A new family autumn tradition

This past Sunday our family set out on a new family tradition that will most likely last for more than a decade. We took our oldest daughter to college, a first for all involved (except maybe the traffic cop on Babcock Street.) We arrived on scene, on schedule at 9 A.M. Sunday September 1, 2002, which appeared to be moving day for the entire city of Boston. To my pleasant surprise, everything ran like a well-oiled machine. We collected a valuable laundry cart after surrendering a photo ID of deemed equal value to the people at the cart tent and set off downhill to the move-in parking lot. I had parked in the lot with our van pointed downhill after noticing all the people with the uphill pointed vehicles struggling to keep their laundry carts from taking off down across the parking lot while they were loading it. After loading the cart to the overflowing point, we discovered we had selected a cart with three round wheels and one of a triangular nature. I am sure that last wheel will be round in a few more years. In our first of three uphill runs to the dorm, it was apparent these carts were designed and built by the same company that makes those shopping carts that always run down the grocery aisle off angle to the direction you push it no matter which way you push. And you cannot out smart them either. They know which way you want to go and will refuse to let you get there in a straight line. After two more trips plus a $60 dollar trip to Home Depot to buy the remaining bare essentials the college forgot to leave in the room, our daughter was pretty well settled.

We got her computer hooked up on the built-in micro desk and with 5 minutes of assistance from ResNet she was on line printing out her list of textbooks she needed for the first semester. Then it was off to Barnes and Noble to drop some serious cash for very little mass. After dodging around the crowd of timing impaired people trying to get through the revolving doors, we made it into the store. The din increased with every level the escalator lifted us until we reached the chaos of the 4th floor. A quick glance around observing the people density assured me there were no fire marshals working on Sunday. Our daughter grabbed a basket and started to fill it with a bunch of paperback books. HOLY SCHMOLY! There it was! A $100 paperback book! Somewhere along the publishing food chain someone is making a buck! Admittedly I did not even crack open the 82 lb. glossy card stock cover so it may be the best ever source of written knowledge on the subject matter at hand. If it is to be used as a reference book, however, I give it about three weeks inside a backpack prior to the initiation of disintegration. I did think about fanning through the pages to see if one of those lap cards would fall out with a publisher or author’s 60% rebate offer. Then I learn the author teaches the course! That is sort of like publishing nepotism isn’t it? Maybe that rebate card is still in there. Of course if my daughter finds it, she will probably turn it into convenience points. It will get you a couple dozen cups of coffee at the GSU (if you buy the small ones). We caught the best deal of the day on the way back to her dorm, the above ground, outbound T and then it was time to leave. Our timing was very good here since there were a half dozen new acquaintances milling around outside her door introducing each other. We only had time for a couple photos then a quick a hug and kiss and off we went before any tear ducts even had a chance to fill. Overall it was a nice experience starting a new chapter in our family life. We’ll be back for parent’s weekend to see how everyone is adjusting. Best of luck to the class of 2006.

Bill Berg