That Thing is MOVING!

Last night, I went out with some gal pals to downtown Chucktown. The Citadel was having a meet and greet for their grad students (and friends) at Mad River where there would be $2 drink specials and free finger food. I fit into the friends category; Jennifer B. (who is a Citadel grad student) invited Lindsey L. and me to attend with her and her other friend (also a Citadel grad student), Heather. It was a lot of fun!

We started the night at Social a wine bar off East Bay where we took advantage of their wine tasting specials. For a set price we enjoyed 3-2.5 oz tastes of various wines. They were either from the same region or similar types (ie. Merlot, Cab, etc.). I decided to go with the "Indicative Italians", Jennifer and Heather shared the "Mediterranean", and Lindsey went with the "Southern France". All I can say, is if those were tastes I can't imagine what a full glass is there!

When our server came out she brought the samples in a special carrier in which the three glasses were suspended by a piece of metal with three holes and a notch for each were cut into it and was completed with a handle. It was really neat and I'm not explaining it right. You'll just have to see for yourself. Anywho, although they were called a sampler set these were pretty much full glasses of wine, which when you think of the price (mine was $14) it's a tremendous deal!

The four of us enjoyed great conversation and thoroughly enjoyed our wine, after which we made our way to Mad River. Where Katie H. and her friend Rita joined us. It was fun gabbing and listening to the great music from our younger years. Around 11:30 the younger crowd (I'm totally dating myself by calling them that!) began to arrive and Katie and Rita decided to head home; we made our exits around 1:00 in the morning.

Because Jennifer had picked Heather up from the Citadel; she also dropped her off there. Neither Lindsey or I had ever seen the campus, so Jennifer (who is also married to a Citadel graduate) played tour guide. Our first stop was the chapel, which I was surprised to see was open at one-something in the morning. But Jennifer told us it usually stays open all day.

It was beautiful! That's one thing military schools really do well, their chapels. I've seen the Air Force Academy's-breathtaking, Annapolis'-gorgeous and dripping with history, and now the Citadel's-beautiful, especially its wood planked ceiling! As the three of us walked the aisle and admired the architecture. Lindsey, noticed something blue and glowing, moving on the ceiling. Some of the conversation went like this:

L: hey guys what's that blue thing glowing on the ceiling?
J: I'm not sure.
M: looks like a bug zapper.
L: why would they have a bug zapper on the roof of a chapel?
M: I don't know to kill hornets?
J: I don't think that's a bug zapper.
L: ohmygosh you guys it moved!
M&J: yeah, sure it did (raised eyebrows to each other).
L: I'm telling you guys that thing is MOVING. It was on that plank and now it's on that one (pointing).

At this point Jennifer and I think Lindsey is seeing things. Bear in mind the ceiling of the chapel is about 3 stories high, it's dark and it's one in the morning. Jennifer and I made our way back to the entrance while Lindsey was still standing in the middle of the aisle with her head cocked back. As Jennifer and I walked through the door, Lindsey said she saw it move again so the two of us turned around and us three stood near the open door with our heads tilted back. (I can't imagine how it would have looked to a passerby.) We stayed like that for about two minutes when it did in fact MOVE followed by our squealing! It looked like it crawled or slinked (like a caterpillar). Lindsey said the obligatory, "SEE, I'm not going crazy!" and Jennifer and I nodded.

For five minutes we stared up at this thing tying to figure out what it was. I think it was a mixture of terror, interest and the inability to look away as to why we stayed. But we did and made all sorts of guesses ranging from it's an alien to its a glowing caterpillar and it's a few bats. Jennifer remembered she had her camera and all of us thought it was great idea, use the zoom to see if we can get a better look at this anomaly. She ran to her car and came beck with he camera. Once it was turned it on she began to zoom in on the "creature". Just as she was fully zoomed, it moved again and we could see what it was...


A BALLOON! It was a freakin' blue, mylar balloon! We took that as our cue to leave and go home. Needless to say it was a fun-filled night...one to be remembered.