THE WORLD'S LAST NIGHT

This is how it feels. The turn of a page, the end of a chapter... the closing of a book. Last night was the unofficial 'last night of summer.' It began much like any other summer night.

Mike met me at my place, and then I threw on some clothes. Then we had our usual discussion about who would drive. I told my mom bye. "I'll be back late" I said. And we were off.

Getting into mike's car was a beautiful thing in itself. It just felt like summer. Cruising. No great plan, no final destination. Just a compass and the stars to guide us. But there were no stars. Not yet. No, at this hour the sun was still making it's presence known. It was hot. Real hot. So we cruised on. Two dudes, blasting rock through the stereo that barely works... windows down. Now this is summer.

We show up at Woodland Hills mall. We're supposed to meet up with Mandie, but we have no idea where she is inside the mall. So I call her up. No service. Long, long story short, we meet up. Mike and I are still baking from the oven on wheels. We do a little looking around. We joke about how the Apple store is what everything will look like in the future. Clean and white. I'm sure that will make some people very happy.

Now it's time to hook up with James. We head over to his place. It's not far. We pile in his car. "Now this is summer" I think to myself, again. Tragically, Mandie forgot to bring the RENT karaoke mix I made for her on her birthday. But, this does not stop us from yelling it out a cappella style. It's time for Bueno.

We hit Bueno. I get a number three. No guacamole, plus queso. My stomach thanks me. So, here we sit. Four friends, eating Bueno. "Now this is summer." We're all thinking it. No one is saying it.

Good friend M.C. Jimmy shows up to join us. What a pleasant surprise. Old friends, with new friends, with much newer friends. It's all good.

We started joking about all the things we would do if any of us had any money tonight. We're all broke. We, talk about the things we wanted to do this summer, but didn't. But, better than any of that, we talk about the things we did do. The nights, the perfect moments.

Mandie suggests we go for a walk. Mike and I strongly disagree. You see, we had made enemies with the sun earlier that day, and there were still some hard feelings in the air.

So what do penniless college kids do on a Friday night? We went to a bookstore. Mike listened to some music. James looked at some obscure magazines. Mandie pointed out future gift ideas. Now this is summer. And as for me. I spent money I didn't have. But I really did need a new sketch book and another novel by Chuck Palahniuk. You bet I did.

I'm realizing something. It's impossible to really capture the feel of it. This isn't just a list of events. There were sights and sounds. Jokes and feelings. It was a simple, perfect, ordinary summer night.

We find ourselves back at James' place. His messy, and yet, organized bachelor pad. Which, in James' words "doesn't need a woman's touch." Go figure. So there we are. Mandie is sitting in her chair. Mike and I are on the couch. M.C. Jimmy is asleep, probably, on the love seat - which is hers by the way, because she was the first person to change it from a shelf to a loveseat, she claimed it, it is hers. James is on the floor. Now this is summer.

Just like countless summer nights before, this one came down to slow end with James, Mike, Mandie and I in our designated places. Talking. The TV is glowing blue. No one has any expectations, and no one has to impress anyone. We just talk. Perfect. It's close to Four AM.

Now we're outside, in the parking lot. Trying to say good night. This is a bit harder than any of us anticipated, but I don't think any of us expected it to be easy. This is the unofficial last night of summer. The world's last night. The end of the chapter. But definitely not the book. We make plans and promises. Good ones, with good intentions. I have faith in our bond. We take a picture, to catalog the scene. To immortalize the moment in history. We hug heads and love on necks. The sun has definitely given up the fight, and now the night is cool. Bye sun. Bye James. Bye Mandie. Bye Mike. Bye summer. Now this is summer.