The hi-jinks:
The 2nd annual Syracuse Undies Run was Tuesday, and it got me all sentimental of my own college experience at UB. There isn't an undies run at UB (though there should be. In March just before Spring Break. Get on it UB students), but that doesn't mean we didn't flash absurd amounts of skin for the sake of school pride. My old roommate Patrick and I, our senior year, donned speedos, a Santa Claus Beard, football helmet, mullet wig and blue body paint (only) and set sail on Lake LaSalle in my canoe, blasting "CHARGE!" on our other roommate's trumpet while taunting Syracuse fans going to the 2005 UB vs. Syracuse football game. The best part? We were stone sober.
Here's our conversation with (the totally cool) University police that fine day just off Baird Point:
Bike cop 1: You can't be out on the lake. Didn't you see the no boating signs?
Me: No boating? The UB crew team was out here last week.
Patrick: There aren't any no boating signs. [note: there really were none - we checked]
Bike cop 2: Where did you put in?
Me: Over by the Ellicott Complex.
Bike cop 1: You gotta get out. Now.
Patrick: We're parked over by Ellicott - can't we just paddle back there?
Bike Cop 1: You think we can let them do that?
Bike cop 2: I don't want to let them paddle out there. Do you realize how much they've probably drank?
Patrick and me, in unison: We haven't drank anything.
Bike Cop 1: You did this SOBER?
Patrick: Yeah, we wanted to remember this.
Me: Besides, I'm an Eagle Scout, and he used to teach canoing [note: all true]
The bike cops are speechless, exchange a look.
Bike Cop 1: Well, paddle back to where you put in, and wait for us there.
We paddle back to Ellicott, pull our canoe out of the water, and strap it to the roof of my (rusty) car
Bike Cop 1: (To his partner) There aren't any signs there. What are we gonna do.
Bike Cop 2: Wait for the lieutenant.
Lieutenant pulls up, mirrored shades on, hand covering mustache and big grin.
Lt.: Are you guys drunk?
Us: No.
Lt.: Why did you do what you just did?
Me: Because I hate the color orange.
Lt.: ...Put some clothes on and get out of here.
I've got more stories, some more, uh, interesting than others, but I'm not the only one with university goofiness. What stories do you have?
Bonus image below (You're my boy, Patrick!):
-Evan Parker Pierce
