College
A friend of mine sent me this photo a few days ago. It's of the college newspaper staff of Statesman, at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, in the spring of 1985.
That's me, top center, in the blue shirt. I was the editor of the arts section, naturally. Already writing movie and play reviews and trying to get other people to submit copy too (a pain, since there was no pay or course credit for working on this paper).
This photo has sunk me into a swamp of nostalgia. Thoughts going through my head in the last few days include the following:
-- I have no idea where that hair came from. Though it looks feathered, I assure you that I took no time and effort with my hair, other than washing it and parting it in the middle.
-- Though I look like a happy-go-lucky guy in this photo, I really wasn't. Well, sometimes I was, maybe. Mostly I was insecure, shy and very lonely. I had a huge self-esteem problem and an enormous lack of confidence in myself -- particularly with women -- that haunted me for a long, long time. I was smart as hell, but I had bad study habits and I was immature in many, many aspects of my life.
-- I had a mad crush on the girl in the grey shirt, two rows down from me. We were sort of friends, and I used to leave Score bars in her mailbox at the newspaper all the time, so I guess she knew I liked her. Not that I could ever do anything about it. We did go out to dinner once. She married a writer.
-- If the me now could go back and live these years again, they would have been very different. The story of everyone's life, I guess.
posted by Scott the Reader @ 1:46 PM
9 Comments:
Grey Shirt Girl is hot. also, I'm digging the posters. Is that a Melanie Griffith poster back there? All you need is Lita Ford!
Scott,
Knee jerk reaction to that photo is a Scott Mullen hybrid, "Porky's," "American Pie," or "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Dude, you could TOTALLY pull it off.
I'm with Rodio; ie. you've got good taste in girl's you're attracted to.
The past ALWAYS has some hooks on a person, BUT you overcame ANY probems you had when you were younger. Now, you're a hot shot reader, writing killer stories, AND you've married a hottie of your own -- take that girl in the grey shirt!
Gotta go. It's in the mid-80s, and probably the last good day of summer we're going to get out here in Washington before the rains set in. Time for one last good, run with the dogs: a golden retriever and a black poodle.
- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
Funny, I went through a similar process a few days ago. I was looking through my h.s. yearbook trying to verify the name of my calculus teacher (b/c I can't remember any teachers' names). I got carried away thinking of all the stories associated with each person's photo in the book, and I realized, "hmmm... there are so many high school movies in this..."
It's all material, right?
Funny-- you say "If the me now could go back and live these years again, they would have been very different. The story of everyone's life, I guess.
First off, the me of today can't do that -- your wife is a pleasant woman, but I doubt seriously she'd either let you go back to chase Cute Girls In Grey Sweaters or to grow your hair into such a style.
Second, I know that in my own case at least, I'd likely not really *want* to do it much differently, as I am reasonably happy with where I am today. To go back and change the beat of a single butterfly's wings in 1985 would likely have hellacious repercussions through the ages-- I'd likely re-arrive in 2007 just to find that apes had inherited the Earth, or that I'd become a Democrat, or some other horrific farfetched nightmare.
Third, let's be honest-- I'd likely make most of the same mistakes all over again anyway. They were too much fun the first time around. ;-)
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Very cool.
But SCORES bars? Maybe that was too forward for her?
I actually see a screenplay in this. Very touching. Very universal.
Patrick -- I have no idea who that is in that poster; it wasn't my wall.
And my attraction to Grey Shirt Girl went way beyond her appearance. She was just an incredibly nice person, with a smile that could light up a room.
E.C. -- I was thinking more Animal House, but yeah.
Brett -- I'm not saying I want to go back; I'm happy with the life I wound up in, and the wife that I have. Still, part of me wishes I could at least go through college with more self-confidence and assurance.
Japhy -- We had a mutual love for them. It wasn't about the name :-)
Bianca -- Okay, I'll write it. But instead of it being sad and moving, I'm going to go for the hard R.
Scott, do you have any idea you just described my every-day life?
Dude, I thought those of us in the early to mid-90s looked goofy ... seriously, it's always fun to look back on who we were. Thanks for posting your picture.
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