Takeaway
During college I had to read the book "Generation X". Can't remember who wrote it. Knowing my luck that's gonna be a trivia question this week.
In the book the characters talked about what was their "takeaway"; what experiences from life they would remember. Often, it wasn't anything that would be considered enormous. For instance, one of the characters remembered being a kid in the car while their dad got out at the gas station to pump gas. They remembered how free they felt and how the gasoline smelled and how it just seemed like anything was possible. Whichever character this was, that was their takeaway.
I had a takeaway a couple weekends ago. As an aside it's important to know that I am Auburn graduate. Auburn in Alabama, proud graduate and supporter of the football team in my own humble way.
My friends and I had planned this weekend for what seemed like years. We would talk about it and talk about it and a season would pass and we wouldn't go to a game but THIS game, versus Georgia, we finally said that day would be the day. Robert's parents would let us sleep there. Scott is a sommelier in Birmingham, he could get us great tickets. Derek, who is the quiet stoic family man now, even said he would come. And so we did. Other friends in that orbit made appearances as well, Robert's brother. Kate. Jeff. Just several in the gang from that period in my life.
I could tell you that was the takeaway but really, it wasn't. The takeaway was remembering when that group of people first came into my life. I was a sophomore in college and they were freshmen. All my friends moved out of the dorms; I stayed for reasons I might randomly tell later. I was convinced that I didn't need any more friends, I could just visit the friends I made freshman year. Man, was I wrong.
I can't tell you the ways these guys opened me up. Mike was into comic books and introduced me to The Watchmen, which forever changed my comic book perception. I talked music with Derek. Robert was the trouble maker who had a heart of gold. Derek and Robert both played basketball. Scott was the intellectual savage. I never remember any drama with these guys, just good time and good friends who accepted me for who I am. Whoever that was then and whoever that is now.
That's the takeaway for me.
In the book the characters talked about what was their "takeaway"; what experiences from life they would remember. Often, it wasn't anything that would be considered enormous. For instance, one of the characters remembered being a kid in the car while their dad got out at the gas station to pump gas. They remembered how free they felt and how the gasoline smelled and how it just seemed like anything was possible. Whichever character this was, that was their takeaway.
I had a takeaway a couple weekends ago. As an aside it's important to know that I am Auburn graduate. Auburn in Alabama, proud graduate and supporter of the football team in my own humble way.
My friends and I had planned this weekend for what seemed like years. We would talk about it and talk about it and a season would pass and we wouldn't go to a game but THIS game, versus Georgia, we finally said that day would be the day. Robert's parents would let us sleep there. Scott is a sommelier in Birmingham, he could get us great tickets. Derek, who is the quiet stoic family man now, even said he would come. And so we did. Other friends in that orbit made appearances as well, Robert's brother. Kate. Jeff. Just several in the gang from that period in my life.
I could tell you that was the takeaway but really, it wasn't. The takeaway was remembering when that group of people first came into my life. I was a sophomore in college and they were freshmen. All my friends moved out of the dorms; I stayed for reasons I might randomly tell later. I was convinced that I didn't need any more friends, I could just visit the friends I made freshman year. Man, was I wrong.
I can't tell you the ways these guys opened me up. Mike was into comic books and introduced me to The Watchmen, which forever changed my comic book perception. I talked music with Derek. Robert was the trouble maker who had a heart of gold. Derek and Robert both played basketball. Scott was the intellectual savage. I never remember any drama with these guys, just good time and good friends who accepted me for who I am. Whoever that was then and whoever that is now.
That's the takeaway for me.
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