Where we are accepted?

Chris Rock’s character in the “MotherF**ker with the Hat” said your only true friends are the ones you make from when you’re five to when you’re around 18. That is possibly one of the best lines ever said on the stage or anywhere else.

Over the few last weeks, I realized I’ve only been truly accepted in two places, the Boy Scouts of America and as a member of Tau Epsilon Phi at SUNY New Paltz. Or not. Yes, Chris Rock is so right. However, you can still do okay once you’re a little or much older. But things change.

I joined the BSA in 1978. It was a great year, the Yankees were the World Champions. In 1983, I spent my first summer on Chappegat Hill (aka “Chappy”). I’ve never been more accepted than I was at Chappy. Those were the best years of my life. I learned so much and made some of my best friends.

I became a member of Tau Epsilon Phi’s (TEP) Tau Eta Epsilon’s chapter at SUNY New Paltz, fall ’89. I was asked to pledge within minutes after I set foot on campus.
I am still friends with dozens of the people from camp and TEP. The frat boys and I have regular gatherings with our sorority sisters from Delta Phi Epsilon. But I have branched out.

One thing I’ve noticed is it is different from when I was growing up from the elementary school days through the college days. In those days all my friends were in the same age group. These days the friendships range from my age range, younger to ancient.

I sometimes wonder if this ok? Like years ago, who would want to hang out with people our parents’ age or those even older? It is fine. It opens one’s mind. You can learn a lot. I’ve heard so much about Brooklyn back in the day when a sandwich and coke were about 35 cents. For about $3 you could have wild and crazy day at Coney Island.

Let’s jump away from Chris Rock and move over to one of my teenage “spokespersons,” Martin L. Gore. There are many interpretations of “People are People”. However, we can all agree that Depeche Mode was trying to sing about us getting along. I know there’s more to it. Maybe in another post, I will dig in deeper. However, for now this works.

When I was in politics we would party nearly every night and the age range went from 18 – 75. Yeah, people of similar age groups sort of stayed together. But it made no difference. We were all together. That group is gone. But that’s politics.

Now I am involved with some many groups of people from all over the world. So maybe I hit the deeper meaning of the DM song. I guess people are people and I can be accepted in lots of places.