The Last White

Erin Johnson 4/15/07

“Albi” Photos Spark Heated Debate

“It’s disgusting, she’s standing there in her bikini holding him up like a trophy.”

“Who?”

“Albi. Check out the memorial page, it’s really sick.”

It’s true that “RIP Great White: An Albino IV Legend,” the memorial page for “Albi, the albino raccoon has taken on a decidedly tawdry tone of late. Many students were shocked and saddened by the front article of the Nexus announcing the legendary death of the animal earlier this week. “Albi” the albino raccoon or “Great White,” has long been an institution of Isla Vista. His career consisted mainly of confusing visitors and scaring drunken residents stumbling home from parties late at night. It seems an “Albi” sighting has become a facet of initiation into IV life, and stories of him are often coupled with student’ memories of some their wilder nights.

The main news flying around the halls these days is of the some three or four photos of an unidentified female “disposing” of the legend’s remains. The photo, posted on the Facebook memorial page, depicts a girl going in for a kiss on the deceased legend’s nose, and has sparked a page long line of posts along the lines of “Have respect for the dead” and “What the f*** do you think you’re doing.” The site administrator has refused to remove the photos saying that the woman pictured was drunk and “being a responsible pet owner,” since it was her dog that did the raccoon in. He then went on to blast reactionists for having not being able to take a joke. “Get a sense of humor or get out of IV.” He snarks at the end of his paragraph long tirade.

Yet more controversy has arisen due to the posts made by another Isla Vistan who claims his turtle was killed by Albi. “That racoon is not resting in peace, it’s resting in hell.” He crows. He then goes on to extol the virtues of Cody, the now infamous dog which brought Albi low. The site creator, Andrew Volkert, posted several pictures of his dog Cody on the page, as well as a somewhat one sided description the epic battle which ended the legendary raccoon’s life. As in the case of any great icon “some will mourn others will cheer,” hope, however, springs eternal in the human breast. And in true iconic fashion the most recent posts describe several albino raccoon sightings in the past weeks leading many people to excitedly state that “He’s not dead!” Others claim it is “the ghost of the Great White.” The less paranormally inclined excitedly chalk it up to the possibility of an entire family of Albino racoons in the area. Albi’s legacy most definitely lives on in more ways than one.