September 10th, 2003
My Girl
Senior year in high school I was just beginning to get the social politics together that I’d depend on all through college. A card-carrying thespian and Associate Editor of “The Governor” (playfully called the Patriot Missal), I had opportunities and the motivation to get into some fun stuff. One such event was the first “Mr. TJ Pageant“. Put together by the thespians, Mr. TJ was the chance for the school’s most outgoing (and egotistical) men to compete for the title of archetypal male student. Events included the tuxedo competition, the swimsuit competition, question and answer, and of course, the talent competition. Though I may have not had an adonis-like body or the best tux (inventory problem at my tailor), I felt I scored a hit with my talent…
Equestrian Showtune Dancing.
I made up a little intro on the back of a program about how I discovered this rare wedding ritual while in the backwater districts of nearby Uniontown and that it signified fertility and good fortune for the lucky couple. However something this nonsensical could of course only be spawned from my own mind. So my friend in the art department and I made a cardboard and papier-mache’ horse head while another friend and I dyed a jumpsuit and some socks brown. Then I got my friend Adam to put on the ridiculous getup and dance around with me on stage to lip-synched version of “I Don’t Need Anything But You” from Annie. I choreographed all kinds of leaps and body gestures, Adam’s improvising made it even better. But the element that really put it over the top is the introduction of my best friend Mark riding around stage on a bicycle wearing a straw hat and Hawaiian shirt while the MCs started a cancan stage left. Random doesn’t begin to describe it. It rocked.
Anyway, the point of this blog is I heard “My Girl” at lunch today at the aurally ecclectic Furansu steak house. While the judges of Mr. TJ were deliberating, the contestants performed a well-choreographed dance number to “My Girl” courtesy of Dija Pathik. It was pretty good, we all had our personal corny solos. It was such a memorable event that whenever I heard that song now I always think of Dija, and the guys hamming up her dance, and a horse…and the laughter.
