The Big Tent

So yesterday Wifey and I drove over to Tropical Park for the Crohns and Colitis Walk. D1 raised nearly $2500 for that great orgainzation, and we met her and Joel at the event. It was a gorgeous afternoon --kids playing in a bounce house, Killian High cheerleaders dancing and serving food. We planned to do the walk and then repair to Tropical Chinese for some Sunday night dim sum... And then, alas, Mother Nature, that nasty bitch, as my friend Vince's Dad used to call her, had other plans. She let loose with a torrential downpour. We huddled under the U Miami Health tent. I stood by the side, holding up a canvas sign, and getting completely soaked. It was ok, as the temperature was in the high 70s, and we were surrounded by a lot of great folks. And then it hit me! There was a vast array of differing ethnicities and places of origin. The metaphor for Miami was startling. Dr. K was there with her wonderful kids. Her oldest girl is graduating UM, and her middle son -- a charming, sports crazed junior, is studying Biochem and headed to med school. They're from Syria. Dr. A, the head of UM GI, is a Cubana, and her assistant Elaine was born in Venezuela. Elaine's husband huddled with us with their beautiful baby boy. Dr. Amir is PErsian --born in Tehran. Another doc -- Dr. D, is Indian, and D1's boyfriend Joel was born in Indiana! They're not related. Dr. Barry's interim boss -- the Chair of Pediatrics, huddled with us. Dr. S is a SBJG (smart Boston Jewish Girl). She was a bundle of energy -- I hear she keeps a treadmill in her office to run during the day -- which typically lasts 14 hours, after which she goes home to raise her 2 kids with her husband -- a Bolivian born Jewish guy. Wifey was born in Israel -- so sharing the shelter, and pressed together, was a Syrian, Iranian, and Israeli. In the Middle East, of course, these peoples aren't exactly friends. In Miami, they were just 3 people trying to stay out of the rain. The deluge lightened, and we walked away, soaked. D1 and Joel headed for Brickell. Wifey thought we should still go to TRopical, but I declined. Wifey was in the center of the tent and stayed pretty dry; I was essentially, one of its walls and was squishing with rainwater. Instead, we fetched some Thai food. The sky cleared, and we took the walk we intended -- dogs in tow. Wifey asked about the Indian doctor --Dr. D. He, along with many others, wore a T shirt from their organization: U Miami GI. The shirs read "UMGI." So Wifey has now added to family lore: "Wow --it's impressive that Dr. Umgi has so many people walking with him!" When I explained that his last name wasn't "Umgi," she protested "But you said he was Indian, and 'Umgi' sounds sort of Indian!" So the legend of Dr. Umgi was born... All in all it was a fine day despite the rain. Actually, the rain made it special and memorable.