The day before Thanksgiving, Blackout Wednesday is the true holiday to be thankful for. It’s the time when everyone from your past comes out of the woodwork, gathers ritualistically at the local hometown dive, and drinks to recall old memories and forget new ones.

Blacking out with old friends who you see once a year is an experience that contains multitudes. You might get lucky with your high school crush who now has five kids and is in the middle of a divorce. Maybe you run into your childhood bully who’s now getting bullied by the harsh reality of adulthood. And there’s always that one guy who never left after high school. Be nice to that guy, because Blackout Wednesday is his favorite day of the year. This is his Super Bowl.