A flood of memories

I’m going to some law conference that for some reason my boss wants me to attend. Some hotel right off Wang Fu Jing- the 5th ave of Beijing- called the Peninsula hotel. Had to ask a friend just where it was. Running late as usual but have noticed that in this country that doesn’t matter much. I’m having a somewhat hazy morning after partying kinda late with hayley’s ex, Mr. Todd Arthur [are you picking up what I’m putting down?” hee hee]. Find the hotel, find a woman to direct me to the conference I’m attending. “Up the stairs”. The stairs. Huge white marble stairs. Flash back to my senior year, the first time I set my eyes on these stairs. I’m in a similar state of mind- except instead of being exhausted and hungover I’m quite inebriated for my 18 year old self. Senior prom. I’m uncomfortable in my silk alley purchased prom dress, girlie shoes, I think someone put make up on me and forced me to wear pantyhose, g-d help me. I stumble up these grand stairs laughing with my slew of dates [prom was a much more chill experience then] only to look up and see the principal of the school and [his wife] the guidance counselor waiting to greet us. Hope this isn’t a sobriety check. Back to this morning- I carefully reach the top of the stairs to see another familiar ISB [Int’l School of Beijing, common on now…] shining face- a guy I wasn’t particularly friends with, but he recognizes me, we chat, I get the phone number of an old class mate of mine whose also in BJ. Love those random connections. I rush to coffee in an attempt to keep me awake during the lectures, peer into the grand ballroom and see the kids form my geography class, English class, not in their traditional high school garb but all dressed up- glittering gowns. Tuxes. There Tim, looking as cute as ever, too bad I just don’t like the boys in that way. Mom always liked him, but word has it she’s gotta man. I size up the crowd and realize that most of the squares in my class did not follow the age old American tradition of [as we say in non- parents world] getting shitfaced prior to arrival at the famed prom; well that’s what I get for hanging with the bad kids. Back at the law conference. Coffee break. I look out on the day light and see my 18 year old self leaving the hotel, its 7 am and I’ve spent just a few short hours trying to sleep on the floor of my friends rented hotel room. I get in a cab on this beautiful blue sky summer Sunday morning, schlep home, which is 45 min even without traffic. On my ride home I recall some of the events from the early morning- recalling the feeling of knowing that this time in my life is coming to an end soon. Not only high school, not only china, those were major enough in themselves, but that this group of people will never be together again. Out school will be destroyed. Folk’s parents will move away, classmates will go to uni and get jobs in far away countries. We will all lose touch. I enjoy these random places in BJ like the Peninsula hotel and the slippery giant white staircase where I can take a trip down memory lane and jump into my 18 year old head. My next move was to gradumatate. Then take a solo trip home, stopping in Singapore to visit my sis. Spend 8 hours in the Tokyo airport, learn to shower in a sink. Arrive in Chicago. Stare at all the white folk, think I know them all, my first bite of reverse culture shock. Mom tells me Mema is dieing. We are sad, but as she says, shes lived a long life and is ready to go. But she always wanted to know what young Claire would get up to. As my mom and I joked, ‘good thing she missed the lesbian venture.’ You thought she had trouble adjusting to Mark’s nose ring… eating outside on the patio at Mema’s country club. Uncle Tom at the head of the table makes a toast, to Mema, although she is not with us, she would love to see us all eating together, all here together. I hope she would also love to see that young Claire off doing whateva it is that I’m doing…
Thanks for reading folks.