Reflections on Graduating College in May of 1983

So today Wifey and I met Dr. Barry, Donna, and Scott, over at LOL. It was Scott's final day of his final college Spring Break, and he loves the place, as I do.

Sure enough, Laurie was our server, and she recalled well serving us the August before Scott left for Maryland. The 4 years have truly flown.

After breakfast, we came back here, and enjoyed the glorious weather. We shared a walk around Devonwood -- Scott is a terrific dog uncle -- he pushed the Special Needs Spaniel much of the way in his little dog stroller. Bo can only walk about 1/4 of the way.

We talked excitedly about the upcoming graduation. Wifey and I are due to fly to D.C on a Wednesday night, and attend the J School ceremony on Thursday. There's a brunch afterward, and on Friday the university -wide ceremony takes place, in Maryland Stadium. Wifey and I are going to pass on that -- we already attended three enormous graduation ceremonies in football stadia for the Ds -- we'll tour D.C. that day. And then Friday night Barry is taking us all to a great steakhouse to toast the new Journalism grad.

We're so proud of him . He already had a few full time job offers, but is taking his time to pick wisely. He's currently part time at a media company that owns several sports radio stations around the U.S., and hopes they offer him a full time gig.

And the family left, and Wifey retired upstairs to take a Sunday nap. I sat outside and went back in time -- nearly 36 years.

I finished my final, final exam, and returned to my beloved on campus apartment, 22Z. Barry, my roommate of 3 years, was already gone -- back to Davie for the Summer. Mike had already left, too -- back to Long Island, and Colin had left for Hong Kong.

I sat for a good hour on our ugly, baby poop yellow naugahyde couch, and let the feelings sink in. So much had happened over those past 4 years. I learned so much about who I was, intellectually. I fell in love with the Hurricanes, a love that remains strong today.

And, something that was most definitely NOT in the plans had happened -- I lost my beloved father, and was forced to become a man much faster than I otherwise would have.

A fellow graduating senior came by, and she and I shared the remaining beers in the fridge. Jean was a lovely girl, from Minnesota. She was starting law school at UCLA. I was going to remain at UM to start in the Fall -- after a summer working as a pharmacy tech at Boca Hospital.

We were friends, but talked very deeply that evening -- comparing our childhoods in Minnesota versus Long Island, and our time at UM. 

We reconnected years later. Jean married a federal agent, and moved back to South Florida -- she lives in Weston, and has high school aged kids. Years ago, my friend Edee convinced me to have an Honors Dorm reunion, and Jean and her husband attended. Since then we've been FaceBook (tm) friends.

After the summer, Barry and I were to move in with Eric -- Eric starting med school, me law, and Barry his senior year of college. Barry backed out at the last minute -- he was broke, and offered free room and board as a resident assistant. As a result, Eric and I scrambled to find alternative digs -- we moved into an apartment where I met my upstairs neighbor as she struggled to open the communal mailbox -- it was, of course, Wifey.

Scott and I had some time alone before Wifey, Barry, and Donna arrived at the house -- they stopped for coffee. 

I shared with him the fact that time truly DOES fly by -- it seems to me I was where he was -- about to graduate college -- just a few years ago.

He gets it. He was always an old soul.

I look very forward to celebrating his great milestone. Sunrise; sunset...