GOOD FRIENDS MEAN SOBER EVENT

March 30, 2003

ROSEVILLE, Minn. -- Bowling, video games, ping-pong, wiffle ball, and pictionary were only a handful of the activities that happened with a group of my closest friends over spring break. It's probably not the spring break one would have in mind for college

Bill returns Jake's serve Friday night.

students if they paid any attention to MTV or Entertainment Television, but I have to argue that it's ideal. It just seems that with this group the ideal is the norm.

There were no scantily clad 18- to 24-year-olds raising shirts and making other lewd gestures. There were no drugs to be found and there was no alcohol in sight. But there also weren't any complaints from anyone wondering where those things were. There wasn't even talk of getting "bombed" when the day's or night's events were final. It was a Cherry Coke for those who hadn't given up pop for lent, and Gatorade or water for those who had.

Tuesday night's bowling turned into Wednesday morning's wiffle ball. Friday night's Stations of the Cross followed by ping-pong turned into Saturday night's trip to confession followed by "game night." No real set plans, but no worry. It wasn't going to

Adam takes Jake on in Griffey back in January.

take underdressed peers, a couple of beers, or anything closely related to make the night fun. It's a group of people who enjoy each other without any outside "help."

Spring break has come to an end but the good times won't end until we start losing the girls to boyfriends and the guys to girlfriends. It's always been like this. There's every reason to believe it always will be.

"We're very fortunate," Jake Flaherty said Friday night, following ping-pong.

Indeed we are.

Judd Berthiaume can be reached by clicking here.