At least in the traditional sense.
In honor of today’s celebration of one Miss M.’s 16th birthday I decided to spend this date looking back at my own. Did I have a massive party? Nope. To the dismay of my parents, I have never been one for a big celebration of my birthday – in fact, I do not even bother with a moderately sized celebration. Did I have a fancy dinner with friends? Uh-uh. I think we may have had pizza. Did I spend the day in a fancy or fun place? Please. It was spent in a parking lot.
Yes, I spent my Sweet Sixteen with three friends of mine, one of whom I am still excited to be friends with (thanks FB for reuniting us), waiting in line at the famous Tower Records on Sunset to meet Boy George. Only one of us was driving at that point, so she had the responsibility of getting us to the store, while the group of us had the joy of keeping ourselves entertained while in line. Ask anyone who has dealt with a straightforward signing: keeping yourself entertained is one of the most difficult things to do while waiting.
Somehow we succeeded. We not only managed to keep ourselves entertained, but we managed not to kill each other while waiting. Again, ask anyone who has waited in a long line with friends – the urge to cause harm to someone nearby, even if they are a friend, grows with each hour.
After all these years I still remember the pushing that began when the staff announced that the line would be cut soon. We were still outside of the building, waiting to gain entrance into the maze created in the aisles. Ultimately though, we were successful in meeting Boy George, a moment I captured in a picture that I ended up submitting for extra credit for my photo class I was taking that year.
Side note: my teacher made me put this photo, along with ones of Debbie Harry performing and of former Guns n Roses drummer Steven Adler in the school art show. Someone stole my Steven Adler photo. The nerve.
It is amazing. After all of these years (specific numbers not needed), I cannot remember much about the meeting itself, but I do remember the laughter while we waited. Not the specific conversations, which I am positive we thought were beyond important, but that we were able to have a great time together. This even with needing to shift our feet as we attempted to find some comfort.
When I look back at various events in my life I am finding that it is the experience of waiting with friends that I am most fond of – not the event itself, but those random moments that are more and more difficult to come across as we all get older and busier. I do hope Ms. M had some moments tonight that she will treasure the way I have of my 16th – moments of friends, moments of laughter. What gifts are received are never as valuable as these moments.
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