Ousmane W. 31/365

You really didn’t seem married when we started up.
It couldn’t have been more wrong for us to be together.
I was supposed to be turning your Muslim soul to Christ.
You were turning me into a woman.

Kelly K. 30/365

You were short, fast and mean.
Favorite color was Kelly Green.
“Wanna come over and play? You can pick the game.”
“Okay. Trouble?”
“No, Monopoly.”
You became a recluse when you hit and killed someone in college.

Cassie 29/365

“I didn’t see you at Alvin’s funeral. I thought if anybody, you’d be there.”

“His, his what?”

“You didn’t know? Oh, God. I’m so sorry.”

“What happened?”

He was crushed by a giant roll of newspaper print.

Alvin 28/365

My first. You screwed me over and screwed me up so that I’ll never be the same again.
What a shock when you said you went through therapy about it.
Thanks for reconciling with me—a rare gift.

Jason L. 27/365

When we were four, you paused a game of chase to take a leak right there.
"Can I see your thingy?...And touch it?"
And you said, "Yes."
“Oh, it’s spongy.”
Then back to our game of chase.

Derek 26/365

You were such a nice boy. Super polite and on some committee that planned all the dances so you were always the first one to ask me. I had to find clever ways to turn you down.

Miss Barelski 25/365

Dreamy first grade story time.

"Gotta crawl, gotta crawl, gotta crawl
To the Ugly Bug Ball, to the ball, to the ball.
What a happy time we’ll have there
One and all at the Ugly Bug Ball!”

Mrs. Perks 24/365

Second grade, yarn-haired pumpkin, chrysalis, long frizzy hair, colored chalk with which you spelled of “uv” to see if we’d catch it. You remembered me twenty years later at my nephew’s party. You looked just the same.

Chris D. 23/365

Buck teeth, blue eyes, wavy blond hair.
"Batter, batter, batter, suh-wing batter!"
Memorized "whether ‘tis nobler...to suffer the slings and arrows…"
Mr. Albright never asked if the girls wanted to try. Feminism hadn’t hit our small town.

Bryan H 21/365

“Amy, when are Chris&Bryan coming over?” “Chris&Bryan are coming over at 9 o’clock.” “But when’s Bryan coming over?” “Chris and Bryan are coming over at 9 o’clock.” “Yeah, but...” Mt. Dew-guzzling Mormon boy. Married with children, bald.

Chris M. 20/365

“Amy, when are Chris&Bryan coming over?” “Chris&Bryan are coming over at 9 o’clock.” “But when’s Bryan coming over?” “Chris and Bryan are coming over at 9 o’clock.” “Yeah, but...” Mt. Dew-guzzling Mormon boy. Now you’re a cop.

Penny 19/365

Told me to throw out my Tears for Fears album, The Seeds of Love, because the cover was covered with evil images of other religions, but the music spoke to my soul and my soul said, “No!”

Mr. Maloney 18/365

"Clean fingernails? Combed hair?"
Wore mod bell bottoms, skinny turtlenecks.
If we were good, you’d play guitar on Fridays, let us sing.
We must’ve always been good.
Maybe you liked singing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Michael Deo 17/365

You made kindergarten.

Waltzed in my grandmother’s kitchen.
Played with the tiny wooden black Lab.

Your house had a miniature pretend toaster.
We played house.

So grown up and serious,
While the grown ups talked about nothing.

Willy Watts 16/365

First grade, first love, first kiss.
You smelled so good, like a boy.
So dreamy, that sweet smell never to be found again.
Fourth grade, first couples skate.
Sixth grade, TV kissing down by the frozen creek.

Jeremy B. 15/365

I fell so hard for you. I had it bad. We were the A-Team. You were Ace. I was—the girl. Watched Risky Business, then tried some of it. I was never afraid of anything with you.

Ceasar (SESS-are) Payne 14/365

African American Whitman College guy they held the plane for.
I said, “There you are. Saved you a seat.”
We talked the whole way--through snacks, drinks, dinner and Ghost.
You should have seen our folks’ faces.

Dusty 13/365

Pint-sized gymnast with killer abs. Who, besides you, ever believed you’d marry my best friend after a twenty-year crush? You treat her like a princess, which is nice to see. Hurt her and I’ll whoop your ass.

Amy F. 12/365

Onion Amy.
My b-b-b-very-good friend.
My momma’s chocolate baby.
First drink, first joint.
Would never have made it through HS without you.
Thanks for putting up with my Jesus years.
Was not in your wedding—crushed me.

Randy S. 11/365

Knew you were gay in high school.
Just a fact.
Preacher’s son. Piano prodigy.
At FM yesterday
Was pretty clear
You are out and
Happy.
You probably assumed
I’m still closed minded.
But I’m happy for you.

Mr. Schaub 10x365

How did I not know you were gay? All HS Drama teachers who live with their “friend” in Portland are gay. Missed your memorial service. Did they think I would judge you? I don’t know, but damn.

Paul C. 9/365

Of Tom ‘n Paul. Di Janeiro Joe, amazing cartoonist, piano player. I didn’t think you were cute enough or cool enough. I should’ve fallen for you on raw talent alone. I was such a dork. ack phifft.

Christopher 8/365

Very blonde kid in math class
Dedicated REO Speedwagon songs to me
Asked me out
I said no
Committed suicide
Was sure it was my fault
"A 'garage' accident."
His parents didn’t want to believe the truth.

Mr. Nichols 7/365

Coke bottle glasses.
Sat backwards in a student desk.

"Did you have an orgy this weekend? Look it up."

Drank cough syrup from a bottle in a paper bag at your desk.
You taught me to think.

Mr. Spanish Teacher 6/365

Held the lunch room door open for me.

“Gracias,” my only Spanish word.

He said, “De nada.”

I said, “Huh?”

He explained.

Hottest teacher in school. Everybody liked him.
He committed suicide. They say he shot himself.

Mr. Ball 5/365

Worst math teacher ever. Tall, slouching, balding, with a nasal voice, brown polyester in the neon 80’s. Bueller. Bueller. The nastiest comb over ever. Mr. Ball. Dick Ball. What 14 year old could possibly take you seriously?

Mr. Huserik 4/365

Best math teacher ever. Tall, slouching, balding, with red mustache and a nasal voice. Funny as hell. Called me Stanley. Such a methodical mind. Wish it were mine. Wanted it all to make so much sense, but it never did.

Mr. Gingerich 3/365

I was sure you were old because of the way you talked about the new hair growing out of your ears instead of from the top of your head, but really you were only my age. You made all the boys mad and all the girls cry and all of us better singers and musicians for it. Thank you for teaching us music theory every single year and turning us on to Amadeus. And for trusting me, pushing me with Dolly. You knew I would love her and I did.

Tom S. 2/365

"Nicely passing out the citrus." Best actor/singer/enigma. I was always trying to break through that shell to get to that gooey inside, but you never cracked. Always a pleasure working with you. I hear you’re still around.

Greg H. 1/365

My first friend at Ackerman Jr. High, my first boyfriend after The Move. We never kissed, though, because the other Karen, with an “e”, told me not to be friends with you because you were a geek. I was never friends with her, but dummy me, I broke up with you anyway. You were too smart and too lanky and all our moms loved you. They saw what we couldn’t, that you were a catch and that two years out of high school you’d grow into yourself and look like Tom Cruise.