The night began as SVPA’s performance of A.R Gurney’s timeless play, The Dining Room, concluded. The destination was Izzi’s. Always reliable, Izzi was prepared to host another intimate gathering for techies and actors. Flocked by new freshmen friends, Annie and Sarah trekked toward the move while Jane opted for vehicular transport.
We arrived to Izzi’s early, where the body count was under 20. Tech members sat around a coffee table and began to debate the morality of zoos. A curious freshman asked Jane privately, “Are all tech moves like this?” and Jane quickly reassured her that things were about to get a whole lot crazier, and oh boy, did they!
SVPA actors gathered around the soda-pong table, mingling with ease. German exchange student Sophie, well liked by all, took to the pong table with pride, demonstrating her comfort with Montclair culture. Chloe noted, “I love Sophie the foreign exchange student,” and told her never to go back to Germany.
Around 11 pm, Izzi’s family arrived home. They brushed solo cups aside and made space on the counter for hot styrofoam takeout containers. Cameron and Gabe took handfuls of french fries and smiled with the warmth of a hundred suns. Amani helped out Lena F by hijacking the aux and playing Usher’s, “Yeah” two full times. She performed a nuanced version of his hit single, adding her unique flare.
At 11:30, Annie took an Uber to Eric’s, destination 2, with Glynnis and Sarah, burning a hefty 6 dollar hole in her pocket. Jane remained at Izzi’s where the move population shifted between the soda-pong room in the front of the house and the frigid backyard. Outside, Jane gained some insight about MHS from fellow graduating seniors who have truly seen it all. Sam N revealed that, “Credit recovery is not a thing at any other school in America.” and Cameron raised questions about why there are 5 math levels for freshmen to choose from.
After Annie reported that Eric’s was lit, Amani, Jane and Cameron loaded into an Uber where Steven transported them safely to Lorraine Avenue. Immediately upon arriving, Jane ripped her tights and Sophia located clear nail polish in a house packed with people. As Sophia began painting over the tear to prevent it from spreading, Glynnis approved with vigor. “Oh yeah… That was the right thing to do. Very smart. You are going to be happy you did that... Great idea.” The vibe at Eric’s was definitely different than that of Izzi’s. Maggie observed, “There's about 1 delegate from every friend group here,” and Will J aired his grievances to Bonnie, saying, “There's been 5 times where I’ve been quoted for the review and they haven't put me in.”
Eric and Brian stood in the doorway of the kitchen while Eric reflected on the implications of being a host. He noted, “It's all about having fun, even when you're hosting you need to have a good time,” concluding with, “P.S, get your ass on the dance floor.”
Sebi insisted that Annie needed a pep talk and summoned pep-gawd Ellery to assist him on his mission. The two teen boys screamed words of enthusiasm close to Annie’s face and encouraged her to find her inner lion. Overwhelmed, she left the kitchen to find Jack, always good for a quote. He said, “This move has a heavy raw dog presence with a twist of sophomore girl. The highlight of the evening was the kicking out of innumerable 10th grade boys followed by unanimous cheering.” Meandering back into the kitchen, Annie spotted Sophia trying on Kurt’s glasses. She aptly noted, “I look like Dwight Eisenhower.”
Annie, Jane, and 6 others loaded into Daisy’s minivan at around 12:30 am. Inspired by the friendship she felt so strongly surrounded by in the car, Annie blessed the aux with The Band Perry’s single, If I Die Young, and Jane could not control her laughter. Amani tried to offer life advice to Annie in basketball terminology by saying, “you're playing defense like Howard in 2012.” Alas, she didn’t understand.
Thank you to two great hosts!
Izzi’s:
Overall Rating: 7.2
Female to Male Ratio: 7:4
Redeeming Quality: Community
Eric’s:
Overall Rating: 6.8
Female to Male Ratio: 3:2
Redeeming Quality: Virility
