"Hey Erik, turn up that CD bro, that songs hella tight, I haven't heard Sublime for days." "For sure, Im so glad track is over, too much to do, you finish rolling that spliff yet B?" "Yeah man, hook me up with that light on the table, puff, puff." I laid back on Erik's plush, slightly worn leather couch purchased from the Value Village store downtown and watched as he displayed a phat French inhale. I was in a cloudy state with so much on my mind I didn't know where to begin. I was once again in the basement bedroom of my closest friend Erik doing what we did best with nothing else to and needing to conversant about life.
             I was at a crossroads in my life, finishing up high school, about to make a decision some said was the biggest Id ever make. What to do after high school? And who better to discuss it with than a life long friend, one who had been there more times than I could count. We both shared ideas and dreams of what we wanted to do and see, some alike, some very dissimilar, but we both knew school somewhere would be the decision. I saw many of my friends, those less confident with themselves, join the military in hopes of finding there calling, for them I hope they do, for myself military was never of the question. I had an idea of higher learning, one which was not well understood, unclear of what I might face and what failure it may result in, perhaps that is why it is most appealing, the uncertainty. "Hey man, finish this up and lets roll down to Ryan's and see what he has going on over at his pad." Said Erik. "All right" I said. As we got up and headed outside towards my shiny green, German sports sedan, eyes startled by the bright, spring, afternoon sun as we exited the front door.
             Erik and I had both been excepted to Western and kept it in mind as a good option and often fathomed what it might be like to attend the same school, like we had through...