sometimes i travel a long way to see a facebook friend and f2fb friend #274 victoria stone-grace traveled to visit me! she and her friend marcus drove three hours from northampton, massachusetts to see me in new york before i headed back to winnetka. i hadn’t seen tory in such a long time that i was worried i wouldn’t recognize her. but then i saw a tall, cool, sophisticated gal amidst the earnest tourists, somberly dressed natives and, oh, yes, the santas.
new york city was host to a santa run and so a quarter of the people in midtown manhattan were dressed as either santa, a sexy santa, or an elf. i was dressed as a midwestern middle aged lady who lives out of a suitcase
then i saw a long, tall, sophisticated drink of a lady. with a dude in a striped sweater. tory grace had ARRIVED! tory is my younger son’s eastman’s age, she’s a sophomore at smith college and she had moved with her family from winnetka when she was in seventh grade to live in texas. i am facebook friends with both her and her brother alex. up until a few months ago, alex lived in chicago and i sort of assumed i would get to see him when my schedule lightened up a bit. then he was transferred by his company to mexico city. i’ve already been on a one day trip to mexico city and know i won’t get to see him before the new year–
tory told me a curious story that forms one of her most vivid memories of me: she and eastman were in fourth grade and had both been sentenced to detention. as we all know, detention goes on your permanent record and can bar you from later success in life. when i came to pick up eastman, i offered tory a ride home. she was very upset thinking that she was now on the fast track to failuretown. i told her no worries.
“you’re tall, beautiful, and you’re going to be a supermodel when you grow up,” i said. “and i might as well teach you how to walk like a supermodel right now so you’ll be ready when your big break comes.”
in order to walk like a supermodel, cross your right foot over your left leg so that it's actually to the left of that leg. then pull your left leg out from behind your right leg and place your right foot to the left of your left leg. this method is approved by giselle!
apparently, tory and i practiced supermodel walking up and down the hallway of crow island school until somebody told us to go home. it was with a heavy heart that i confessed to tory that i am not, and have never been, a supermodel. but that’s okay, because tory is a art history, philosophy and museum management triple threat major. she can be a supermodel whenever she chooses to be.
then i realized i had to get to the airport. i had f2fb friend #275 dave gotaas taking me to the apostolic church of God at eight a.m. the next morning. i had to rush. i asked tory and her friend what they were planning to do since they were already in new york. they said they were going to the museum of modern art. i did something that i could NEVER have done january first of this year. . .
thank you so much victoria stone-grace for coming to see me in new york and being part of my new year’s resolution!!! and if you decide on that supermodel thing, i’m happy to give you a refresher course on the walk. . .
arlynnpresser 
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