Guest Column: I've Never Even Been to Smoke's

I'm not exactly sure what I imagined I would find there. I supposed that the bar would be crowded, not "I can't move at all" crowded, but crowded nonetheless. I'd meet up with a bunch of friends, all of whom would be very excited to see me. There would be rock and roll playing loudly, but not too loudly. And then we'd all drink together. In my younger days, I'm sure I would have drank more than I should have and thrown up on someone's shoes. But in this version, of my imagination, we're all content to hang out, drink, and be happy. But today, I am not happy. When I was applying to the University, friends here kept telling me that "it's the party school of the Ivies, and you'll hang out at Smoke's." Granted, that wasn't the only reason I chose Penn, but it certainly was something I considered. As a freshman without fake ID, Smoke's, for me, was something to shoot for. It was a dream, the opportunity to be a part of over half-a-century of Penn tradition. But now, with the non-renewal of Smokey Joe's liquor license, my dream has been suddenly shattered. I have no desire to go there for dinner or lunch. I wanted to be part of that experience that has been shared by so many others before me: drinking at Smokey Joe's. Smoke's has been a staple of the Penn social scene since the beginning of time. And now what? Time seems to have come to a dead end. Now, I realize that Smoke's is going to appeal this non-renewal, but the pain is unlikely to subside. From what I've heard, it was tough enough to get in there already . . . from now on it will be virtually impossible. Even if I got a great ID, I'd still end up standing on 40th Street watching the tradition continue for other people. But barring a turn of events, the Class of 1995 will be the first one in recent memory to miss out on the whole college experience. Smoke's will be missing . . . and that is why I'm not happy. Jeremy Brosowsky is a College freshman from Albertson, New York.

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