Sprkus

After a few too many years, I got to re-experience what was once a stalwart event in my social life while studying at The Ohio State University.

Every Tuesday for over two years, need it or not, friends and I gathered at the now non-existent High Street Panini’s location in the south campus area to guzzle 32-ounce buckets of draft beer and listen to Chris Logsdon belt out our rock favorites.

Eight years later, the opportunity presented itself again last week as Tiffany and I attended a Thursday night Martin Sexton show at the Newport Music Hall. I had never heard of Sexton but Tiffany wanted to check him out. Both of us were let down by the show. It was just … boring.

After the show we trudged through the crappy Columbus weather over to the Ugly Tuna Saloona around 10:30 to check out Logsdon. We got right in and snagged a table — there were still two available even though the place was decently crowded. We ordered some drinks and instantly were entertained. It was a huge pick-me-up for both of us.

Logsdon is the same as ever, but in a good way. It took me right back to college. And Tiffany right back to high school — the summer between high school graduation and her move to the University of Cincinnati that is.

It turns out she went to see Logsdon quite frequently during the summer of 1999, back when the underage alcohol laws were a lot less strictly enforced. That same summer was the last I spent living in the apartment on 12th Ave., otherwise known as the Pi Kappa Alpha funded social annex. Also, I had just turned 21 years old the December prior to that summer. In other words, I was at Panini’s for Logsdon every Tuesday night.

I probably bumped into Tiffany in a literal sense while in the line to the men’s bathroom, which funneled into a narrow doorway both the men and women had to enter to get to their separate restrooms. Or squeezed by her to get back to my booth from the bar. All six and a half years before we really met each other.

Tiffany & I held up our glasses for “Social!” during the first set and “More Beer!” during the second. And I sang along during the “Do Re Me” beer song before Logsdon approached us after the second set to thank us for being so into it. The college kids were mostly talking amongst themselves and not paying Logsdon a lot of undivided attention, which is how it was back in 1999 as well.

We introduced ourselves and talked about this and that before he had to go back up to play his third set. About three songs in, Logsdon said “This next song will hopefully convince Rick to hurry up and propose to Tiffany” and busted into “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Deep Blue Something. It was a lot of fun.

Come 1 a.m., the place was packed so tight you couldn’t move just like Panini’s used to get back in 1999.

Unlike 1999 however, that was our cue to leave.