Editor’s Note: A 21 Club member from the distant past offered the Nass a brief glimpse into their ritual.

It was a cold and snowy morning. Each of the 21 older members brought a new member, to whom they had given their bid. They convened behind one of the eating clubs. (This particular bid had eaten an entire loaf of Wawa bread in an attempt at “carbo-loading” his body to withstand the beers to come.) Once all 42 people were seated outdoors, snow falling, three people silently lugged in three kegs and started pouring out brews. The new members began drinking. Each had a minute to drink his beer. Then a minute of rest. Then another beer, all the way to 21. If he had to boot, he was to boot only during the minute on—while still consuming that round’s beer. If he booted during the minute off, the round didn’t count. And they in this manner for roughly 35 rounds. They drank and drank and drank and did other things too. Vomiting. On each other. Urinating. On each other. One poor fellow bent over, trying to vomit, but he couldn’t, and he just keeled over and fell into the urine-infused mud. And then several of the other kids started peeing on his face.