Funny, Unexpected Reunion

Summer, Emile, & Brendan in Alumni Hall, NYU

I got a call on Friday night that informed me my old schoolmate and pal, Emile, was in town from Michigan for the weekend. That's another thing about New York that is different than any other place I've lived--PEOPLE COME HERE. The same can't be said for Santa Cruz, California, which seemed like the a SUNNY SIBERIA to my friends who lived 30 miles away, or even Boston, MA--the shorter New York. New York is a place that people BREEZE in or WANT to go to.

I met Emile in the sandbox of Nursery Blue, at our old school, Peninsula. Although I don't remember the particulars, I think it's safe to assume we were probably two partially clothed 3 year olds, badly in need of baths, given that it was 1975, and we were products of hippies, and it was the SPIRIT OF THE TIMES. Emile has since grown up to don clothes and prove himself to be LIKE, TOTALLY SMART. He's currently studying brain science at the U. of Michigan. And normally, my own brain would shut down at the words BRAIN SCIENCE, but he is smart enough to make it totally interesting and exciting. He also has this WEIRD desire to GO TO THE LIMIT physically. He literally started out telling me about his next trip to California this way: "I am going to compete in a triathalon with a friend of mine. He has a pilot's license, so we are going to pack our bikes and FLY to a campground, ride our bikes the THIRTY MILES to the race, do the triathalon, and then ride our bikes BACK the thirty miles."

My words? "I'm tired."

It turned out that Emile was also seeking out another Peninsula School alumnus, Brendan Bellomo, who is studying film at NYU as an undergrad. I almost YELPED when I heard Brendan's name because I hadn't seen him since his eighth grade graduation 6 years ago. I knew Brendan from when I went back to my old school and did some project work with the fifth grade class, my first year out of college. It was a TOTAL BLAST and I fell in love with all the students and cried when I left. Brendan was one of the students I worked with. Because it is a total progressive school, and everyone is completely an individual, and very cool on their own, you're not supposed to have favorites, but I did have a favorite. Brendan was my favorite. He was one of those kids that is just funny and creative and totally smart. Then I moved to Boston and we lost touch--except for the 8th grade graduaion, which I had promised the class I'd return to celebrate with them. As it turns out, Emile tutored Brendan in sciences in high school, so THEY HAD HIT IT OFF. So here we were having this funny, unexpected reunion in New York City!

I met Emile wandering the streets aimlessly on Sunday. He explained that Brendan is a film student, as in an ARTY film student, which meant that he didn't get up BEFORE TWO IN THE AFTERNOON. I had completely forgotten this part of college existence. I myself had been up since 8:00--I was beginning to feel very old indeed. So Emile and I got lunch, waiting for Mr. Bellomo to take a shower and join us. When he did arrive, I was amazed to find that despite the three extra feet in height, and the funky eyeglasses he looked EXACTLY THE SAME. He is still a total goof, amazingly creative, and a smarty pants. I tried my best not to STARE at him like some FREAKY OLDER RELATIVE, but it was hard. I remember when he was making inventive, maze-like computer games with his best friend Japhy. Now he makes invetive ARTY music videos and short films with his best friend Japhy. (By the way, I could write a WHOLE OTHER blog entry on Japhy--who is a creative genius and part elf, but that will have to wait for another time.)

Brendan took us back to his dorm room, and upon enering the dorm building, we were hit immdeiately with STUDENT LIFE. The entrance way was crowded with fliers and announcements. There was some sort of crazy event happenning with handspun cotton candy being made and a buffet of mac and cheese, Indian food. A girl saw us and said, "Have some!" Then when we went up to Brendan's room, it made me laugh becuase it was SUCH a dorm room. It was crammed to the hilt with dirty dishes, projects in various stages, filming equipment, postcards, and occasionally, you spied a small stack of books. He showed us some of his short films that he had been working on. They were amazing, of course. Mostly animated, highly imaginative, funny, with a science fiction twist. Not unlike the director himself.

When Emile and I walked out, we both were in a daze. Emile said, "Wow. That was incredible." I said, "His films are amazing. I can't believe it, but he's exactly the same!" Emile said, "Still so full of energy and enthusiasm. It's really infectious."
"And inspiring."
"Yes."

When we got down to the lobby, all that remained were the remnants of mac and cheese. The cotton candy had been spirited away and there wasn't a trace of it left.