April 24, 2002 // 2:58 p.m. // Post authors gala

So about the author's gala...

I was all about it with the exception of the whole dressing up thing. Wear what you want as long as it isn't a "crumpled t-shirt or jeans." That eliminates 95% of what I own. I went to the suit, decided to nix the slacks (even though they asked for slacks) and decided on my khaki pants with a dress shirt and a red tie. Only one problem.

My shirt was dirty around the collar.

Actually, two problems. It was 5:16, meaning I had only thirty minutes, and couldn't find my other white shirt.

So now I have a dirty shirt, a tie that has a minor stain that cannot be removed from the first time I wore it and I need to leave soon. And my hair looks terrible. My mom, the genius that she is, suggests I wear my leather jacket (like a sport coat) over the shirt, to minimize the discoloration around the collar. I looked quite spiffy. I may have to use the leather coat/khaki/red tie combo again.

The gala started at 6:30. Working backwards, you figure in order to arrive by, let's say 6:20, we'd have to leave by 5:45, as it's about a 35 minute drive. I walked outside, looked for my dad, and he was out taking the new car for a test drive. He arrived, I jumped in the car, and off we were, just a few minutes behind schedule.

And then he realized he was low on gas.

So he comes up with a "genius" plan. He'd get gas at 7-11 (which has the slowest pumps) and we'd jump onto the 5th South freeway. Only one problem. There is no 5th South freeway entrance. For the record, there are two freeway entrances right down the street from our house. We could have turned either way, stopped at a gas station and suffered little, as getting gas would be on the way. It would have been conventional.

But of course, this is my dad. He's never done anything conventional.

He took us a mile and a half out of our way, to a foreign freeway entrance. The time: 6:10. Still 35 minutes from campus.

When we did arrive (at about 6:35) he said he'd wait the full 150 minutes for me in Ogden rather than having me take the bus home. He told me he'd get his oil changed and stuff, and to call when ready. This saved me. It meant not having to stress out about catching the last bus of the night.

I arrived...early. The first half hour was mingling time. I looked for Nikolina, then sat at an empty table and perused the literary mag. Twenty minutes later, we were starting. Still no Nikolina.

We began with an invocation, and just as the Metaphor adviser began speaking, Nikolina walked in, and sat to my left. And sure, it was because there weren't a lot of empty seats, but she walked right past a few, and sat by me. Later, she read a portion of her story, about a family coming to America, and it was by far the best.

Everything went off without a hitch. Afterward, I congratulated Nikolina, and told her I liked her story. "Thank you" she responded with her eastern accent. Due to me not being able to hear my broadcast of my poem on school radio today, I bought the CD with everyone reading their poetry. Now I have Nikolina's voice preserved on compact disc.

As I was leaving, I was approached by the Metaphor adviser.

"Jason. Hi. I really enjoyed your poem. You should take some creative writing classes or join the staff. I think you have a gift."

"Thanks. I took creative writing classes in high school."

He kept telling me this, and I kept trying to believe it. The poem that was published was one of my least favorites. My stuff didn't measure up to the rest. Maybe he asked me to join the staff because I've had three things published in the last two years.

The Editor in Chief also spoke with me. I guess I left some kind of impression on both of them, because they knew me by name, with the adviser having never met me, and the editor having only met me once.

Maybe I'll post some of my stuff in the next few days. Just the stuff I enjoyed, because it seems whether it's high school or college, everyone wants to publish my least favorite poems.

Jason

Last time on Apexsensatin : Now on Apex : Apex Archives : Next time on Apexsensatin

Which Ani DiFranco Album Are You? Brought to you by Tracie