Day 38

Redbone by Childish Gambino

I love the show Mad Men for many reasons. My Grandpa used to say it’s the most accurate depiction of the ’60’s he had ever seen.

It’s reassuring to know that my grandpa was definitely just slamming whiskey at 9am with his coworkers talking about the Johnson account.

Don Draper famously said “Nostalgia – it’s delicate, but potent.” when describing the carousel.

“It’s a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards… it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It let’s us travel the way a child travels – around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know are loved.”

This is exactly how I feel society treats the year 2016.

I was fortunate enough to live at its peak – senior year of high school. All was right in the world.

The nostalgic bend for 2016 is absurd, sure. But there’s a reason why it exists. The music, movies, events, all woven perfectly into this one year that is one we look back on quite fondly.

For me, it brings me back to a perfect evening with my little brother.

I was a senior, my brother was a freshman. We went to Noodles and Company prior to seeing Get Out, Jordan Poole’s blockbuster 2016 hit.

I’m pretty sure I was wearing my green team hoodie. It was sort of this staple senior would wear that would have your graduating year on the back followed by a nickname of your choice. The cool thing to do was to cut off the sleeves to make sure everyone knew you were a senior.

We walked into the movie, saw a few other fellow seniors on my way to our seat. They had told us they had smoked before the movie – loud enough for my brother to hear. I played it off cool and we went to our seat.

I’d like to think the younger freshman hanging with his older senior brother moment was a lot like that kitchen scene in Goodfellas when Karen drifts through the sea of excitement with Henry on their way to their table. One trap door opening after the other, swimming through cooks and bussers while greeting everyone in sight.

Anyways, this song came on in the intro on their way to the cabin. It always reminds me of a 2016 core memory – one I’m glad to share with my little brother.