Backpacking through Europe in 1994
Day 87 • December 2, 1994
Rota, Spain
Getting onto the base felt like crossing some invisible line back into America. Jeff had arranged a visitor’s pass for me so I could attend his re-enlistment ceremony, and even though I missed the actual swearing-in, I made it in time for the reception. There was a keg of cheap Spanish beer sitting in the middle of the room, and nobody seemed in any hurry to stop drinking it.
What started as a casual afternoon quickly turned into something else entirely. The beer was cold, free, and went down dangerously easy. Before long, the three of us — me, Jeff, and Vicky — were deep into it with a bunch of Marines who had no problem keeping the party going. At some point the reception died down, but none of us were ready to call it a night. We moved over to the base bar and sang karaoke like idiots, then ended up at a place called The Barn, where they were selling pitchers of Kamikazes for next to nothing.
By the time Jeff bought me one of those pitchers, I was already gone. I don’t remember much after that, only that I eventually told him I was sleeping in the car and that was that. I hadn’t drank like this in a long time — not since before the trip, probably — and it felt both reckless and necessary. Like something I had been holding in for months finally had permission to let loose.
My 24-hour pass to get onto the Naval Base in Rota.
No Photographs from today in Rota, Spain
DAY 87 / 12-2-94
Rota, Spain
Actually, I’m writing this in hindsight, for obvious reasons. Vic got home early – about 1:30. She asked if I wanted to go to a party/reception. One of her friends was re-enlisting & there was a free keg.
“Sure,” I said.
“Well, come on, lets’ go!” she said.
“Now??”
“Yeah, it starts at 2.”
Unfortunately, we missed the ceremony, but not the beer. It’s called Cruzcampo, and everyone warned me it would give me the shits tomorrow. But, who cares, it was free!
Vic & I spent the afternoon have a really good, deep talk about my past problems.
Jeff showed up around 5. By this time the reception had pretty much died, but the beer was still free. So the 3 of us stayed until 8. Vic was tired so we took her home, but Jeff & I went back to the bar on base to sing karaoke. I was pretty buzzed by this time so I don’t know how long we stayed, but next we went to a place called the barn. It was a country place, but I was so drunk I didn’t care. Plus, they had a special there: a pitcher of Kamikaze’s for like $2.00. Jeff bought me one of those and it finished me off. I told Jeff I wanted to sleep in the car, which I did, so I don’t know what time we got home.
I had a lot of fun though, and I haven’t drank that much for a long time.
