The Real PittBouquet Gardens

It’s a typical Friday night. Aaron and Jimi, along with their friend Mike, are wandering the… It’s a typical Friday night. Aaron and Jimi, along with their friend Mike, are wandering the streets of South Oakland, searching for a party.

“Come on, guys! Five bucks, all you can drink! We got bad hos!” yells a random drunken guy from a porch.

Based on the antics of the porch dweller, the trio decides the party is not worth their time or money. They head home to their apartment, where they say their third roommate, Bob, is playing Madden 2004.

The fourth roommate, Chad, is home for the weekend.

After making a quick stop at a beer distributor to purchase a case of Labatt’s Blue – Jimi’s beer of choice – the guys return to their apartment. Entering the living room that is decorated with “borrowed” road signs and complete with a full bar and mini-fridge, they see that Bob is indeed playing Madden.

He’s getting thrashed, too, losing 35-7 to his friend, Oni.

Aaron, deciding he’s hungry, walks to the kitchen and prepares a snack. When it comes to late-night snacking, these guys don’t do girly food – fondue, for example. They eat manly food, food with an attitude. They eat peanut butter and jelly.

“Melted cheese is overrated,” Aaron says, making a sandwich. “Peanut butter and jelly is so much better.”

“What the hell is fondue, anyway?” chimes in Bob, still losing at Madden.

While Aaron munches on his macho sandwich, Jimi is pondering a better meal.

“Anyone want to get half-off food at Mad Mex?” he says, but receives no reply.

Maybe the others are too partied-out to reply, or maybe they’re just too tired. Either way, they’re having too much fun eating peanut butter and jelly and playing Madden. It’s just another weekend for the Bouquet guys.

Fast-forward five days to Wednesday night. With one weekend behind them and another approaching, the guys settle in for a normal, boring night of work. Chad’s here now, and he’s also attempting to work.

“Let’s take a half-hour break,” Jimi says, rising from his desk.

He heads toward the living room, followed by Aaron and Chad. While the group watches “The Family Guy” for a bit, Bob arrives.

Someone suggests they watch “Anger Management” again, a movie they watched twice the previous night. The others agree, and in minutes, they’re cracking up at Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler.

“This is the life of an engineer,” Chad says. “I do homework all day, take a break, and do homework all night.”

For these busy guys, breaks are surely welcome. Earlier, Aaron wrote an eight-page philosophy paper. Jimi, business manager of the Pittsburgh Intercollegiate Snowboard Team, was updating the group’s membership list. Bob was at a fraternity rush event.

Chad’s taking it easy now, but he realizes he has to get back to work soon. In a few short days, he will get a welcome break from his studies – Monday is his 21st birthday.

When asked if anything special is planned for the occasion, Bob replies, smiling, “I can’t say.”

“We have a little somethin’-somethin’ planned,” says Jimi, also smiling.

The rest of the night follows the same routine: work for a bit, take a break, then work some more. It’s just another college night for Aaron, Bob, Chad and Jimi – just another typical night.