We were, you know, a little taken aback. Hurt. Confused. We reacted the way people react when they're forced to confront an uncomfortable truth. And to let my own classist views out, at the time I felt there was no way that could happen at a top school like ours.
07' ETHS grad Megan died one year and several weeks after graduation.
S. died while I was still at St. Mary's. We met at a party once; it was a bit surreal.
I met B. several times probably but never really knew him.
I wish I had known Jamie. She clearly had a positive impact on everyone she met, and I look forward to celebrating her life this Fall. I try not to lash out when people in Baltimore question the utility of bike lanes.
And then Sami passed. We played ultimate together. And then randomly years later there he was at my neighborhood bar, smiling, drunk as shit, talking about TFA and the women he managed to pick up at the Life of Reilly. It too, closed recently.
That was a tough one, because he had also written for SMCM LOL BLOG a few times at my request. I'd like to share them.
A Good (president) is Hard to Find
He managed to really capture Urgo's presidency, flaws and accomplishments. He's right: you're not likely to find another college president who was that approachable and visible on campus. Check the comments for a heartfelt Rich Edgar response.
"That time I threw a party with bouncers"
Totally forgot about this. There's a lot of really well developed arguments, and a little insight into some 2014 "drama".
His family has requested donations be made to Baltimore Harm Reduction Coalition in his memory.
I meant to write this back in May, but never did. It's easy to put things off.
I have a Byzantine Top 40 flyer in my St. Mary's file of various artifacts, from freshman year. I think I finally heard them play after finishing Gov Cup 2012 on the ole 77' Bristol.
Summer of 2018 I ran into Eli three times: at an O's game, Artscape's bougie-ass party with the mayor where I ate a half dozen crab cakes (this is not a lie), and on a random street South of Pratt. I was actually "annoyed" I kept running into him, like damn how is this dude everywhere suddenly.
I mean, I barely knew him. I barely knew any of these people below the surface. But he had a life, career, family, partner, talent. And really all of these people did. But you know we in our general age cohort all have made those "adulting" jokes, we see people who have their shit together, or at least are able to tuck in their shirts and fake it. Eli could definitely tuck in his shirt, along with a lot of other things.
I spent fifteen hours today in a car. Driving is weird and alienating in that you are surrounded and affected by other humans, but rarely see them, let alone interact in a meaningful way. I waved goodbye at the blue hatchback I traveled all of Ohio with, smiling at the absurdity of it. It of course led me back to John Donne:
'No Man is an Island'
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
In high school, it was the first half that resonated with me. My years now doubled, it is undoubtedly the latter half which compels me.
St. Mary's is a large family. We are all connected. I do ask that you reach out to those you love, and support Emma and her SMCM class of 2031 little one.
8-14-2019 - kb
