….there were social clubs.

Way back in high school, guys and girls used to form their own clubs and attend “socials” on weekends. Socials were like small parties at people’s homes. Each club would create cards and hand them out to other clubs. If you had a good reputation, they would pass on your card to their friends. This is how you got invited to more socials. Here’s what our card looked like….

Please don’t call the numbers (unless of course, you’re inviting us to a social.)

So here’s what a typical social was like. First you would pile in as many guys into one car. Us McKinley boys would be looking spiffy in Angels Flight pants, and reeking Jovan Musk Oil. Then we would drive down to Pearl City McDonald’s to meet the girls. We would have a mixtape of Journey and REO Speedwagon blasting on the Pioneer tape deck. Then we would follow the girls’ car to somebody’s house.

First we would start with introductions, usually some kind of name game where you whack each other with rolled-up newspaper. Then we would have refreshments. For some reason, the socials that we thought wouldn’t be so good, always had the best food. After that, we would play these icebreakers and party games. The girls enjoyed planning them, and we absolutely hated playing them.

Then it was time to dance. Slow dance. One guy would hold onto a teddy bear, and he would cut-in by giving it to another guy. If no one cut-in on you, you could be dancing all night with the same girl. Did you know that “Reasons” by Earth, Wind & Fire (live version) is 8:23? That’s a long song….

Finally, we would close the evening in a “friendship circle,” the kind where you can twist somebody’s arm.

After the social, we would go cruising down Magic Island, Point Panics, and Diamond Head. We would always end up at McCully Zippy’s. Remember the “gravy rice” for 35¢? I remember carnivals, Kalapana, proms, middle-comb, Morgan’s Corner, puka shells, and baby Löwenbräus.

I love social networks like Facebook and Twitter, but ya can’t beat the social clubs of the good ol’ days. We were Pure Energy….