Daniel’s Big Day is here, signaling his true entry into adulthood: he graduated from The Ohio State University today, with a B.A. in International Studies. Accolades have been heaped on Dan; linked to the exclusive Sphinx Society, he’s had an amazing experience at OSU and an even more amazing experience as an intern with Natural Security in D.C.   He’s made friends and contacts with people from many walks of life and from all corners of the globe, and we’re hoping for that big break wherein he’s offered a job in D. C. He’s come a long way from the Danny we all knew and loved from our family camping days at Cook Forest.

Oh, wait.

Almost exactly ten years (give or take a month) from the infamous tumble from the highway barricade,  Dan is spending an evening in an emergency room getting himself stitched up and injected with antibiotics, with his anxious family surrounding him (and a bemused Ben and Liz, who probably haven’t dealt with many of Danny’s notorious E.R. visits.  Yet. ) Dan and some friends had decided to jump into the lovely, tranquil, POLLUTED Mirror Lake on campus as a final goodbye to OSU.   He did make a concession to his mom, by stripping to his underwear, so he’d have dry clothes and be ready to head back to Akron with them after a LOOOOONG day sitting in the heat and humidity in the stadium.  Into the pool the new graduates leapt with wild abandon:  only Daniel found the broken glass.  With his bare foot.

Steph said it was a flashback to Cook Forest, with Dan declaring that “Meat is hanging out!”, Bob saying that HE would take Dan to the E. R., the wail of sirens approaching, and poor Jean having a minor breakdown.

My guess is that it’s going to be a chilly ride home from Columbus tonight.

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