Some Crazy

For those of you who missed it, this past Thursday was my birthday. (This is your cue to feel guilty.) It was an absolutely fantastic 48 hours of madness. I planned my little celebration for Friday, when I met a bunch of friends at the Harris Grill for beers after work. After a couple hours of free brewskies (thank you JK, Freshman, Nathan, Emme, Anna, Brendan, Texas, and whoever else I am forgetting) Texas took me under her wing and agreed to drive me to Oakland (for more friends and but no more beers).

Between the Grill and the car, I had a mad chocolate craving, so I bought some Whoppers at a convenience store. I used the Whoppers to bribe a yard full of students to let me join their game of Beer Pong (I think I played for 5 seconds, then got distracted and wandered inside). Whoppers are good for making fast friends and soon I was squished on a couch with a half dozen other people watching baseball on a big screen TV.

Texas and I finally got to Oakland around 10:00, I think. Along the way I called a handful of friends. (If you are one of them, you're welcome for the free entertainment.) Several hours and stops later, Brewer drove me back to my flat in Friendship. As she parked her car, an ambulance -- sirens ablare and lights flashing -- pulled up along the curb in front of us. Abruptly, it made a U-turn in the middle of the street and drove away. We got out of the car to hear the yells of a man from across the street. We called out, "Are you okay? Was that ambulance for you?" "No, I'm not okay -- she's having a baby!"

After trying to exchange glances with Brewer in the dark and confirming that my instinct was appropriate, I called back, "We'll drive you to the hospital!" Within minutes, the four of us were on our way back to Oakland to Magee Women's Hospital. Along the way, I learned that this was their second child. Big Sister was 3 years old. Baby would be named Cadence. Mom was named Celeste. Her water had broken several minutes before they had called the ambulance, and her contractions were just a minute or two apart. Both Mom and Dad were pretty panicked (who wouldn't be after being abandoned by an ambulance?!).

We pulled under the big red sign that reads "EMERGENCY" and I ran inside. I frantically explained my desperate need for a wheelchair, and quickly Celeste was wheeled inside. I looked at Brewer. We were alone in the dark, outside a hospital, veins full of adrenaline.

Everything that happened after that was a blur.We got back to my apartment. We ate some Trader Joe's honey nut Os cereal. We talked about traveling and life and who knows what else. Adrenaline is the strangest drug.

A friend of mine, in a moment of wisdom, once said, "NOOOO MOOOOORE BABIEEEEES." I agree. That was some crazy!