College move in day: 1969 v 2017

I have a general memory of my move in day at Harper, with some specifics. It was late August or even early September, just before or -- more likely -- just after Labor Day. Everything I was to take to college was in a limited number of boxes or suitcases. I'd be driving to school with Jim Messecar, a classmate from down the street who I barely knew but who was the only other Eden grad enrolling in SUNY-B this year; he had an old Mustang and room enough to take me and my goods. We did not have that much.

Since move in started around 8:00 a.m., the plan was for Jim to pick me up from home at 3:00 a.m. I have a memory of packing his car quickly and still having room in the back seat. I don't recall where mom and dad were at that hour; I bet one or both of them were up to get me out. Neither came out to the car in the driveway. We loaded quickly and left.

Nothing to recall about the drive or the route. In any case, Jim dropped me off at the entrance to Lehman Hall, probably not only first to arrive, but arriving well ahead of the next arrival. I remember getting my stuff to my room quickly, including that bright, flowery comforter for my triple. Unpacked, I headed down to the front entrance and sat on the wall there to watch the new arrivals. I am sure I was hoping to see an attractive girl arrive and I am almost as sure that I was surely disappointed. I sat there for much of the morning.

The group of women I did "fall in" with included Paula Gutowski, Nancy Dawson, Susan Hoffmeister and Stacie Williams. I had the closest thing to my first quasi-sexual encounter with Nancy within the month, but that event was limited and foretold a non-existent future for that relationship. I remained better friends with Paula but I think I had more time and attention to their RA, Gail what's her name. She later flew me home with her father after first semester exam in a tint plane, landing in a bUffalo airport blizzard.

In contrast, Dena and I flew to Los Angeles in Thursday 21 September 2017 to move Gaby in. We arrived in Los Angeles early, Uber-ed to campus, skipped the garage drop off, left our driver near the Sunset Boulevard entrance, and dragged all her belongings -- at least nine pieces -- down the hill about a quarter mile to Reiber Hall. We had her moved in by 11:00, before either Emma arrived.

Dena and I spent two days in Los Angeles, staying at a cheap hotel in Santa Monica. We had lunch with Gary and Maxine before leaving Gaby at the foot of a large stairway that took us to meet our Uber for the ride to LAX and our red-eye back home. I am sure I was teary-eyed and Dena surely cried in the car en route. This was the formal start of this stage of empty nesting, with both girls off at college now.