Shana Fisher is one of my best friends at Syracuse University. She was my roommate in Spain, my friend in APO, my guide through the Teach For America interview process. And aside from an unwavering dedication to social justice, a sometimes sick sense of humor, and a mutual respect for each other's good looks, she and I could not be more opposite.
Shana grew up in a huge Jewish family on the middle of Staten Island. Her high school memories are about Jewish Youth Group, the illegal immigrants that mow the Staten Island lawns, and her highschool's metal detectors. Before I went abroad, I was lucky enough to taste a little Staten Island life: Kosher delis, delicious pizza, the city skylines. I was amazed at how different her childhood was than mine. I declared that she MUST visit my home in the Berkshires, meet my family, see my highschool. And this Easter weekend, we finally did just that!
Shana will be moving to the Mississippi Delta next year as a member of Teach For America. My dad and I decided that it was time that she get a little hillbilly education. We called up my good friend and fellow Hinsdale native Mark, packed our pickup truck with a variety of fire arms, and did what any good country family would do: drove to the firing range to give the city girl her first experience with a gun.
The weather was grey and drizzly but spirits were bright. We did everything of course with the utmost of care and safety. My dad is an excellent teacher and we all tried our hand at a variety of weapons. We fired pistols, shotguns, rifles, and Shana's favorite: the black powder. The day whizzed by and with a panicked look at our watches, we realized that we were going to miss Good Friday mass. We packed up quickly and got there just in the nick of time.
Shana was a trooper and made it through the entire Easter Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday masses. It was great to have her there and introduce her to family friends.
We also did a lot of Easter celebrating, including the annual Hornstein Easter Egg extravaganza. Shana made joyful happy eggs, and as the pictures show we had Harry Potters and Homer Simpsons, eyeballs and happy faces, and even a Jesus egg. (Dad's handiwork, of course.) Shana also got her first ever Easter basket! Peeps and bubble gum, DVD's and chocolate rabbits: the Easter bunny really knew how to treat us this year.
The weekend went by way too fast. Before we knew it, we were back on the road to Syracuse. I'm shaking my head realizing I only have a few more days of class. Let's put life on rewind!
Peace and Love.
No comments:
Post a Comment