Two Flights

Saturday I spent a lot of time looking up flights to Moscow (and doing work), and then I went to the first floor of the library. I found Jack and we went to a show at the Root Cellar. Sycamore, a Bard punk-pop band was playing.  Adrienne/Alana/Cat+ were there as well; mason jar of something strong in hand. They had a good energy.

Jack and I we headed to Manor after picking up the emergency driving phone from security and our things from the library, and Jeff at Manor Annex. We heard that the Social Club and the Formal Club had pooled a lot of money and had fancy food. Jeff entered and scurried out as quickly as he could.

When I entered I felt disoriented. There was a girl in a leotard suspended by a ribbon from the ceiling, and a few other girls around her, blowing bubbles. Everyone was dressed up; top hats, spectacles, flowing dresses, ruffled shirts. The music reminded me of the Great Gatsby, to the point where I felt a flash of the misery under all the drunken partying, and could almost see the flash of green across the water. In reality everyone was actually having fun, this wasn't the constant partying of adults in the 20's. The food was gone so Jack and I drank some St. Pellegrino and ate what was left of the grapes, but I heard rumors of quail, consumed ravenously. Ajax (the boy from the train) Kelsey and Zappa and co. were there as well. Then this girl came out and started doing an old-fashioned strip-tease (she was wearing with a garter belt and a corset). Soon after a tall guy came out in his underwear and clown face-paint and danced for us too¹. Then the back room was opened and there were tables loaded with candy. A giant gummy bear lay in a bed of truffles, bowls filled with licorice and tootsie rolls and people swarmed. After that the dance floor was open to all. We danced; the music demanded foxtrot, samba and the twist.

1 This is when I realized that the party had a lot of overlap with the Surrealist Training Circus and the Burlesque Club.

Sunday there was Midnight breakfast, which involved karaoke. I left as soon as I had my French toast though, I had to paint. At some point I was working at the library and the beer ninja’s came, handing out free cans of cold Budweiser. Slowly everyone left campus. Friday Mama bought my ticket to Moscow. Some girl from Ukraine hear me talking on the phone and started talking to me in Russian, and then asked me if I knew anyone who would write her essay for her if she paid them, and talked about all the fur things she owns.
My last night Hannah and I read Wallace Stevens out loud to each other while drinking tea. Saturday morning I dropped by Adrienne dorm to say bye; she’s going to Ghana for a semester. Eames drove me home and that’s where I was until now².  

2 Hint: I’m currently at the JFK airport, waiting.

At 12am on Monday night my parents and I got to the Christmas scene in the movie Meet Me in St. Louise. Osya had really wanted to do the American-Jewish thing of getting Chinese take-out and going to the movies, and though we didn’t do the former, Mama took all of us to watch the Hobbit. Christmas Day we went for a walk around Newbury St.

Last night around six I finally started packing. I feel like I'm going bearing gifts to half the population of Moscow. Osya said that the balance of the family is off when I’m gone (and then proceeded to repeat the word ‘guilt’ over and over). Shimon was being troublesome about going to bed until I realized that I was leaving, and he wanted me to go through the night-rituals, rather than someone else. Stubborn sweet.

I finished packing after one and woke up at four. Папа kindly drove me to Logan Airport to be on the plane by 6.