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December 27, 2000 What a day….what a day…what a day… Today was the official start of the National convention, and my chapter got up in the morning to register. After that, we did a little shopping so that we could have some food inside of our hotel room. When we got back from the grocery, I looked at my phone, and it said that I had a message. I called my voicemail, and it was from Josh's mom. Now, the only time that she calls me is when there is something wrong. I called her back, and she told me that Josh has not been returning her calls, and she is really worried. There is this whole situation with his school, that he has eluded to, but hasn't told me the whole story. I certainly heard it from his mother. I told her that I would watch over him, and I would talk to him for her. So, I called Josh, and I told him what his mom had said. He really didn't have anything to say, so we kind of just went on with what we were doing. He had to go to meeting, and I told some people from my chapter that I would go to a workshop with them so left each other. After my workshop, I had to go to a regional meeting. I kind of volunteered to do some stuff for some of the sectional chairs and what not, so after the meeting, I was heading to our region suite, when Josh called. I was just walking into an elevator when he called, and it kind of sounded like he was crying, but he asked me if could go to his room. When I walked in, he was sitting on his bed crying like I have never seen him cry before.. Well, maybe one time in high school when one of our best friends was going away to college… So, I sat down next to him and hugged him. We talked about what was going on, and he told me that he had talked to his parents. They said that he couldn't go back to school, that he had to find a job, and that they were making him leave the house in two months. I'm sure this is what his mother told him, but I have no doubt in my mind that they would never kick him out without any financial support. The deal is that he was failed in the classes he was taking this semester. He recently changed his major, and so he asked to be dropped from his classes this semester, but the professors wouldn't drop him, and so he is just left with four classes that he "failed." Of course, to his parents, it looks like he just wasted the semester away, and it looks like he just made terrible decisions with his life. I tried to get him out of the room, so we went outside, and he went straight to the liquor store. I was really afraid to leave him because I didn't know if suicide was on his mind or not. I know that he is smarter than that, but the way he was talking was really scaring me. When he was in the liquor store, though, I called his mom. Even though he told me not to, I just had to. As a friend I care way too much to just sit back. I talked with his mom, and liked some of the things I was saying. She said that she loved him a lot, and she would support him. She just couldn't support him if he continues to act like a "child." I see the picture from two sides, and I am not really supporting either side. I just want this whole thing to be cleared up, and I really think that Josh should be honest with his parent, talk things out, and work something with them. But, it's not really something I should be involved with because I'm not part of the family. I told his mom that, but she just thanked me…I could hear her crying on the phone, and I could only image what she or josh or his father is going though. But, Josh calmed down, and he said that he wanted to go to the opening ceremonies of the convention. He was with the rest of his chapter, so I sat with the rest of the chapters in my region. It was a pretty respectable opening ceremony, and it really set the mood for the rest of the week. After opening ceremonies, a few girls from my chapter and I went to Josh's room. Some of us were drinking a little, and I must admit that I got a little tipsy. So, between joking around and drinking in Josh's room and going downstairs to the rotunda of the hotel to smoke, all of us were having a blast. At one point in the evening, Josh and Jessie, from my chapter, were talking about farming, and the rest of us were just making fun of them. I never thought of how sick and twisted farming could really be. Later on in the evening, though, a couple of us started to play suck and blow. Soon, a few of us turned in six, and then everyone in the room was playing. It was so freaking hilarious, it hurt to smile. The kids from Josh's chapter…Jeff, Diane, and Jo…and the people from my chapter….Jessie, Kelli, and Dom…bonded. It was one of the most fun nights I've had in a while, and I'm glad is was people that I truly love. 
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