Oktoberfest

Ok- to-ber-fest n. A Carousing beer festival held in early autumn. That's how the dictionary defines Oktoberfest. In Missouri Oktoberfest means the beer and wine festival held in the old German town of Hermann, Missouri. Our close friend's band DiversioN was playing at Oktoberfest along the riverfront during Oktoberfest. We recruited a van full of fans and headed for Oktoberfest in the Mystery Machine. I had been driving the van around town for seven months, but this was its first long trip down the Interstate. I first wondered how it would do, but soon caught myself driving 80 mph. With a careful eye on the speedometer to control my speed, we arrived in Hermann around 4:00. Heavy rain is not the ideal weather for an outdoor beer and wine festival, but it did not deter the crowds. If anything, it meant those hearty partiers who are out to have fun, rain or shine, were in the majority. Our first stop was one of the bars along Highway 19 in the center part of town. Even in the downpour, we were mauled by people wanting to take photos of the Mystery Machine. We soon made our way to the beer tent on the riverfront. We parked right along the railroad tracks by the gate to the riverfront park. As the Amtrak pulled away full of passengers, I stood on the roof of the van to wave them goodbye. Then came the onslaught of sorority girls. It was nearing the hour when the busses would leave, taking all the college students back to Columbia or St. Louis. They had spent the entire afternoon soaking up beer, and the first thing they see upon leaving the park is the Mystery Machine. Reactions were varied, but they all wanted pictures. Some wanted to get inside, and some simply would not leave us alone. We finally got some peace after the busses left, and we danced the night away to our friend's band. After the show, we loaded up in the Mystery Machine to return home. The soothing sounds of the road and the beer they had consumed quickly put my passengers to sleep. I delivered everyone back to our rendezvous point, which was Norm's house. Everyone one but Norm awoke. We decided it was easier to let Norm sleep it off the van than try to wake him up. We left Norm asleep in the back of the Mystery Machine, but not without first making sure his house was unlocked so he could get in when he woke. A little later, Jobe (roommate #1) came home assuming everyone made it home and locked the door behind him. At 5:30 A.M., Hool (roommate #2) awoke to the sound of Bing Bong Bing Bong Bing Bong Bing Bong. Opening the door, he found Norm propped up against the side of the house shivering with one finger on the door bell. "Locked out of my own house", Norm uttered as he stumbled off to bed. And so ended another fantastic adventure in the Mystery Machine.

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