This is my friend, Alan, whom you may’ve read about here. He stands in my parents’ living room, probably asking advice on how the hell to attach this thing to me. (Funny, I don’t remember him bringing me cauliflower.) Anyway, I exaggerate on the four letter word, as my father would’ve censured him as soon as it crossed his lips. Really. This was taken the evening of my high school’s homecoming shindig at which I was a freshman attendant (thanks to Alan). I think my mother snapped it while I stumbled around in my pink and silver-sequined gown (not my first choice, but it was the only size 3 in town), fretting over whether or not one can of Aqua Net was gonna do the job. I’m sure someone came to Alan’s rescue with the corsage. And then I probably feigned an OUCH! And then we probably got into a slap fight. And then my mom probably yelled at us… You get the idea. The bash before the bash.
By the way, we girls all know by now that any Aqua Net is too much Aqua Net.
Grace
T
8noodles
justin
YogaforCynics
Sweet photo, sweet and sad story. He was obviously a kind soul.
Grace´s last blog post ..Not what I planned for today but the sense of this eludes me
Thanks, Grace. Yes, he was kind, silly, cute, a great friend. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to look him up…
Twitter: missus_emm
Ha ha ha! I’d love to see a pic of your aqua-netted hair! Interesting aclu banner you have in your sidebar – I think I’ll blog about that if ou don’t mind.
Emm´s last blog post ..MTV: End Exploitation and Trafficking (EXIT)
Hi Emm and you may be sorry you asked about the hair…I just happen to have a pic!
The ACLU welcomes spreading the word on this, the “Safe Schools for Everyone” weekend and Constance’s plight, so a post in support would be appreciated, I’m sure.
I just read your post about your friend. It’s sad that we lose track of people that meant so much to us when we were growing up and then to find out that they are gone forever. I was a VERY shy girl growing up, too bad I didn’t have an Alan to help me along. I’m with Emm I want to see a pic of the hair too, and the pink and silver gown.
ann´s last blog post ..Layers
I know ann…I wish I had tracked him down earlier. Now it’s so easy to find people with Facebook and everything else. Back then it was pretty much the phone book and that was it. One thing Alan wasn’t was shy.
Ask and ye shall receive! I do have a pic of the hair and dress, although a little blurry. And the dress happens to be in color…I’ll have to dig them out.
A very lovely cauliflower, I would say…
YogaforCynics´s last blog post ..Venomous Spiders, Handstands, Elephants, and Trying Yet Failing to Move With the Peculiar Grace of a Three-Legged Dog
Isn’t it though? There’s nothing quite like being shrouded in a football mum, sequins and pink polyester…oh, and big hair.
Hope you’re feeling better…
Holly – what a great friend to have had. What a nice picture to still have. I’m sure that you looked great that night too. If your smile in NYC a few posts south of here is anything like the smile you probably had the night of the homecoming. . . then I know you looked great. have a good weekend.
Yes, koe, he was a great friend and I’m glad I have the few pics that I do. And thank you, but I’m sure everyone else was just as teased up and sparkly as I. But ya know, I don’t remember much about the dance…I remember standing in a small circle of friends(?) and looking around…maybe looking for Alan? I wish I remembered more…
Holly — I’m glad Alan was there for you, cauliflower and all. Facebook and the Internet have made it much easier to connect with people, it’s true, and we all lose track of a few good friends over time. And I would love to see a picture of you from this night.
Jennifer´s last blog post ..I carry the heavy water
Thanks, Jennifer, and I do have a few blurry pics. Like I told koe, I don’t remember a lot of the evening, although I do remember standing out on the football field in the cold. I was the first in a relatively long line of homecoming dates for Alan…I think he went on to escort two others.
Wait, silver and pink WASN’T your first choice? Why? That combo goes great with cauliflowers.
Nice photo.
Ha! Looking back, I now see that, JD…what was I thinking!? And I just found a closeup of the “cauliflower,” complete with SILVER ribbon. Holy cow, and I always thought I was a fashion mess. :o)
Thanks on the pic!
As one who breathed in A LOT of Aqua-Net, I can confirm it probably influenced your metal state more than you realized!
Ha! Maybe so, Bossy Betty. I’m pretty sure that was the first and last time that I used the stuff, so I’m now thinkin’ I have no excuse for my current mental state…arghhhh.
“The bash before the bash” is one of the funniest lines to describe adolescent activity I’ve ever read! The photo is very choice, and I, like Jennifer, would love to see a photo of you in your size THREE dress!
Aqua-Net: a sticky, stinky, toxic potion dispensed in an ecologically-unsound spray can that may be found in the future to have first pierced a hole in the ozone layer.
Lydia´s last blog post ..one of those classic shots
Thanks, Lydia…I remember both Alan and I were very silly and like brother and sister, actually. Yes, the size three dress…’twas the last time this body saw that, sorry to say…
I know I’m somewhat responsible for the lack of ozone, but holy cow…I DO hope I stopped at one can. Yikes.
Twitter: jodapoet
It is so sad that we lose touch with special people over the years and then find they have passed on, such a sad story. On another note, I do want to see that hair :) I remember my Mom using Aqua Net and to this day It makes me ill to pass a salon where you can smell all those chemicals.
Joanne Olivieri´s last blog post ..Signs of Spring
Hi Joanne. Yeah, that is sad and a good reason not to wait if you’re thinking of someone. And that hair…my hair was only chin-length but you woulda thought it was much longer. I also have a pic of the day after…apparently it takes awhile for the Aqua Net to wear off! And speaking of smelling salon chemicals…remember Toni and Lilt? Ugh.
ROFL @ the cauliflower!
Lana´s last blog post ..Art Events (Updated)
Yeah, look at that thing! I’m sure I was joking about it back then…at least I hope I was!
[...] a giggle, probably embarrassed at my getup. This photo pretty much caught the entire costume (sans corsage) for the homecoming hoopla…pink polyester gown with silver sequined trim, pageant gloves, [...]