Day 4,074—Father’s Day in Rolla Missouri—

 

A couple of months ago, we planned this trip to visit the closest beach to our house. There are a few other beaches closer. The one in Creve Coeur comes to mind, but last summer my daughter wanted to go to a beach, so I suggested taking her to Rolla to visit Fugitive Beach. A year later, I am here, and for much longer than I initially thought.

         I ran to the park first, which was less than a mile from where we were staying. It was a rustic park, and it appeared that they were undergoing some construction. There was a modern-looking swimming pool, a playground, and a 1-and-a-half-mile loop. I also noticed a concrete podium in front of 4 wooden benches. I wondered what kind of events would take place in front of a maximum of 20 people.

         I ran over to the college and noticed all the green and the S and T everywhere, so I ran through the main campus. Only two people were there. They had a huge bronze statue of St. Patrick, prominently located. I took a picture, but I wondered what in the world St. Patrick had to do with Rolla Missouri. I later did some research, and it seems that this small college has been fighting for their right to drink and party on a holiday named after a Catholic saint who wasn’t born in Ireland since 1908! The statue was created to commemorate the year the students took their demands of dressing up, not going to class, and drinking to the streets! And they say art majors are the dramatic ones.