of course i was late to the wedding… although i’m an expert at estimating anything [water temperature in degrees celsius to weight of a drunken sailor to driving distance to the redwood forest that this wedding was at], i’m always 10 minutes late. it’s on-purpose, but subconscious. does that count as being accidental? either way, i don’t feel guilty, but it pisses people off. shows lack of respect, apparently. i think it shows respect—shows how comfortable i am with our relationship, shows how close of a friend you are that i can not stress about showing up on time.
but, jeez, eric, a wedding? come on. there i was, zipping towards santa cruz in rental car #5, going about double the speed limit, trying to get to the ceremony. they said it starts at 430pm, which i’m assuming means it’ll start at 5. ava and shane are two of the most organized and intelligent people i know, and i know that there’s not just a plan for the wedding, there’s a carefully-orchestrated microsoft project file with every minute detail of what needs to happen. that’s why i love these kids—cuz i’m sure they’ve factored into account my being late to everything.
i pull up just after 430pm, fix my suit, admire myself in the tinted window, and decide ditch my tie and jacket in the car [too damn hot!] before heading down a stunning trail, meandering through an honest-to-god redwood forest. at the bottom of the trail, a clearing, a pond, and 80 or so well-wishers. genghis has [thankfully] saved me a seat up in the first row.
ava was stunning—really, i’m not just saying it—with a dress that, to me at least, gave her an air of confidence and authority almost. i think it’s the first time, since i first met her in 1999 that i viewed her as a woman, as an adult. to be fair, i rarely consider myself an adult, so this is no small step.
check the photos to see this amazing venue, the stunning bride and groom, and i’m sure some embarrassing shots of the the rest of us. these kids have been in love for years now, and i’ve been lucky enough to weave in and out of their lives, first at scient, then at yahoo, and now as friends.
the execution of this microsoft project plan was flawless… from the funky musical processional with light but perfectly-execute voiceovers, to the outdoor dinner, to the deejay who played the perfectly appropriate mix of disco staples for the old folks and littluns, to some reasonably-eclectic 80s and some daring 90s dance tracks. and this is coming from a music snob.
the highlight for me, of course, was sitting down to dinner. i’d scoped out the seating arrangement after the ceremony. not recognizing any of the placesettings at my table, i decided to hang out at the bar, chatting with my scient and yahoo friends. eventually, the venue hostess came over to spank me back to my table.
i was the last to be seated, and i glanced around, introducing myself to the six smiling faces around me. as i started to shake hands, the girl across from me started giggling. eric, it’s me!
click: she looks familiar.
click: i know her.
click: and him.
click: and her, and her.
click: and maybe him.
scratch…
hmm…
umm…
it’s me, rebecca! i’m fat, it’s okay…
i still have no clue who these people are, but they look damned familiar. too familiar. but, how? they must be scient people. no. that’s not it.
this is the caltech table, silly!
i go scarlet, as i begin to place everyone. he was in student government with me, she was in my phys 2 class, and rebecca, of course, was a great friend of adrienne, one of my best friends from tech and who dated my roommate jason for some time.
the next few hours were spent with them catching me up on six years of caltech gossip, resurrecting nearly-repressed memories from those crazy four years i spent having a lobotomy and having fun and nervous breakdowns and becoming smart while getting my heart trampled. good times.
what were these six caltech peeps doing at ava’s wedding? ava used to date tim. tim went to caltech. tim was really cute. eric remembers one night in the hot tub… and another night in front of the fireplace at the end of finals week.
anyway, i’m very happy for ava and shane… i’m a big fan in the institution of marriage [surprised?] and can’t think of a better couple to get hitched, procreate and better society with their skydiving, big-brained offspring.







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