Just a shot a day of some of the fun and special things on our main tree. (We have three trees, so clearly this is not a comprehensive essay.)
weekend
15
Dec 13
A little dusty in here
When you put time and people together you get a funny, curious thing.
I wrote this story a few years ago on a gray, dank, overcast day not unlike today. I was sitting in my library, talking to this guy on the phone. He was in his office in Texas and I was calling him sir.
He visited later. Lauren and I bought him a lemonade at Toomer’s on a warm, rainy afternoon. He was hoping to enroll in the graduate program at Auburn. First, for him, there was Afghanistan. He came home, and then he finally came home to Auburn. He moved in downtown. We became friends. Time expanded, because no one needed to notice. He helped haul an appliance to our house. He became Lauren’s student. There were ballgames and tailgates and movies and cookouts and all of the other little things you take stock of later.
We met his girlfriend. We were there when he proposed. The four of us took a long trip together. We got invited to the wedding and then I was a part of the wedding and suddenly there was the wedding.
Time contracted, because suddenly one had to count. Now he has graduated. We dined with his proud parents last night. The new grad and his wife stayed with us this weekend because their lives are in boxes. After next week it is back to the Army.
Lauren and I had breakfast with them and then said goodbye this morning. This was harder than we all expected. He joked I had to update this story to reflect that he was a proper Auburn man. He was right, though the update was long overdue. So I have updated it; proudly, because the circumstance warranted it because he’s long been an Auburn man, sadly because that means they are on to their next next chapter, Alaska in January.
I called him sir back then out of courtesy, because we were strangers. I call him sir now, from time to time, in the more truly genuine sense, out of respect.
When you put time and people together you get a funny, curious thing.
We miss our friends, Jessica and Adam, already.
14
Dec 13
Auburn’s fall commencement
I don’t go to a lot of graduations, but this was a good one.
Stan White — who played quarterback at Auburn from 1989-1993, in the NFL for a few years after that and is now an insurance mogul and the color analyst for the Auburn football radio broadcasts — delivered the keynote speech. He talked to the graduates about what they would do when their “one second” came up.
So, basically, the Iron Bowl wrote his speech for him, altar call and all:
Adam walked as he has completed his master’s degree in public relations. Here he is shaking hands with President Jay Gogue:
Our friend Tim also walked, having completed his bachelor’s in computer engineering:
Chris Davis, he of the 109-yard Iron Bowl kick six, also graduated. He was, as you might imagine, something of a hit:
Dee Ford was the last person across the stage. If you look over his shoulder you can see Ric Smith, who announces the graduates. Smith often calls Ford’s name in his other role as the PA announcer in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
I think Gogue here was asking him to get a few sacks of Jameis Winston in his last game in the blue and orange:
Ford was the last to walk today. We later learned that was because he was late. He was no doubt off somewhere being cool, because that’s what he does. (I can say this because we’re Facebook friends. And the guy is cool.)
Several other people we know in one way or another graduated today. It was a fine ceremony.
Near the end, just before the alma mater and the cap tossing, I was trying to find Adam in the crowd. He wasn’t where I thought, which meant I couldn’t get the shot I wanted. But this one isn’t bad, either. They were telling him to wave so I would see him, and the longer it took the bigger his waves got. And he accidentally smacked the president who was walking by. Hence the look:
After graduation, and meeting up with Adam’s parents, we walked around campus taking pictures. The standard stuff, cap and gown in front of all the right buildings and logos and signs. I like this one the best:
We had dinner with Adam and Jessica and his parents. They’re sweet people. They remind me a lot of my family, which is an easy leap since they’re from about two towns over. They have the same familiar accents and pace of speech and everything. As you might imagine, they are just so proud.
Why wouldn’t they be? Earlier today their son caught a pass from a Heisman winner.
8
Dec 13
Toomer’s Corner after the championship game
The local police closed the intersection of College and Magnolia after the SEC championship game so people could celebrate. Later in the evening, when Ohio State stumbled against Michigan State, boosting Auburn into the BCS championship hunt, they closed the intersection again.
It was still closed when we finally got there, about an hour later as the revelry continued. Here are a few pictures:
People were having a grand time.
What do you know, David Housel was right last spring.
Who would have guessed he would be proven prophetic so quickly.
