Dare To Be Bare

             In Front:  SJG & Billy 

         In Back:  My Bro' John & Tim

The theme of the past few days:  Why, it was all about getting naked, of course. Getting raw with our emotions. Getting nostalgic over, well, everything. Exposing our hearts and souls, not to mention our tender shoulders and necks and any other available skin to the harsh rays of the Santa Cruz sun. We slathered on the SPF 50. We did our best to pay attention to the lengthy speeches. We hydrated like crazy and managed not to plotz from the heat. The SJG even wore a hat. I never wear a hat. I look dumb in hats. Always have, always will. And yet somehow, for my son's college graduation, I kinda pulled it off. Wasn't I just a tad fetching in my straw hat?

Yes, I believe I was.  Other parts of me sizzled, but not my kepe, and I have my hat to thank for that.  Thank you, hat.  You done good.  You kept me semi-sane as I strained to see my boy cross the stage and get his... packet of seeds.  Only Santa Cruz would give seeds as a place holder for a diploma that will arrive who-knows-when.  Seeds are so metaphorical, so poetic, so inspirational.  But all I could think about was propagation of a different sort.  I'm not quite ready to be a grandma, so keep those seeds in check, young man, if you know what I mean.

            Oh, look!  That's him in the hat!

Without further delay, here's where I tie in the naked theme.  You didn't think I just threw that in here to be clever?  There's a method to my silliness.

                World Naked Bike Ride

After our celebratory dinner of mojitos and other delicious things, we came outside just as a group of naked bike riders pedaled down the street.  Naturally, we applauded.  We'd been applauding all afternoon.  It seemed like the right response.  We laughed and cheered, too, and uttered a lot of WTFs?  "What's with the naked bike riders?" I asked the recent grad.  He shrugged.  "It's just Santa Cruz."  Oh, but it was more than that.  It was Naked Bike Ride Day, an annual worldwide event, in honor of "cycling and the human body."  Ah.  That's nice.  Anything else? "The ride demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists on the road and is a protest against oil dependency." Makes perfect sense now.  But you won't catch me riding butt naked down the streets of Santa Cruz.  Sherman Oaks, maybe.  But Santa Cruz?  The youngest moves there in September.  Embarrass him?  I wouldn't dare.