Monday, October 06, 2003
Oh I'm So Glad You Came
Jim picked me up. We didn’t entirely want to go. Being in his car as he drove, listening to good music, felt comforting and familiar. I felt the gap to a distant time close. We found a bar in Clarendon and hung out for about an hour so as to not be early, or even on time for our 10 year high school reunion.
The most I was hoping for was to see a small group of people in whom I was interested. I had vague ideas of where people have gone. I had assumptions about who would have kept in touch.
We did of course have to wear those badges with our senior picture on it - a special kind of hell, but funny never the less. Was good to see those in a way. After you’d talked to someone a while, you could glance down and appreciate the similarities and the changes.
All the people I was closest to came, and even better, whether they were single or not they came alone. We formed like mercury rolling together, all over again.
The mauling began pretty quickly. Over and over it went like this:
“Mia?!”
“Katy!!”
::Crushing Hug and Kisses::
fucking fantabulous. then we’d run around and find more people.
My damn camera died way too early. We were still sober and things were just getting started. Here are the photos.
I was so glad to see all those people! I have never hugged, kissed, and stayed arm in arm with folks so hard and happily in absolutely forever.
So many good feelings and memories came back. Everyone looked so good - so completely grown into themselves. Each had an air of confidence and seemed comfortable in their skin - AND they shared the absolutely gonzo enthusiasm that I felt in those hours. That’s probably what made me the happiest. What good people. How incredibly cool to have found them again.
I did see my old best friend Melissa, who things had gone so terribly wrong with. I didn’t recognize her at first. She has cut off her long long brown hair and it’s now short, and black. So glad she walked right up to me and said “Hi” in exactly her old way. I just hugged her for a long time, and kissed her face, and couldn’t help crying.
One of my old flames smelled exactly the same, and looked even better. rat bastard.
Actually, EVERYONE smelled the same. At one point we were actively burying our faces in each other’s necks because it was so startling and wonderful. Perhaps it was the combination of scents that brought a lot of our memories back.
Christina still smells the same - so good. I love this person so much. I used to tell her I wanted her to influence my children, and I still do. She’s a massage therapist who also does prenatal massage “backs and bellies” in Miami, just like she’d wanted to. She called me ‘sex on a stick’ at about 1:30am, really damned loudly, might I say. awww shucks Chris. You say the sweetest things. It’s strange to be among people who know you a little too well. but so good.
For everyone, I could give a rundown of the ways they’re awesome, and the memories and feelings I have for them. ...about how I’ve thought about them, and hoped they were happy.
The best part is now I have their contact information, and some are much closer geographically than I knew. YAY! Also I spent more time talking with people I didn’t really know that well in school, but they’re great and live close.
Rebecca, how’s your dress? I hope I didn’t actually burn you. Justin burned me too if that makes you feel better (hand once, skirt once), but at least not a full lock of hair like he did in high school. Katy, rock on for marrying a marine “who also is a firefighter and also plays rugby.” Um, damn girl, good job. Jason, I am going to try to find out which photographer was in your area then, and see what has come of that excursion.
Jim, thanks for driving our sleepy, drunk asses home at 5:30 in the morning. Thanks for having 5 versions of Jesus and Mary Chain’s Teenage Lust to play in the car, just like old times. You are wonderful, and I will always be your wing man.
I have to finish this post with a song for all of us. Yesterday morning I broke out Cure’s Disintegration, and this sounded just right with its obligatory references to fur and Christmas, and of course, all the other words fit perfectly too.
“Oh I’m so glad you came
I’m so glad you remembered
Walking through walls
In the heart of December"*
mp3: Last Dance
zip of mp3 (sometimes works better): Last Dance
*Breaking into Christina’s vacant house in the small hours of the night in December was the last time we all were mostly together I think. The house that had meant so much was for sale, and as college freshman, we knew we wouldn’t likely see each other again anytime soon. It wouldn’t be the same. We didn’t want the night to end. We didn’t want those years to be over. I’m so glad you all came.
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