Angel of Mine

So the story of the song is...

Well, okay, give me a little leeway here
Because, I mean, I was fourteen
Annnnnnd when you're fourteen
And a love song comes out
That's that popular
You're going to have...

I mean, I'm just saying
It's not the deepest song in the world
And I recognize that, but...

Ha!--Okay, sorry, so...

I was at the Sadie Hawkins Dance
...By myself

Let that, you know, sink in for a second

Like, I could have asked any boy
But I was too nervous to ask anybody
But I still wanted to go
Because, you know, it's a dance
Dances are fun
I'm a freshman in high school
Everything is fun

So instead, what I did was, I went to the dance
And I just hung out, and when people would ask me
Who my date was
I'd say 'Michael'
And then motion towards the bathroom
As if, like, Michael was in the bathroom

And the whole school was at this dance
So, I think people just thought--

Oh, okay, Michael
That makes sense
Have fun, Tara

At least, that's what I was hoping
They were thinking
When in reality
They were probably totally aware
That I was there alone
Because everybody knows exactly
Who's going to the dance with who--

But ANYWAY

I'm at the dance

And 'Angel of Mine' by Monica comes on

And, you know, a part of me had known
That this was going to be the worst moment of the night
The moment when the slow song comes on
And they dim the lights
And everybody couples up
And there I am, by myself
Up against the wall
Typical loser

SO--my plan was to duck into the girls bathroom
And just wait the song out
Until 'Tubthumping' came on
When I feel this tapping on my shoulder

So I turn around
And there's this absolutely BEAUTIFUL boy
Just standing there

I mean, like, somebody who belonged in a magazine
Like, a good magazine too
Not like Time

And I go--Uh, hi--Because I didn't recognize him
But I mean, I was a freshman
There were tons of people at my school
I didn't know
So I say--mouth hanging out, because, again, GORGEOUS

'Um, hi?'

And he says 'Soooo are we gonna dance?'

And I'm like 'We're, uh, who?'

Because, you know, eloquence
My strong suit

And he says 'Dance'
Like he's trying to teach me the word

And I say, 'I'm sorry, who are you?'

And he says, 'I'm Michael'

...And I say 'OHMYGODAREYOUKIDDING?'

No, not really
I don't say that
Sorry

I just, you know, go onto the dance floor with him
Annnnd we dance
And people look at us
And it's Ah-mazing
And then the song is over
And he says 'Thanks.  That was nice'
And he walks away

And for the rest of high school
Like, all four years
I go around asking everybody
Who
That
Guy
Was

Nobody knew him
Nobody had heard of him
People SAW him
I mean, I wasn't the only one
It's not that kind of thing
He wasn't in my head, I mean
But--I guess he could have been from another school or something
Maybe he snuck in
But...how would he have known about the 'Michael' thing?

Unless his name really was Michael
I mean, it's a common name
That's why I picked it, but...

...The story, I mean, if you want the story of the song
My story of it, anyway
Is that...

That...ha, oh god, this is...

That was...the most romantic moment
Of my life

I mean, don't get me wrong
My wedding was lovely, but--

A beautiful boy just appearing out of thin air
So we could dance
To THE most powerful love song
Ever, of all time?

How could it ever get better than that?

God...

1998 was such a good year