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Remember the week before Dot Day? All anyone talked about was the plans for Sunday….what park or house we were going to meet at….how much beer we going to drink….who was probably going to fight that day…..what girl or guy you were going to make a maneuver on. You know…typical things you discuss when you celebrate the birthday of a neighborhood that dates back to a time before we became a nation.
During my younger years I was almost always broke which always posed special challenges during the week leading up to Dot Day. You really didn’t bother asking Ma and Pops for money because they knew it was probably going to fund a keg. I remember asking my father 2 weeks before the big day and him saying “WTF do you think I’m stupid kid?”. Of course I respond with “Dad, it’s not for Dot Day.”, to which he responded with a giant middle finger. I mean…what can you do at that point? It’s not like you can give the finger back and risk a black eye before the festivities.
I’m a Dot Rat, I will tell you what you do…… You call up a few of your broke ass friends who are in the same boat. You all load up on trash bags and broom sticks….then you proceed to all the drinking spots around the neighborhood and absolutely strip them of any bottles or cans you can find.
Yes…celebrating Dot Day is that important. Sometimes you gotta fight for your right…..and it’s everybody’s right to party on Dot Day.
Come to think of it…we did a service for our community. The parks and wooded areas around Dot always looked spotless this time of year. The only people who really got upset were those who had to redeem the cans and bottles. You have all seen the bottle collectors picking from the recycling bins around the neighborhood…they typically have giant shopping carts filled with bags. Well, our shopping carts looking like Macy’s parade balloons compared to those….we meant business.
This may sound funny…but if I didn’t have a career I would probably still collect cans today to celebrate Dot Day with family and friends.
