Minutes of the DLS: May 29, 1997

 

Mutiny Rides the Bench

 

Mr. Miller:        That can’t be true!

Mr. “Grandpa”: Yep, sonny.  And the ghost still roams the hall to this day in the form of    ... Mr.

Stuart   Weaver!

Mr. Smiley:       But I’ve seen Ms. Richie in the hall far too often.

“Grandpa”:        Well . . . This is a mysterious ghost that can take on other forms like Ms. Polentz

(alumna).

Mr. Shumaker:  Enough already.  Do you all want to hear a real story?  A nightmare so

horrifying, so graphic, that it must be true?

Mr. Lowe:        I suppose.

Mr. Shumaker:  OK. Now, I’m only telling you what I’ve been told by someone cowering in the

corner of the bench while all of this was happening.  I wasn’t there.

Mr. de Guzman:Where were you?

Mr. Shumaker:  I was... in disposed.

Mr. Bloomfield:You were in da what?

Mr. Shumaker:  I was... I was tied up with a whip and a thong bikini by Ms. Mingledorff,  Are

you satisfied?

Mr. Lowe:        I suppose.

Mr. Shumaker:  OK.  It all started on a dark and rainy Thursday night.  All appeared normal yet

something was deadly wrong. Everyone was being too polite and wearing dresses

and suits: long dresses, dark suits. The bench began to quake and the minutes

were read in a hasty, uneven fashion. The society seemed to rush through it’s

business, sending a chill up the spine of the artist formerly known as Mr. Choi.

Even Mr. Hortman was succinct at the lectern.

Mr. Norman:     Hortman... where have I heard that narne before?

Mr. Shumaker:  He was the ship that made the Kestle run in under 4 par-secs. He also owned a

golden harp until he fell off a beanstalk.  Anyway, the bench was worried that,

because there would be no Old Business, Mr. Hortman would LIVE, live to fight

his evil battle against the forces of good.  Just as Elections were called, a herd of

pygmies and former college Republicans invaded the upper chamber wearing

nothing but togas and carrying spears made out of Bulova watches. They

barricaded the door and killed Ms. Yarber immediately. “Objection!” cried Mr.

Pyrdum, but he could not be heard over the savage grunts of America’s future

leaders. I had managed to break free of the clutches of dominatrix Mingledorff

and could hear all of this from where I was: locked in the bathroom with Dr.

Parkes.

Mr. Stevenson:  What were you doing in the bathroom with Dr. Parkes?

Mr. Shumaker:  I was... I was...

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:35.  One second or third-time guest was a’present.  Mr. Smiley was chosen as critic.  One guest, Mr. Norman, petitioned the society for membership and was accepted.  There were lots of alumnae present, up to and including former president Mr. Fitzgerald, Ms. Polentz, and Mr. Wells.

In Committee Reports: Mr. Hoffman rose as Treasurer to present the finance committee report, which was accepted, and as Hall Preservation Chair to update the society on upcoming hall restorations, Ms. Shillington announced the plans for the Spring Banquet and the get-together afterwards.  Ms. Mingledorff announced the quarterly librarian’s report; and Mr. Van Meter rose to read the letter to the Heap from last week’s resolution.

The society then moved into elections, but had to move out soon after because of the noisy neighbors.  So as to avoid confusion, the new officers are as follows: President, Mr. Horttnan; VP, Ms. Visser; Judicial Council, Mr. Guy and the Missesses Brignac and Mingledorff; Chief Justice, Ms, Brignac; Secretary, myself; Treasurer Mr. Bowman; Historian, Mr. Weaver; Librarian, Ms. McKinney; Custodian, Ms. Yarber; Sgt.-at-­Arms, Mr. Slone.  There will be a quiz later.

In lieu of Old Business, the society moved to adjourn at 12:10, subject to Mr. Smiley’s critic’s report.

Me:      I am only reporting what I have been told.  In a brash move, The Hort-Man of Steel rolled

out his own stump and, forgoing the address entirely, his moving speech was said to have

consisted of merely five words: Move to call the question.  But no one moved.  Those

that dared even to fidget or cough were quickly eviscerated by the pint-sized politicians. 

Mr. Hortman then stepped of the bench, snatched the gavel from the clutching hands of

the ex-president, raised it in the air like the  sword of Omen, and cried “Who’s with

me?!”

“Uggah-Uggah,” affirmed Mr. Guy

“You da (expletive) man!” stated Ms. Shillington.

Ms. Brignac stared around at the carnage and blood and hastily agreed.

Soon, Demosthenian voices became a chorus and chants of “Hort-man! Hort-man!” could be heard throughout at least three buildings on North Campus.

“This is Mutiny!” screamed O-+-> (the artist), but his screams were in vain, as Mr. Hortman, or Margaret Thatcher as he prefers to be called, was already instituting his new Reich and appointing all of the offices left to be decided from among his minions.  Mr. Gable and Ms. Moultrie were to be sold as sex slaves and the ex-bench was to be guillotined on holy ground, the 50-yard line of Sanford stadium, at dawn.  This sent TAFKA Choi into fits and had the ex-secretary chain-smoking Morleys and saying “This is not happening! This is not happening!”

 

By this time, I had managed to free myself from the Turkish prison, and after a bout of forced Cole Slaw wrestling, I ran upstairs to see what was the matter.  Being the last person upstairs and the only one willing to take the job over beheading, I was subsequently appointed by the Emperor to the office of Secretary.

What I have spoken, my children, is the truth.  This is now the year zero. 

The beginning, the word: Hortman.  The reign of terror has begun.  God save us all.

Mr. Slone:         Wrestling in Cole slaw?

Mr. Shumaker:  I was.. I was...

Respectfully Submitted this fifth day of June, Nineteen Hundred Ninety Seven,

Mr. Michael Shumaker, secretary