Dear Summer

Tonight. The Media Five Miler. One of my favorite nights of the summer; and more than an actual date, for me, it marks the start of summer.
The night invariably starts off at Fat Ted's house on 3rd Street in media. Whether I'm drinking Irish whiskey out of an iced coffee cup from Dunkin Donuts, or coming late to the party because I was finishing up a tattoo session, there is truly no better way to begin the evening than by getting drunk and cheering on Fat Ted as he and several hundred others runs past his home.
As the race winds down, your best bet is to make your way to the finish line in front of Joclyn's and muscle your way to the bar for whatever is on special. The hours from 8-12 are pretty much amateur hour, so you're better off avoiding the crowds and drunks by continuing the pre-game back at Ted's house.
There, we start a fire pit and play Bag-O until around midnight when the town is ours again. There are still more transplants there than usual, but at least by this point they've had enough to drink that they're not bothering anybody but themselves.
For me, this night marks the start of summer. Flip flops, tank tops, aviator shades, day drinking, and the smell of sunscreen. This night is such a clear marker for me that I can recall more details and memories from this night than I can from virtually any other night of the summer- Jameson mixed with the last bit of iced coffee, the cake with a picture of Fat Ted pole vaulting in a speed suit, Mr. Heron pointing out where his neighbor gets changed in front of the window, putting a pair of 60lb cellar doors (most 
beautiful phrase in the English language) through the sidewalk in front of Media Theater because I was hopping on each one we passed.
So tonight is the start. I'll drive to Ted's around 6 with my family and friends, and my freshly splinted nose. We'll guzzle beers as we cheer on "Fat" Ted, the only one amongst us who actually competes. We'll lock down a corner of the bar in Joclyn's and defend it with our lives, because this is our turf, and we're not going to wait in line for a beer like a bunch of noobs.
Let's get it.