Organic Stairmaster: Sometimes I just combine random words.

My friend recently moved to Berkeley to do volunteer work. I was going up to visit her, and of course, revisit the ‘ol alma mater. So she called me in the afternoon and asked where she should meet me. I told her not to worry, that I would be able to find my way…after all, after the 4 years I spent here, I know Berkeley better than a homeless man knows People’s Park. She was like “Are you sure??? It will be dark.” I thought it was super cute that she was worried, because I thought of all the times I wandered around with you guys in Berkeley at night, sometimes very late at night, and almost all of the time, drunk. “Don’t worrrryyy.” I told her.
“I got this.”

So when the train gets in, it is, in fact, dark. I have my Berkeley weather gear on: Thick jacket, scarf, socks. However, tonight is uncharacteristically warm. I decide to for-go the bus. She lives on the street above Foothill, and I don’t exactly know how the bus system works on Northside, so I start walking up that hill. I get all these mixed feelings as I pass by all the familiar places. Man I remember that time we saw a UFO walking through campus after that houseparty on Spruce. I swear that light just disappeared. Oh man, GPB, I know a dude who got mugged there one night [AVOID]. Gooooodness it’s Top Dog, remember that summer we tried all their flavors?

Math problem: I come to the crosswalk walking at the same pace as a guy walking perpendicular to me. He slows his pace so I can pass, but I also slow my pace so that he can get by me. Result? We are both awkwardly stopped and waiting for each other to pass. MAH PEOPLE! I’ve missed you.

I get to her place and she makes me some tea and popcorn. She takes a whole stick of butter out of the fridge. “The whole stick of butter goes in that popcorn…” I ask. “That’s why it tastes good.” I proceed to have the most delicious popcorn in my life, topped with sea salt, vegan nutritional yeast and a stick of butter. Gotta get me some of that yeast…

So my friend introduces me to her roommate who is a middle aged woman. You guys know how I have that fear of adults. We shake hands, everything is cordial but the woman goes to sleep really early, so by the time we’re done with the tea and popcorn, she’s already turned off all the lights.

 I have some trouble falling asleep because it feels quite early and tonight my eyes haven’t been properly lulled to sleep by the eye fatigue caused by hours on my laptop. I also have the top bunk and there aren’t any guardrails. A combination of the height of the bed coupled with the positioning of lamps, bedside tables and chairs directly in my path of destruction if I did end up taking a slumbering tumble made me a little nervous. Here's a diagram of what I like to call "The Danger Zone".

My friend has to get up early for work the next morning, and I assume that her roommate leaves at the same time, but she does not. So my friend gets ready and everything, grabs her purse and leaves, but this woman is still on the bed sleeping. Don’t leave me alone with this woman! I haven’t been properly briefed! What is the appropriate protocol?!?

The campanile chimes eight times in the distance and I hear her get up and go on her laptop so I do as well. Then she starts doing morning stretches and things old people do, which isn’t that weird or anything it’s just that it’s unusual to me, so I take note. Before she leaves for work, she tells me there’s a school here and there are lots of student cafes and things that I can hang out at during the day. I thank her and tell her I went to school here so I’ll be able to find my way around.

I think Berkeley is a really great place to live and I have a lot of good memories here, but without the people who made it great, it sort of feels like any another place. But that’s okay, because when I look toward the future, I see Taylor Swift karaoke nights, food parties, and happy hours after work, the legitimate benefits and vacation type.

Final Note: As we whipped our hair back and forth nearly a year ago, I see our antics are just as relevant now as they were back then

<3G