College Daze

One Friday night, sometime in the early 70's, my two college roommates and I shouldered our way into our favorite crowded dance club. It was packed. Over the thumping of the impossibly loud music and the roar of conversation I yelled to Diane, "Wow, it's standing room only!" She yelled back, "Who's Stanley Ramoni?"
Whenever we get together, we still talk about that. It was one of our many funny moments. That's how my memories of college, and the 70's in general, are - just moments. Brain snapshots all jumbled up in my head like photos tossed into a shoebox. I don't remember when things happened, or in what order. In fact, there are lots of things I don't remember at ALL. Same with my two roomies. One of us will launch into a "remember when we..." story, and inevitably one or both of the others will say, "I don't have have any memory of that whatsoever." We all remember bits and pieces of our college experience, not necessarily the same ones. And because we all have this Swiss cheese picture of "back then", none of us are offended when the others don't remember. Linda recently mentioned the time she visited me during my music camp summer. I said, "You came to visit me there? I don't have any memory of that whatsoever." And she cheerfully, almost joyfully said, "It's okay! See? None of us has to feel bad!" She, in turn did not remember when...never mind. I can't tell that one. Not while any of our parents are still alive anyway.
I guess the most surprising thing is that after 35 years, we still get together. We still laugh and have a ball like old times. But when I look at a photo someone took of us recently, I think, "Who are those old broads?" Because in my mind, when I think of the three of us, I still see these cocky college kids in haltar tops, blue work shirts and bell bottoms, swilling beer and playing Cardinal Puff in the college pub. (Lucky us, the drinking age was 18 then.) Diane is now a Red Hat Lady. How can that be?
It's not that I can't believe how much time has passed. I lived through every minute of it. It's just fascinating, I guess, to see us now and yet remember so vividly being the kids we were. Mostly I'm so glad we're still friends. Telling old tales, some of which we all wish we COUDN'T remember, is only part of our friendship. We've all brought the best of who we were to our current adult lives, and thankfully we've shed the worst of our embarrassing youth. We survived the 70's. It all gets good from here.

Dear God, Thank You for old friends who share memories good and bad, and love me still.