I love my friends.
Oh, I know, everybody does; if you didn't, they wouldn't be your friends, ja?
But, browsing through some old photos, I marvel at how much we've changed--and how much we remain the same--and how much we still love each others' company.
I found a picture from Jen and Stew's wedding. There we all are, except the bride and groom. It is an inevitable fact of weddings that no one ever gets to actually hang out with the bridal pair. They're so busy greeting everybody that they never really get to visit with anybody. This is, I believe, a necessary evil.
What I do remember about Jen and Stew's wedding is that Jennifer had never looked more beautfiul and radiant (and she is a rather lovely woman), and that Stewart (who I'd always known as a quiet and reserved gentleman) was suddenly the man of the hour. The hochzeitspaar (remember your German, now!) danced beautifully and, to their eternal credit, have continued to dance well and often in an era when social dancing is no longer fashionable. I think I owe Jen several drinks; last summer when we all went to Glen Echo Park for an afternoon, she did a yeoman's duty dancing with Stewart, Mike, Kirk and me. Dancing with me is no fun if you don't like wild Charlestons, but Jen is a good sport and put up with it all.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. In the photograph I found, here we all were in fine form and dressed for our friends' wedding. Here is Alex, looking very suave (he always lends the California dash to our otherwise stodgy Virginia affairs). Beside him is Anji--now his wife and, I'm proud to say, my ex-girlfriend, beautiful as always and full of vivacity. I'm in the middle of the photo. After all, I do like to be the center of attention. I seem, in the picture, to be herding my flock around me, just the way I like it! Bill and Pam are there too, still almost newlyweds themselves, the perfect image of the young and happily married couple. Oh, and there's Whitney--I know she'll hate the term "bubbly," but she just is that and it shows so well in the picture. Beside us are Mike (with usual goofy smile--sorry, Mike!) and Catherine, who'd just lately entered the group and had not yet become Frau Dolinska. Mike is looking rather bubbly himself and Catherine is--as always--poised and elegant, probably not yet sure what to make of these idiots to whom she'll soon be attached.
This is a great picture. Here we all are, about ten years ago, all of us happy and full of life. I treasure this photograph. Everybody in it has suffered pain and heartache since the camera captured us. All of us have known joy as well. There have been births and deaths. Some have moved to different climes. We've drifted apart a little bit, but not too much. We still gather once in a while and the aura is the same as always. These people in that photograph are the ones who I know will surround me always, in spirit if not in person. There may be no more Hotel Chamberlin and no more Delta Gamma Golden Anchor Ball; no Sig Ep Sweetheart Dance or Confederate Ball at the Jefferson, but my people will be with me forever.
I know that this is a rather maudlin post, but I know that most of the people reading it are among those aforementioned, so I know you'll forgive the weepy sentiment. When I kick it for good, I'm not sure if I'll end up in Green Mount (with my family) or Hollywood (overseeing my beloved Richmond), but I do know that I want everbody to see that one photograph from Jen and Stew's wedding.
Damn, we were all hot and we knew how to have a good time.
Oh, I know, everybody does; if you didn't, they wouldn't be your friends, ja?
But, browsing through some old photos, I marvel at how much we've changed--and how much we remain the same--and how much we still love each others' company.
I found a picture from Jen and Stew's wedding. There we all are, except the bride and groom. It is an inevitable fact of weddings that no one ever gets to actually hang out with the bridal pair. They're so busy greeting everybody that they never really get to visit with anybody. This is, I believe, a necessary evil.
What I do remember about Jen and Stew's wedding is that Jennifer had never looked more beautfiul and radiant (and she is a rather lovely woman), and that Stewart (who I'd always known as a quiet and reserved gentleman) was suddenly the man of the hour. The hochzeitspaar (remember your German, now!) danced beautifully and, to their eternal credit, have continued to dance well and often in an era when social dancing is no longer fashionable. I think I owe Jen several drinks; last summer when we all went to Glen Echo Park for an afternoon, she did a yeoman's duty dancing with Stewart, Mike, Kirk and me. Dancing with me is no fun if you don't like wild Charlestons, but Jen is a good sport and put up with it all.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand. In the photograph I found, here we all were in fine form and dressed for our friends' wedding. Here is Alex, looking very suave (he always lends the California dash to our otherwise stodgy Virginia affairs). Beside him is Anji--now his wife and, I'm proud to say, my ex-girlfriend, beautiful as always and full of vivacity. I'm in the middle of the photo. After all, I do like to be the center of attention. I seem, in the picture, to be herding my flock around me, just the way I like it! Bill and Pam are there too, still almost newlyweds themselves, the perfect image of the young and happily married couple. Oh, and there's Whitney--I know she'll hate the term "bubbly," but she just is that and it shows so well in the picture. Beside us are Mike (with usual goofy smile--sorry, Mike!) and Catherine, who'd just lately entered the group and had not yet become Frau Dolinska. Mike is looking rather bubbly himself and Catherine is--as always--poised and elegant, probably not yet sure what to make of these idiots to whom she'll soon be attached.
This is a great picture. Here we all are, about ten years ago, all of us happy and full of life. I treasure this photograph. Everybody in it has suffered pain and heartache since the camera captured us. All of us have known joy as well. There have been births and deaths. Some have moved to different climes. We've drifted apart a little bit, but not too much. We still gather once in a while and the aura is the same as always. These people in that photograph are the ones who I know will surround me always, in spirit if not in person. There may be no more Hotel Chamberlin and no more Delta Gamma Golden Anchor Ball; no Sig Ep Sweetheart Dance or Confederate Ball at the Jefferson, but my people will be with me forever.
I know that this is a rather maudlin post, but I know that most of the people reading it are among those aforementioned, so I know you'll forgive the weepy sentiment. When I kick it for good, I'm not sure if I'll end up in Green Mount (with my family) or Hollywood (overseeing my beloved Richmond), but I do know that I want everbody to see that one photograph from Jen and Stew's wedding.
Damn, we were all hot and we knew how to have a good time.
posted by Daniel | 3:21 AM
3 Comments:
What a great day for me to come by. I am trying out my new link to you the Dan Man, in honor of your many insightful posts on my blog. Thanks for your patronage.
I, too, remember those times in the photograph and also with a bit of sadness. I love my husband, kids, and house in the suburbs, but I do occasionally miss having few real responsibilities and all of our most life-changing choices ahead of us. We all drift apart and change locations and lifestyles, but one thing remains true for me as well. I never again found myself in a group - and nor do I expect to - that was so fucking funny.
Pam, you hit the nail on the head. I think one of the nice things about the old group, though, is that when we do get together--even though it's infrequent these days--it seems as though we never left off.
Were hot?? Knew how to have a good time?? We still are...although the definition may have changed slightly!!
--the bubbly one
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