It feels like waking the morning after the nuclear fallout, slowly stumbling back onto my feet after impact. Bracing my eyes for the stunning sunlight, brighter than I could have imagined, for I have been in darkness the past month. As evident from Ro�s lack of production here lately (as mine is just commonplace anymore), one could assume just the amount of workload placed on the collective backs of the Mech. E. workhouse this quarter. Through the toughest quarter now, we remain powerful as ever, that which didn�t kill us making us only stronger. And the grand reward for not being kicked off the island sooner? Spring Break 2K5.
It�s been such a well-deserved respite from the worries of open-loop control systems, turbulent convection flows, and economic equivalences. Beginning with St. Patrick�s Day and a full opening day of the NCAA tournament coverage and ending with Easter Sunday, I�ve enjoyed the last bit of time with the boys of the 2429 before heading to co-op for 6 months. So in a sense it�s bittersweet, with the worst of it happening last night.
While I�ll probably mope around some the next two quarters without being here at school with everyone, at least I�ve got the entire fifth year of classes to look forward for. But it will be here at the house with only six of the seven. We finally had to send our California import back to his sunny beaches. And so this post is for him:
Dr. Evan P. Simovich
I first met Evan at the very end of Spring Quarter of freshman year, although he had lived but 11 floors above me for the previous nine months. In fact I didn�t meet a lot of these guys that I now consider my closest thing next to family until that time. But the full details of that networking can be saved for another long rambling post. It was late one night at the Subway restaurant (yes, my favorite) on McMillan, which has suffered the same fate of everything else on that street: the construction wrath of UC. Roman and I joined the rest of the then twelfth-floor crew for a late-night meal. And the topic of conversation was a bet that was made at some point earlier in the year, with Evan�s faith on the sports knowledge of the common public. A certain number of people were required to know who Bill Buckner was, and it�s safe to say that Evan lost this pretty easily. But at least I was there to add my knowledge and give him a vote of confidence. It was at this point that I knew I wanted to hang around him some more.
Sophomore year found the dorm crew heading down to the old house on West Clifton to hang out with Jeremiah, Evan, and Becker to annihilate beers both before and after Chipotle with our now-famous games of Kings. And that was in our younger Nati Light era. And from those late nights came together what is now the house that I call home.
Evan�s departure leaves the house a bit unbalanced, much like the power struggle in Congress. It leaves Ro and I as the only sports guys, with the other three now trumping us. But we�ve made Brice at least somewhat independent on that issue by bringing him into the Bearcat hoops universe. So we can probably count on him for a valued swing vote.
I�m going to miss Evan�s world-class sports knowledge. He�s hands-down the best I�ve seen at general sports trivia. The Schwab on ESPN had better watch out; they already cancelled Two Minute Drill because of the fear he brings to the table.
I�ll miss coming back from a long day of classes to the front kitchen full of smoke from Evan�s secret recipe for grilled chicken.
We�ll be without the references to sharks for awhile, but we�ll be anxiously awaiting the August Relase Date all the same.
I�ll now be outside the loop on the latest Bearcat hoops insider info. And I won�t have the great impersonations of Souley and his PB&J skills or E. Hicks, doing what he usually does. There will be no more trips to the Shoe for some quick pick-up games or just to chill in the locker room to watch games. And the official Bearcat gear was always appreciated.
We�re going to have to try and find a way to get by without cool new catch phrases. �Gnarly� and �Yeah, Buddy!� have made it all the way from the West Coast. And now, should we decide to resurrect the ___ of the Lifetime, it�s going to take a long-distance call to get the freshest ebonics words.
I�ll miss Roman and I getting to dance to the �happy music� from Evan�s phone whenever the lovely Lindsey Green calls. And even without Evan around, the �First Floor Will Still Rule� and the �L-Shapers� will still get it done.
I suppose we won�t hear Rocky Top played as much anymore, but when we do we�ll think of the great moments of singing it at the top of our lungs. And certain songs will always keep him around. Listening to anything by A Simple Plan or A New Found Glory will take me back:
Tell all my friends I�m dead
I�m leaving you, this time it�s for good
Tell all my friends I�m dead
It won�t be long before you forget my name
You will not be soon forgotten, Evan. Keep it real on the West Coast. You’ve got your other family to take care of you now: Big Phil, Sharon, Brother Ian, Lucy, and Lindsey.
The years go by so quickly. And while we always know what�s in the future, it seems so far off; ready to cross that bridge only when we get there. But that road has grown shorter, our trail left by seven sets of footprints. And one set is taking his exit, the interchange to another road in his life. And while some of his Air Jordans are still stowed away in his not-so-empty room, I�m going to miss the mark they leave on the road with the rest of our feet on this voyage.
