Lobal Warming

How about this weather? Everyone I know is asking that same question. Here we are at the end of February, and I'm in shorts and a T-shirt cutting grass and sowing vegetable seed outside. Something crazy is going on.

Some will tell you it's global warming. Maybe it is or maybe it isn't. But I am old enough to know that this isn't the first time we've had temperatures like this in  February.

It was a week at the end of February, 1974. We were all right in the middle of winter quarter, the horrible days of dark,cold, rain. Studies were going well, I guess, but who can remember that part? What I do remember is that the country was nearing a change in the Viet Nam war. College protests had really revved up just before I got to UGA in 1970. They still persisted thru the next several years, but nothing to the degree of those in the 60s. Even with the success of those protests, or maybe because of that success, college campuses like mine continued to look for a way to make a statement. But then, college students can have a bit of a short attention span. 

Apparently the idea of streaking had come from other college campuses here and there. http://www.history.com/speeches/the-streaking-phenomenon . It was probably a small but fun way to continue the thrill of civil disobedience. 

Spring break was weeks away at that point. It seemed like the sun never came out. Then, out of nowhere, it got warm. Not warmish....but hot warm, humid warm, summer warm. Kids got outside. Summer clothes appeared. The drudgery of every day college classes disappeared. Sex was in the air. Young brains were on fire. And the streaking began.

As with most social phenomena, it started small -just a few wacky guys, maybe on a dare. Then a few more, and a few more after that. The warm weather made it easier to do, and also gave the few an audience of the more since so many folks were outside enjoying the sun. Timing was random, but word seemed to get out. Campus was abuzz, distracted, seduced by the warmth and tantalized by the exposure. 

Spurred on by their peers, more and more joined the ranks of the naked. Fraternity brothers gathered in groups. Dormitories organized even larger packs of runners. The news was getting out to every student, then snowballing into the media across the Southeast. A little harmless fun was turning into a competitive sport across college campuses. Each day a new challenge was laid down and then met that night. By the end of the week, campus police had closed down whole streets because of the crowds. Thousands lined Baxter street, in the ultimate in food and drink tailgating, to watch the proceedings. The finale "big streak" produced 1543 bare bottomed beauties and a new national record.     http://www.redandblack.com/news/univ-cracks-streaking-record/article_83ee6175-ae24-517a-8157-f039dbd65197.html  

The next day, damp, gray, cold was back. 

Exams were looming.  The fever broke. As quick as it came, it was gone.

 But now, as the weather warms, we old folks can smile and remember.

“sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love

(all the merry little birds are
flying in the floating in the
very spirits singing in
are winging in the blossoming)

lovers go and lovers come
awandering awondering
but any two are perfectly
alone there's nobody else alive

(such a sky and such a sun
i never knew and neither did you
and everybody never breathed
quite so many kinds of yes)

not a tree can count his leaves
each herself by opening
but shining who by thousands mean
only one amazing thing

(secretly adoring shyly
tiny winging darting floating
merry in the blossoming
always joyful selves are singing)

sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love”

― E.E. Cummings