10 years ago this week began my epic year. I think everyone must have one of those - the summer of memories that get shared forever, the year you long to go back and experience again. I feel like I would like to share with you what I remember from that year, before I start to forget details, things are still pretty vivid in my mind.
The Summer of 98 - Where it all began
It's hard to believe that 10 years have past. I had an easier time last year imagining that a was a decade older than high school, but somehow I can't quite wrap my head around this one.
It started the first week in July. I was training to go to Regionals with my horse Kosto (Who passed away this year at the ripe old age of 23). I was working on Driediger's Strawberry Farms, and I knew that I had to go away for competitions, so I sent my friend Roxanna in to take my shifts. Roxanna and I knew each other from Grade 9 French Immersion, and Hallway Lunches, Grad, and a fun summer of roller hockey and SNL. Our true connected friendship though, I believe didn't start until this past week 10 years ago.
Throughout that summer at Driedigers we connected over Matthew Good, bought our guitars and started dreaming of our own band, danced in the booth, did phone in radio concerts, envisioned funny things about the next door turf farm, stayed up really late watching SNL, and talked alot about life. I went to my first big concert- Edgefest 98 which was a truly a "moment" of my life. I met James and Jenny who Roxy met at UVIC and would later become friends of mine as well. When it was time for Roxy to go back to university in the fall I was heartbroken at being left behind at school here. I made plans to visit frequently, and I did.
I visited Victoria for the first time for Halloween Weekend. 18, wide eyed and unsure of what fun we would get up to, armed with visions of university parties and dorms. Well, it sure didn't disappoint. I remember getting off the bus in the dark, wandering with directions to find a dorm, and ended up calling Roxanna to come and meet me. She brought Liv with her (I think that I met Liv once before at a hotel previously and we went to the movies, but I can't totally remember- sorry Livy!). We went to the school movie theatre and watched Army of Darkness which is a pretty wild movie itself. Liv and Roxanna had a good start on some Malibu and Pineapple juice, and I think I tried some out a bit myself- that would have been my first drink. I slept on some couch cushions on the floor of the dorm. At 3 in the morning, there was a knock on the door, a vaguely remember sitting up groggily as Roxy opened the door and there was James and a friend at the door. Afterwards I asked Roxanna who the friend was - she told me and I stated. "I'm going to marry him".
Now of course, this would be an incredible story for future generations if that friend was Kevin, so I'm sorry to burst the bubble, but I didn't meet Kevin until about 3 years later. So, why did I mention the story? Well that first meeting began a pretty significant portion of my growing up life.
The next night, was Halloween. I was dressed as a a pink bunny. I had made some ears, and a fuzzy shirt and was wearing overalls. Roxanna took me to a house party, I think it was her friend Kate's house. It was on the bus on the way to the party that I got to see Jenny and James again, and met their friends Scott B(officially known at the time as Wacko) and Scott H. I remember Roxy being a princess, James being a slug (a truly epic costume complete with garbage bags and vasoline), Scott H being Shaggy and Wacko being James Brown. After the party, we went back to the basement of Margaret Newton and that's when I had my first taste of alcohol. I could lie and say it was a taste, but James was very generous in letting me try just about everything in his cabinet. Having no experience previously, I truly didn't understand the concept of limits. There was Lucky beer, coolers, Wildcat, White Russians, gosh there must have been more. The kicker was a shot of straight dark rum from a guy named Nick. After that things get understandably fuzzy.
Even having to ride a very rocky ferry the next day didn't deter me from visiting again and again - pretty much every month. I was developing friends and crushes and more of my real life was in Victoria than Vancouver. The kicker was the Huevos Rancheros concert in April, the first real true kiss, and knowing that my future was meant to be in Victoria. I had to go to school through the summer, but having a fall break - I jumped on the chance to move there for 4 months.
I have to say, that those 4 months didn't shape up to be as exciting as I would have hoped. I suppose that I imagined that I would be having as much fun every day as I did one weekend a month visiting, but I don't regret getting my first bit of true independence (and a toe ring ;) ) So in saying that, my epic year ended through the summer of 99.
I did end up moving to Victoria the fall of 2000. A lot of things had changed at that point and there were high points (weekly 80's nights that I still miss to this day every Wednesday) and low points (a broken, no scratch that, crushed heart and strained but mended friendships).
Things have changed so much since those years. I'm happier now on a whole than I ever was then as a young women struggling to find her way, but I still long sometimes to have it all back again - even for just a weekend. Try and live like we did with reckless abandonment, limited responsibilities and randomness. To sit in the shade and play our guitars, go out to all hours wandering and wondering. To be panicking about turning 20 not 30, imagine that!
So, I'm going to raise an imaginary toast to the summer of 1998, everyone in it and how it shaped my future. Cheers!
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