For those not familiar, Match day is the day that medical students find out where they match for residency. I am sure the process is more streamlined now, but in 2001, it meant you went to an auditorium and waited until the person matching walked down to the stage, accepted an envelope and then opened it. Some people opened right at the stage. Some waited until they were back with loved ones. Some took that precious envelope to a private place with the person they were trying to couples match with to see if they ended up in the same place.
The husband and I were only dating in 2001. And I was also in graduate school and working to pay for it, so I was not in a position to follow him wherever he went. He interviewed at Hopkins, UCSF, and other great places, but also Duke. I was, of course, rooting for Duke so we could remain a couple. Deep down he wanted Hopkins and to live in a city. But he ranked it second because of me. The conversation around Hopkins. Me: Baltimore? Dude, that is where they film Homicide Life on the Streets…. and that show is real life! I envisioned living in a one bedroom apartment with our geriatric dogs taking them down the elevator one at a time in the middle of the night so they could pee. I am not a city girl, clearly.
I will always remember him accepting that envelope, calming walking back up to me and saying he matched at Duke. I think I burst into tears….. along with a lot of other people in that auditorium.
The celebrating started immediately. One of my future (if I had a wedding) bridesmaids and I shared so many hugs and tears that day. She matched at a place that would save her young marriage. Match Day is complicated, people. And I finally summoned up enough courage to tell the husband’s previous girlfriend who dated all the Indian guys in the med school class (and was super cruel to all of them) that she was, in fact, a bitch. That felt sooooo good.
I always wonder if his life would have been more fulfilling if he had picked to live in the city where they filmed Homicide Life on the Streets. And now, I also know it is also the most corrupt city for the marginalized. But when I see him pet our giant dogs who could never have lived in a city and help plan a forever home with me that includes chickens and veggie gardens, I think that city boy always wanted to live with a country homesteader. Thank you Duke for helping make that happen.