Under the Light of the Moon

Last week we experienced the Worm Moon, one of the more beautiful nights in a while. A friend posted a photo of this gorgeous site over the Chicago Loop. And then last night another friend posted a story about gratitude and grace All this combined with an 80s playlist playing in my car to flood me with memories which I am still grateful to have over 30 years later.

Spring quarter of Senior year at Northwestern. I'm a biomedical engineering major stuck in a windowless, featureless dark and dreary B-size lecture room at Northwestern's Tech Institute. It's a narrow lecture hall with a door at the bottom just left of the chalkboard where the professor stands. The seats extend up and away from the front of the hall. I of course sat in the last row, farthest from the door and the instructor. I was trying to concentrate on the droning british accented professor explaining differential equations. Instead all I could focus on was "why does he wear the same white shirt and skinny black corduroy pants every single day of class"?

Suddenly that one single door pops open, and Jon's head pokes in. He gestures to me and waves me to come down. The prof is just staring at him, then me, then him. No words. I say a few "excuse me's" and walk down the steps to go out the door. "Bash! We got to go!". "Go where?". "We're going to the Derby!". " Kentucky?! When? How do we get tickets?" "Now! We got the car up front, and the guys are waiting!" "What?! When did we decide on this?". "Just now! Let's go!".

I walk back in the door. Say my excuse me's to the professor. I walk back up to the last row of seats and pack up my backpack. Then I descend the hall again. Excuse me again, and walk out the door. I don't recall any other words. I get to the car, and there's Rick, Pat, Vinky, along with Jon. I squeeze in and we start driving south towards Kentucky. We get to Lexington after midnight. We all crowd into one room of Jon's grandfather's place for the night.

The next day we head to Churchill Downs and head to the cheap "no-seats" in the middle of the infield. It's hot and muggy. It's crowded. It's kind of like Mardi Gras with a bunch of sunburned pale people drinking, partying, throwing beads, and flashing. Oh! I forgot to mention that it's Ramadan, and I had decided to go ahead and keep my fasting to "make up" for being in the midst of skin, alcohol, and gambling that would probably make my co-religionists feel queer. But OMG, it is so so HOT! Finally I call my dad. After initially being a little taken aback that I'm in Kentucky, he does give me his blessings to break my fast, as I fall under the traveler's dispensation. Problem is that breaking the fast is easier said than done. Every bottle of Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, Lemonade, etc is not filled with those ingredients, but stuff I am not allowed to or have ever drunk. I could find a mint julep in seconds if I wanted. It took me an hour to find a bottle of water.

The trumpets blare. The final race, The Kentucky Derby is about to begin! But half our group is passed out in the heat. Then as the crowd presses up against the fence, I cannot see a damn horse! In minutes it is over. Yet we have hours of stories to entertain us, as we're on the road again, headed back north to Evanston, Illinois and home. I am the designated driver.

We pull into Northwestern around midnight again. There's a full moon out. We get back in to find an all campus party going on in the middle of the North Quads. Music is in the air. The rest of the gang is there: Kurt, Sean, Paul, George, Jason and so many others. I find Tiffany, the girl whom I've crushed on for the past three years. And we dance! We laugh! I am surrounded by my best friends. We're singing, dancing, laughing, and living! The party and after-party goes on until dawn. We're exhausted and content with life and each other. To this day I am in love! Not necessarily with Tiffany still, but with my life and my friends.

I am grateful for being pulled out of that class by my best friend. I don't remember a lick of diff eq, nor do I ever use it. Those spontaneous events in my life? They make up my most vivid memories! And it makes me realize that I have had a good life. I have had good friends. I have had a loving family. I have had fun. I have had excitement. Not every day can be a party under a full moon. But that glow of freedom, camaraderie, love, and friendship can suffuse the rest of my days.