Gabriel had come back to Florida for a few weeks to meet his girlfriend, Jena, and I, and we all got to chill together for about a week in my hometown, Ocala, and Orlando. We had a kickin’ party for New Year’s Eve 2003 into 2004 at CVI in Orlando and then we took a two day trip down to Key West, which was the first time I had ever been there. After they left back for Switzerland I moved back into my old apartment at CVI, and started my university life again. Some friends were still there and some were gone. I chilled with Matt a lot, same as usual, but Iowa was still in Spain for the remainder of the semester. Things got back to normal and I settled into my routine of classes, partying, and basketball.
New Year's Eve 2003: Johnny, Jimmy, & Matt with Olde English
After a few months I met a Peruvian chick who worked at Hooters. She also, by chance, had a thing for really pale, tall white guys with blue eyes. I fit that description to the ‘T’ and, hence, I was in. I actually caught her staring at me in a ‘Consumer Behaviors’ marketing class we were both taking and asked her out after class. The relationship lasted about two months and produced far more drama than happiness, so I had to break it off with her in April.
At the same time another personal tragedy struck my life. My grandmother, who had to go through the death of her daughter just a few years earlier, fell ill out of the blue and passed away within a week. I have always regretted not spending much time with her after I had returned from Sicily, but hopefully I made up that time with grandfather and I am sure she forgives me for my selfishness. We would later find out the doctor had mistakenly prescribed the wrong medicine and also misdiagnosed her. I will never trust any doctor again after all the bullshit my family has had to endure due to their thoughtless actions and carelessness.
As the spring 2004 semester was winding down I started chilling with my friends Eric and the General, my crazy Japanese friend, more often. We played basketball and drank together a lot and that’s pretty much what I did for the summer, along with taking a few classes during the summer semester.
The bid ‘hub-bub’ of the summer was when Iowa came back to Orlando in July for a week. We did a lot of partying and some apartment hunting, because we were getting an apartment come August, but the main attraction was Johnny Blaze’s birthday bash at Hard Rock Casino in Tampa, FL. There were 5 or 6 car loads of us. I can’t remember everybody that went, but there was Johnny, Iowa, Matt & Lauren, Eric, the General, Ben, Aaron, Nikki D., Froedge, Big Ron, 
Miles, Jackie, Nancy, and lots of others. First stop was volleyball & the pool then we got ready for the evening. The evening began with a big dinner including special guests: John’s mom, who is extremely hot, and her new boyfriend, who we kept on edge. The dress code was suit & tie for the gents and a dress for the ladies. Dinner hadn’t even been served and we were already up ‘shit-faced’ creek, but we also had large paddle of alcohol in our canoe. I blacked out pretty bad that night, but I do remember the General walking up to me in the casino at some point that night with a black girl on either arm. What a pimp. There were lots of other hi-jinks that night and I haven’t a clue what happened. For those who are really interested you can email Matt or Eric, they might know. I regained consciousness while eating some room service that the General had ordered for us. It was tasty. Then it was time to pack up and roll out. If we weren’t out by 10am we were going to be charged and extra day and that isn’t cheap at the Hard Rock Hotel. Well, Iowa finally arises from hibernation and discovers his wallet has been ‘stolen.’ ‘Stolen’ for Iowa means either (1) He was wasted and gave it to some random, (2) He left/threw it some where in a drunken fit of frustration, or (3) Somebody actually did steal it because he was so drunk and, therefore, an easy target. It turned out to be (2) and was under the bed where he had thrown it upon returning to the room without a lady friend. We were out on time and heading back to Orlando. I hope you had a happy birthday John, because everybody else sure did.
Miles, Jackie, Nancy, and lots of others. First stop was volleyball & the pool then we got ready for the evening. The evening began with a big dinner including special guests: John’s mom, who is extremely hot, and her new boyfriend, who we kept on edge. The dress code was suit & tie for the gents and a dress for the ladies. Dinner hadn’t even been served and we were already up ‘shit-faced’ creek, but we also had large paddle of alcohol in our canoe. I blacked out pretty bad that night, but I do remember the General walking up to me in the casino at some point that night with a black girl on either arm. What a pimp. There were lots of other hi-jinks that night and I haven’t a clue what happened. For those who are really interested you can email Matt or Eric, they might know. I regained consciousness while eating some room service that the General had ordered for us. It was tasty. Then it was time to pack up and roll out. If we weren’t out by 10am we were going to be charged and extra day and that isn’t cheap at the Hard Rock Hotel. Well, Iowa finally arises from hibernation and discovers his wallet has been ‘stolen.’ ‘Stolen’ for Iowa means either (1) He was wasted and gave it to some random, (2) He left/threw it some where in a drunken fit of frustration, or (3) Somebody actually did steal it because he was so drunk and, therefore, an easy target. It turned out to be (2) and was under the bed where he had thrown it upon returning to the room without a lady friend. We were out on time and heading back to Orlando. I hope you had a happy birthday John, because everybody else sure did.Iowa left later that week after we had found an apartment for the fall and the semester was soon over. After I finished my last final exam of the summer semester the General drove me to the airport. I was heading ‘home’ to Switzerland.
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