Ulysses paints the town

Ulysses paints the town

fiction
edward w pritchard

When Ulysses hit the Greek bars over on campus he sometimes had trouble fitting in properly in the end. Sure he could clear a bar in a fight, at least he could give a legendary account of himself around the bigger guys; or he could always attract a couple of blond beauties but he always seemed to be pensive by the end of the night. Whatever it was, wasn't enough for him, not satisfying spiritually so to speak. He always was looking for the next adventure, the next high, more life, less routine.

When Ulysses entered a Greek bar on campus, the guys always wanted him to play the chug a lug drinking game. Shoot down shot after shot, maybe thirty to start the evening, in a race to be the best, and then take it from there. Sometimes Ulysses would miscount on purpose to win, because he could be a little deceitful, but the Greeks admired him for that. After the drinks, next Ulysses would always fight with one of the football players. Strong of shoulder he quickly subdued his foe.

Next a couple of bimbos would track him down leading to the next fight. He was always, fighting over a beautiful woman, but one with no loyalty to just him, which he wanted. The Greek sorority girls were fickle at that time in their lives and they liked to flirt and pit one of the guys in those bars against the other. Ulysses was always good for a quick, small riot if someone cut in on the girl he was talking at, while she winked on the sly at both parties.

After the drink turned his mood from adventurous to melancholy, Ulysses would think of Penelope far away. Sometimes he would even head out to find his love, far far away. Then he would get into a thousand adventures on the way. Sad inside from it all Ulysses knew that if he ever did get home he wouldn't probably be happy anyway, looking over his shoulder toward his past exploits and yearning for the next adventure. That's why his fellow Greeks on campus were eventually usually at odds with Ulysses, he never quite seemed at peace with the Greek way of life.

Ulysses liked it best when him and his buds were a crew, a team off on some adventure. Cunning in battle with another frat house or fooling one of the professors on campus. Ulysses was there on campus for ten years and then it took him another ten years to get back home. His mates had by then moved on and settled down but sometimes he would call them and want to sail off and do something heroic. Usually they didn't take his call, just let it go to voice-mail. They would see him later at the fraternity five year reunions.