i was wearing something far more low-cut and clingy than i would normally dare--my frame definitely on the zaftig side of the spectrum these days--but felt i had the swagger that night to pull it off. i even wore open-toed shoes. another of my arbitrary fashion No-Nos. well, it's not really arbitrary. i don't like my feet much. but all the stars aligned and i somehow managed to go to three classes after work that week and squeeze in a hair appointment, shopping for the fete, and a pedicure.i didn't do it alone--Crystal prepared the apartment and carted me around on errands. Sarah conceptualized the menu and came over after work on the 4th and made all the food. Meanwhile, Vanessa, graphics designer whiz kid was hard at work coding www.salimahjperkins.com in time for a b-day release.
as i predicted, i did feel lit from within, but there was a moment when i also felt like a deflated balloon. mr. close encounters left early, ostensibly to support a friend who was performing somewhere on charles street. a soloist. a woman. he said we should get together again to celebrate our (his was a mere two days after mine) and my sister's birthdays, but i wasn't sure if those were words parsed as an apology for having to leave before everyone else...
