Dionysus

There are times when I feel 14 again when that enthusiasm comes out on it's own. A desire to throw away all conventions and act like the rakish kids we all were in the late 70's and early 80's. I can't go back but I do remember how it felt to be a few rows back at a Quiet Riot concert. Cum on Feel the Noize was being played and I was screaming at them, “louder! Louder! LOUDER!” You yell, dance around like an epileptic and seem the fool. But so what, 11,000 others are too.

I know some people who play their own Fight Club games in the woods. I was invited but at my age, I'd tear my ACL. There's that rebellious spirit to wipe your snot on a Monet or bust up something beautiful at these games. You toss out all restrictions and go nuts. These people I know are in their twenties so it sort of makes sense. The energy is there in youth. Once are all agreed, they'll pound one another. It'll last sixty seconds and get that release they've been wanting to do for weeks.

There's nothing new about this. You had girls screaming their fool heads off seeing Elvis in the 50's when girls weren't supposed to show anything sexual. You had Primal Scream Therapy in the 70's where you'd let out any and all emotions in you. All of this, was to release all that pent up energy society says you can't spew due to a convention to “act right and proper.” Well, that just dams up of all that libido that wants to tear across the sky like a meteor.

I will not tell you all what I did then. HA! One thing though involved a Remington 700ADL .308 at the back of Slater Park with opposing Seekonk kids across the reservoir. Was it dangerous? Yes. Stupid? Yes. Fun? Yes.

As a grown up, and with a few margaritas and the right company, things can get interesting. You can see people will rapidly abandon their middle class constraint and act like Greek priests celebrating Dionysus under the moon, with wine, wife swapping and actions that result in broken refrigerator doors.

The staid, middle class reminds me of an old Star Trek episode, Return of the Archons. In it, Kirk and his team find a planet that during the day, is peaceful, quiet and polite; but every weekend night, everyone is ready for the “Festival.” Rampart violence, sex and mayhem rule the night when they all bust loose. There have been some summer BBQ's I attended where you saw this but without the murder.

Oh, and the richer ones I knew once, off Blackstone Blvd in Providence, were no different.  The difference was that they had higher quality liquor flowing.

People get bored and want some excitement, some real excitement.

By Monday's commute, everyone's back into their former roles with that face you wear to show how stable and reliable you are.

So, what's wrong with going bonkers once in a while? What's wrong with tossing years of moral restraint out the window for seven hours? The trick is when to do it and when not to do it. You can do any damn thing you want, if your smart about it. The release is fun!

 

Yeah, Sort of Like This, Click Away.