Visiting Madison on a weekend as opposed to during the week when classes are in session is a much different experience. A college town that prides itself on the hustle and bustle student life, lays dormant until the late hours of the morning. Students finally waking in the late morning hours from hibernation after a night of cocktails and dreams.
As I set foot out the door around 10am Saturday morning, a quietness still washed over the sleepy city. Some students up and about, but for the most part, alarm clocks had not gone off. My room at the Hilton overlooked Monona Terrace, facing south towards John Nolen Drive. Lake Monona was covered in snow, a few ice fishing holes visible but for the most part a desert barre vista of white. Capital Square loomed behind me as I made my way to Colectivo Coffee. A lot has changed in 18 years. When it was once just a portable CD player you brought to a coffee shop, laptops littered the tables with smart phones and Beats head phones, students in their own bubble, multitasking between weekend studying and Instagram. It was how I remember it, people were friendly and the tenure to get up and go was lost in the collegiate vibe of sleepy eyes and yawns . This was Saturday morning. Take your time, Nowhere to be in a hurry.
After a perfect Latte and Southwestern egg/rice bowl, I walked the walk that I had done so many times before, down State Street toward the mecca Bascom Hill. I made a quick detour though, to stop by 408 N Henry Street where I lived my senior year. Still littered with bicycles and that red brick, the building remains trapped in time. So many great memories in that basement space, the low ceilings, tennis and Halloween parties, graduation.
I continued down State Street, now dominated by more commercial fair, and high rises with incredible amenities to compete with the other major schools of the Big Ten, as well as across the country. But there is good news, State Street still has its charm of local flair - Jazzman, Ragstock, family owned Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, The Sunroom, State Street Brats, Monday’s, Paul’s Club, and The City to name a few, bringing that sense of comfort home. Library Mall was a ghost town still at 11am, the occasional student taking a moment before heading into Memorial or College Library.
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From there it was about revisiting those monumental buildings of knowledge, up and over Bascom, where the mind was tested day in and day out, how we scrambled to get from one end of campus to the other in under 15 minutes, jealous of those that had a scooter to get around. It was a weird experience of no student traffic, almost like an apocalyptic nothing, empty streets and walkways. I relished in the silence, but closed my eyes and imagined the chatter of student life - “KK tonight? No, I have to study!!” Humanities, Van Vleck, Agriculture Hall, and Grainger all stood in their glory, those classic collegiate structures, some built in a time to protect against attacks or a sterile late 60s cold war revolution. Grainger is the newest of the bunch, home of the Business School, where I spent countless hours attending lectures, studying finance, real estate, biz law, and working on group projects. Sighhh.
I hate to admit, but I don’t think I really ever truly just sat at Memorial Union’s Rathskeller, sipping a beer by a warm fire, enjoying the room how it’s supposed to be enjoyed. It’s a rare space, with arching walls and academia everywhere. For those who are beer crazed, during peak seasons, they have over 30+ beers on tap and the terrace area overlooks Lake Mendota.
Over by Camp Randall though, is the other union, Union South. I remember going there as a pre-frosh with my dad for orientation, where I enrolled in my first college courses, originally picking Education as my major. My dream was to be a Math teacher! Union South has since moved/expanded to right next door. My dear friend, Danny Westerman (the reason I was in Madison in the first place to celebrate his milestone 40th birthday) was bowling with his family in the basement of Union South. I was making record time, I must have done all this and walked 5 miles before 2pm on Saturday.
As the day progressed, sleepy student life began to come out of hibernation. Once again, in all my years, I was faced with yet another activity I never did while a student - walk out onto Lake Mendota when it was frozen over. Students were taking selfies, ice bath challenges, drinking beers, as the music from a Sigma Alpha Epsilon party wafted its way onto the lake. I made a quick stop at the KK and shot one image looking down the galley behind the bar. It was packed inside, parents and their kids gathering for Greek Parent’s Weekend. From there, I headed up Langdon, students on their phones, parents with their kids on-the-go, and of course a Natty Light Beer run and motor scooter shot for good measure. Scanner Dan was around, and I did see him, however, now rolling in a wheel chair, still very nice to all the girls.
The sun was starting to go down and the longer shadows cast as night life of Madison started to take shape. I left the camera in the bag the rest of the evening, as I wanted to enjoy Danny’s big birthday. The Russians, well, they love their vodka, so there were plenty of shots to go around. Beautiful speeches about a stand up guy, who I have been friends with more than half my life. Wherever we may be, and whenever we reunite, it’s like we saw or spoke to each other only yesterday. A great father, husband, coach and friend. I wish Danny, Elizabeth, James and Thomas lived closer. I am forever grateful for our friendship. And spending Shabbat with your parents and sister was a highlight of the weekend.
In and out in 48, walking amongst some of the student body, and getting to hit some tennis balls with Danny made the weekend that much more sweet. Would definitely be fun to go back again. Huss, Sutty, Croll, Lovey, Ral, Bethy, Tom, Dan? You guys with me? We’ll tip one back for Bram. Maybe a football or hockey game, burger at the Nitty Gritty, Mickies Dairy Bar for brunch…all sounds really great. To my boy, GW, for living in the Mad City and giving this old guy a reason to return with a navy blue pea coat, plaid scarf, Moscot shades, his Leica M6, and rolls of Trix 400. What. A. Weekend.
