The Playgroup

New York, NY

My parents managed to move to a neighborhood in suburban Connecticut that had couples expecting children within the year. This meant that my brother and I had a built-in group of friends literally across the street. One of these kids, Paul (lower right-hand corner) managed to find this photo in a shoebox and uploaded it to his Flickr account and contacted me via the omnipresent eye of Google.

This photo is notable for a number of reasons. First, I estimate it was probably taken somewhere between 1982 and 1983 and it's amazing what changes in 27 years. Second, while sporting the bowl-cut that I'd have for the better part of 15 years, it looks as if my mother cut my hair herself. Third, despite being twins, Eric and I have no resemblance to each other at all, yet we were still dressed alike. (Something I attribute to the ease of buying in bulk). Finally, it's who is actually featured in this photo. While I still talk to my brother, I have little to no contact with the five other kids. It's funny that people in your life, who you were insanely close to through forced social situations, can become nothing more than blips in your memory only a few years later.

It'd be fun to get the gang back together and take a picture on that stoop again.