Oh, joy. Oy.

Dropped Ben off for his first semester at college this morning. All went like clockwork. Left at 5:15 AM prepared for security delays and who knows what entering Manhattan on the weekend before the Republican Convention. City was as quiet and serene as New York gets.

Arrived early enough to find a spot to park almost directly in front of dorm, which is on 14th Street a block from Union Square. Emptied car onto sidewalk, loaded up hand truck, left Stacy to guard remainder, and made for the dorm with Ben. He checked in, up the elevator to the tenth floor, and into his charming "suite". Small rooms (it is a dorm after all), but big windows looking out onto 14th St. Two bedrooms with two beds apiece, walk in closet in each bedroom, small desks. Sitting room with round table and a couple of chairs. Galley kitchen (a kitchen!) with full size stove and refrigerator and ample cupboards. Bathroom (yes, their own bathroom - four boys and a bathroom... what will that look like in a few weeks?). Air conditioning. A great set up. A few blocks accross campus (campus being New York City) to Washington Square, where most of his classes will be held. Brought Stacy up with the rest of Ben's things, took some pictures (see below).

None of his roommates were there, yet, so we didn't get a chance to meet. Would've liked to have eyeballed them just to get a sense of who they are. We said our "good-byes" and we were back in Albany by early afternoon. Poof, just like that, ended eighteen years of daily, no hourly, no minutely, attention to my son. Wow. But there he is beginning his life as a college student, as it should be. I am so happy for him. As a close friend said, "Sometimes joy is hard to bear."




Ben and Scott in the dorm. Stacy taking the picture.