Toilet paper strewn down the hallways. Empty wine bottles littering the dining room. Bras hanging from the chandeliers. What kind of debauchery could this be? Tiger’s South Beach pregame Super Bowl Party? Nope, it was the Madison Elementary School annual fundraiser.
Now, before you go crazy and start sending off complaint letters to some ultra right wing family alliance group. This year’s theme was “Madison House,” as in “Animal House,” a classic coming of age film about a misfit fraternity. The decor was perfect. A country club trashed to give it the appearance that Bluto, Flounder, Boon and Otter partied hard here.
And the attire was equally “animalisque.” Toga, Toga. Yes, togas! The togas were not the K-Mart white sheet variety from my day. Being that this is Hinsdale, many of the togas were clearly fit for a New York runway. Even the local florists were kept busy making politically correct crowns from live plants. Other party goers wore their school colors and most were Illini. Yours truly felt pretty cool by wearing his fraternity shirt. But what was really cool, by donning it, I found a new brother in one of my neighbors.
A good time was had by all. Memories of days gone by when there were no responsibilities, except getting to your class on time the next morning flooded back. The party gave us middle aged types another opportunity to remember what a great experience college really was. Fortunately, for Madison School, we learned something as well and found careers so we could pay up at check out.
