to Dolores

“How are we celebrating the American working class tomorrow” — Bryan Wong

Last Monday, September 3rd, was Labor Day. It was a beautiful end-of-summer day in the Bay Area. Steven, Bryan, Kt, Karen, and I set out to celebrate “the American working class” exactly how all of San Francisco does. We set up shop in Dolores Park and proceeded to bool. But, this isn’t about just one single day — it’s about an entire summer.

I feel as if my entire Summer was immortalized by this year’s Labor Day. But, to understand it all, I must start with a single day. To start, our Monday started with a lazy haze. There was little to no planning done about meeting up and going to Dolores, yet everything just seemed to fall into place. Indeed, the day was built with small things that everyone brought with them. Steven brought his never-ending good nature and the best company for the drive home, Bryan brought his inexplicable tendencies for adventure and A1 driving abilities, Kt brought our only blanket and her stories about the 2004 presidential elections, Karen brought her Chocolate Mint Cookies from TJoes and an adventure across the Bay, and I brought some light refreshments and a few algorithm questions. Writing this makes me smile.

To chronicle the day: we swooped up everyone, struggled to find parking, staked our claim in a half shady spot, cracked open a few cold ones, used the nicest park restrooms I have ever seen, ate Burmese food that packed a punch, headed off to Berkeley on a whim, froze our asses off, and eventually drove back to where we came from.

Monday was filled with love, friendship, easy-going, organic times. My entire Summer was Labor Day — except instead of Dolores Park, it was Will’s open pad, it was Meet Fresh, it was Baolinh’s on Friday’s. Instead of the four I mentioned, it was everyone who made my Summer unforgettable. Every single one of you fools reading this :). You all, and the places we went, are what defined my Summer. For that, I thank you.