Attack of the Creepy Parents

Ah, Orientation.  A time for parents to anxiously push their little ones toward the elusive gates of adulthood.  Also, apparently, a time to be seriously creepy.

Ok, so you know about the divorced parents.  Now meet Mr. Barfypants.  Jordan was working the front desk of the parent hall during check-in (meaning she was tasked with sitting there and pointing directions, basically).  She was alone.  Mr. Barfypants comes in (in a story that is now infamous), hits on Jordan profusely, then runs to the bathroom and spends 15 minutes throwing up ... loudly.  Gross.

Jordan tells the Mr. Barfypants story and we all laugh/sympathize with the creepiness.  But then the resource fair happened later in the day (today, incidentally!).  Jordan and I are standing in front of the entrance doors, directing traffic, when Mr. Barfypants comes up and whispers something to Jordan that I cannot hear.  Intrigued, I ask about it.  Mr. Barfypants had apparently invited Jordan to go nap with him.  Seriously?!  What is with these parents?

This kind of stuff has been happening a lot during the four FOCUSes.  "Yankees Dad" (already off to a bad start with a name like that) asked if we could provide personal "room service."  You know the kind.  Is it a new thing among creepers to take your kid to a Lutheran school's orientation and proposition the undergrad interns?  Save it for Bible Camp, perverts ...

Also, as I'm writing this, I've had a student experience that was creepy.  I'm currently at the desk of the student hall, where it is mostly empty and very quiet (most students are getting a late-night campus tour).  A few minutes ago, a student came down the stairs, completely dressed in black—black hood up.  His face was obscured entirely by a monkey mask.  I resisted the urge to jump when I saw this pop out of the stairwell.  Mr. Monkeyface proceeded to, as I stared blankly in his direction, walk up to the desk, while remaining completely silent.  He stood there for a moment or two, then retreated back into his monkey lair. Random.  Creepy.  Valpo?

This is why I love Res Life.  The stories.  The creepy parents, students, and others.  Asking yourself on a near-daily basis, "Is this real life?" Or, perhaps, "Did that seriously just happen?!"  Surprisingly, interestingly, and, yes, refreshingly, the answer is always "yes."