What happens when two Hiram-ites are in the same place at the same time?

It’s a question I don’t get to ask that often—although for awhile there WAS another Hiram alum on campus in the biochemistry department, but he was 2 years ahead of me so I didn’t know him that well.

It was grand to have both Alice and Sprite at my wedding, because I forget how much fun it can be to face-to-face with someone who shared that intense span of time with me. I have forgotten a lot about college, but not all of it.

Sprite’s in town for the week, and so I get to ask the question again. College is where I think I made my first close friends since early high school . . . and the first place I didn’t have to compromise something to have them.

There’s something wonderful and luxurious about putting friends from different times in my life in the same room together. It gives me this proud feeling. Because my friends are all so wonderful and it’s like putting all my treasures in one display case. Of course, I always worry a little bit to myself that different groups of friends won’t like each other, and then I feel silly about that anxiety, because they end up getting along splendidly.

Anyway! I’ve been pretty busy this summer, so Sprite and I only really went on one adventure so far: Sacred Feather on State Street for a new hat! Something a little Diagon Alley about that store: so many different hats, and you have to wait for one to call out to you. I found a hat I liked (brown with a golden band) but it’s was a wee bit too expensive. Sprite settled upon “the gentleman’s hat” which was a soft green felt. The cool part of the adventure, though, was getting two custom-made leather belts (they sell leather goods as well). The fellow working that day sized the belts, punched and oiled the leather right in front of us. I really hope he didn’t mind us oohing and aaahhing over what must be pretty standard stuff for him; it’s just something that I’ve never seen done in person. Also cool was the Alien tattoo on his arm and several insect tattoos on his leg (a cicada, a scarab beetle, and one other I forget, all done in rainbow color and bold outline). I worked up the nerve to ask where I he got them from (why am I so darn shy about silly things like this?) and so now I have a lead on a good tattoo place: Steve’s Tattoo. Although I probably should have asked which one at Steve’s is his brother (and the one who did some of the leg tattoo work). Oh well, baby steps for me.