06/23/09. A Tribe Called Quest. "Award Tour"

An actual email sent to the admissions director at Northwestern Law

Dear Johann,

you asked for a story of how I discovered my acceptance letter, you got it.

As for some background, this summer I've been backpacking on the Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada. I have my blackberry with me, but the trail follows mainly wilderness areas where cell reception is rare. I usually stop in towns every 4-5 days to resupply and have a shower. I hitch into towns.

Yesterday at around 3pm, I found myself at Tennessee PassHighway 82 in Colorado. It is known as the "Top of the Rockies" Scenic Highway. There was a big storm approaching. I was about 15 miles from the town of Leadville, so I stuck out my thumb. The first car stopped for me. He was a rancher from just outside Leadville. He drove a big black Chevy pickup. In the back rode his pet pig. The pig's name was Blackie. I thought about emphasizing - per our current President - we are presently living in a post-racial America (Editor's note: credit to Megan Welsh) and that perhaps this was not an appropriate name for a pet no matter what its hue. I refrained because the rain started the fall. I tossed my backpack over the side and hopped in the back with Blackie.

As we approached the town my blackberry jumped to life in my hand, the red LCD siren warning me to duck and cover. Just as the dark thunderclouds, the emails were closing fast. And then I found your admit letter sitting innocently on the screen. For a second, because of the jostling of the bouncy pickup, I couldn't tell if I was being released from the list or being accepted.

When I finally figured out what it was I almost kissed Blackie.

Thank You very much. I'll see you in the fall.

Sam

Song Honorable Mention

-Stevens, Sufjan "Come Feel the Illinoise" (I had to, I'll be in Chicago)