever saw.
M.K. was hell bent on revenge. She wanted to blow the Cultural Forum out of the water. She asked if I wanted to help. Of course, I actually was only in the Cultural Forum because I wanted to be around her, so of course I said yes. She made me the Co-director of Catalyst Films. We did just as she planned. We showed gems like "Pink Flamingos" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall". We were a little more "low-brow" than the Cultural Forum, but we knew what the students wanted. The film that pushed us over the top was a surprise. We had a packed theater for two shows for "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". I mean packed. More people than I ever imagined. I was happy about that, too. I spent a while on the poster for that one, which was just a picture of Willy Wonka looking at a bubble with the title of the film in it. It was cute. The Cultural Forum was appropriately jealous. M.K. got her revenge.
I missed the last term though when I was shot.
Sounds like high times. But wait, what about, "I missed the last term though when I was shot."...? Did I miss something?
ReplyDeleteYou may have neglected to include part of the revenge story. Were you gunned down later for your part in the Chocolate Factory Episode?
Hee. Willie Wonka! We basically showed all the films that we wanted to see. It was so much fun. Those were the days.
ReplyDeleteI went to PSU's graduation ceremonies today (my Mom was getting an award) and I got to thinking. You know, it's been 15 years since I graduated from U of O? (it must be a little less for you, because of the shooting and all ...)
But damn. 15 years.
No, it was over spring break in San Francisco. You can read the report here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.livejournal.com/users/tuber_x/14988.html
Sorry, it is slow to load.
Damn. That's kind of depressing. It's been 12 years for me. Damn. And look what my edjumacation got me.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Bybee, remember him, always said I had a future in semiotic criticism. What the hell, semiotics! Well, that means i can get a job working at McDonald's. I'm so down about that right now. Anyway, my next venture is going to be in mortgages.
Oh and not to focus just on me. What did your mom get an award for?
ReplyDeleteHow utterly scary. To be on Spring Break in another city and be attacked with a deadly weapon by a group of desperate individuals! They shot you in the back! I wonder if they were planning to 'do' you guys even if you gave them money.
ReplyDeleteFrom a criminal standpoint, what idiots!
Best case scenario, they kill four students in order to make off with...? Since when do students have any real money!
If they were willing to take on a larger group of people than themselves and kill them all they should have gone and found some nice elderly tourists or else stood nearby a fancy hotel or something!
Older folks wouldnt have scattered like you guys did either. They would have stayed there until the scenario played out because, you know, the threat of being shot was there.
That part kind of cracks me up. You guys decided to start walking away! This sounds kinda dumb, but probably saved you guys from something more serious happening. Although, being shot in the back, maybe it couldnt have gotten too much more serious for you, at least.
Were the S1,2,3 people ever caught? Did you guys have to testify against them?
Wow, thanks for the story. That happened to you on my Dad & Brother's birthday, four months after I was slipped PCP and then hit with a "bad trip" that developed into panic disorder. While you guys were traipsing around San Francisco, I was still in a semi-catatonic state of PTSD.
You win the award that year for excitement. ;-)
Well, there's more to the story. I had put money aside in the motel room in case we were mugged. I was ready. Walking away never occured to me. The same idiot who said that we did't have any money was the one to walk away. I wasn't going to stay by myself, so I joined them all. I had a total of $20 in my wallet.
ReplyDeleteThey were never caught and the police didn't really seem to think that there was a chance in hell to catch them.
What happened with the PCP? Do you have a police report? Because I think that would be fun (to have a police report, not to be slipped PCP).
Well, there's more to the story. I had put money aside in the motel room in case we were mugged. I was ready. Walking away never occured to me. The same idiot who said that we did't have any money was the one to walk away. I wasn't going to stay by myself, so I joined them all. I had a total of $20 in my wallet.
ReplyDeleteThey were never caught and the police didn't really seem to think that there was a chance in hell to catch them.
What happened with the PCP? Do you have a police report? Because I think that would be fun (to have a police report, not to be slipped PCP).
Damn. That's kind of depressing. It's been 12 years for me. Damn. And look what my edjumacation got me.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Bybee, remember him, always said I had a future in semiotic criticism. What the hell, semiotics! Well, that means i can get a job working at McDonald's. I'm so down about that right now. Anyway, my next venture is going to be in mortgages.