On the Class of 1987

First Graders Primed for Success.

Thank you, Ms. Hall (far left), for instilling in your six-year-old students the diligence and skills required to become the hard-working (early) 30-somethings we are today, and to facebook for the unanticipated ability to track down names and faces we might otherwise have forgotten. Last row - blue and white stripes - my childhood nemesis with whom I was frequently paired in class photos, school performances, and classroom configurations - turned out to be a fellow English major and favorite facebook companion, with more in common than we ever would have guessed. Four heads to the right, a seasoned photographer in London whose birthday parties were once marked by piñata's filled with strawberry-flavored powder sugar, stands alongside Mr. Yellow Sweater, a musician in the City of New York whose refusal to chop off his (then) permanently-braided (ten-inch) tail received overly-enthusiastic adulations from classmates and teachers alike . A curly-haired successful Apple manager on the end (with whom I ate pickles in my backyard on a daily basis) stands behind two proud parents of (separate) bright-eyed children, encompassing the best features of their parent's childlike selves. And a few toothless smiles to the left - brunette in red sweater and blond in the interminable pink - my elementary school crush unsurprisingly became a lauded grade-school science teacher and recent father to a praise-worthy son (nicknamed Chicken Nugget) while my childhood best friend, also a (nursery school) teacher, pursues her masters degree in education (--we have plans next weekend). The front row unknowingly reflects the eventual photographic accomplishments of white-dog-shirt-girl, who sits quietly next to a revered and deeply missed classmate - my 1992 valentine - who died in a tragic bicycle accident a few short years ago. And, finally, three seats to the right, my newest facebook friend (to date) proudly shows off his rugged work boots and matching tie, years before becoming a father (and devoted fan of The Simpsons). Enjoy!

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