-^-for posterity-^-

european music. was there ever a worse creation?

the large group of international agricultural students gathered in the main lobby for a party with their british teacher. he had a wonderful idea. the students were from laos, thailand, cambodia, venezuela, cuba, the uk and the states. we were an odd group and i wasn’t sure there was an activity created that could satiate all of our entertainment needs. i was sorely mistaken.

he decided we would play a version of european music something or other. i saw it once when i was in spain but i can’t remember what its name really is. the idea is this: every country sings a song and every other country gets to vote on how terrible it was. i can’t think of any other way to describe it.

the first people to sing were the loatians who had teamed up with the thai group. they sang a song and danced around a table. they danced and trotted around a glass table in the center. they waved their arms to and fro and had a good time. the public gave them a seven and a half.

the next group of people to go were the cambodians. they sang a remarkably similar song and danced remarkably similarly. their hands moved up and down waving haphazardly in the stuffy air. they also got a seven and a half. at least we were consistent.

the next group to go was from venezuela. they had teemed up with the cubians. they sang a nationalistic song and did the salsa with one another. their song was full of passion and emotion and the public rewarded them accordingly. they got a nine.

the next group to go was from the uk. they talked about how the uk had lost their ancient culture during the industrial revolution. this was their excuse for singing ‘oh my darling.’ i didn’t say anything but i thought it was american. oh well, they are something of a 52nd state. (51st being israel) they got a seven for some reason. should have been lower.

finally it was the american’s turn. well, jack was up in his room so it was only me standing in front of a room of interested people. i grabbed the guitar and sang, ‘don’t take your guns to town’ by johnny cash. i sang it as passionately as any johnny cash song can be sung. they were all impressed and felt bad for me being the only person up there. they gave me an eight and a half.

those that spoke spanish won. no one felt bad, we all kind of understood that none of our cultures could compete with such hip movements and music that seemed to spring forth out of a well endowed soul. no se puede describir la passion.