This photo was taken at Enn’s and my first competition together, at the then ‘new’ Parliament House in Canberra. We had SO MUCH FUN and made both the Ballroom and Latin finals for our grade – we came second in Ballroom – and the whole evening is filled with thrilling memories. It was probably one of the 10 best nights of my life.
Recently I found a VHS tape from the comp, which I’ve just dropped off to be converted to digital.
I don’t watch the video, the guy insisted when I called last week to ask about the service. Dude, it’s not a sex tape, I wanted to reassure him. I mean, obviously all my sex tapes are on Betamax as it’s a superior technology. I bet he gets asked the question a lot though, so he preemptively works the answer into his spiel.
I got lost looking for the place, as is my wont, despite its being RIGHT NEAR MY HOUSE. After studying Google maps, I confidently put my phone away, because I remembered I don’t know how to read Google maps.
I re-traced my steps, ignoring the man in the street watching me pass yet again with an amused smile on his face. Do I really want to see what’s on this tape, I wondered. Isn’t it better to leave memories alone, all misty and watercolor, than to resolve them into digitized high-def? Though, given the video was made in 1994, the footage is probably less high definition and more low synonym.
I pressed the doorbell to the guy’s apartment. As I waited in the dim hallway in my blush-colored trench and black stiletto ankle boots, I felt like I was there to score. I tried to commit to the mood and recall lingo from The Wire, but instead my brain said Please enjoy these lyrics from Safety Dance (it does that a lot), which totally killed the buying-illicit-drugs-in-a-sketchy-building vibe. Still, it’s hard to feel cross with your brain when it’s singing Safety Dance to you. Mid second-verse the door opened and I was pleased the guy didn’t invite me in as I handed over my video and USB and he told me to come back on Tuesday.
I walked home pondering the past. Would it be better to let sleeping sequins lie? Yeah, maybe. But you know what? I’m too curious not to see what’s on that tape. And I don’t want to be afraid of looking at things the way they really are/were. Plus, I think no matter what we find in life, those Men Without Hats are right: friends, WE CAN DANCE.
