Returning to Hoyt’s, the band again pressed him to join, but Dunlap was still resistant. They went back and forth for many hours and many rounds. Finally, a cracked compromise was reached: They would all drink until somebody dropped. If one of the ’Mats went down first, they’d leave Dunlap alone; if he fell before them, he would join the band. The next morning Dunlap rubbed his bleary eyes and reached to steady his pounding head. He looked around and saw that he was at home, in bed, but couldn’t remember when or how he’d gotten there. All he was sure of was that he
