TRUE LIFE: My Congressman Remembers Me at the Low Point of My Fashion Life

Remember puffer jackets you guys? They were terrible for EVERYONE. However, like much of the fashion of the 90s, no one wanted to let this get in the way of a good time, so I wanted one super, super bad. For some reason, my mother decided to abet this obviously insane plan by getting me a reversible puffer jacket that was yellow on one side and yellow, red and green on the other. Again, because the 90s were really a huge problem, I wore this monstrosity yellow-side out, rendering myself visible from space. This is one of those times where I cut Rich a break for things like "parachute pants" because people just can't be trusted to dress themselves sometimes.

I wore this hideous jacket all over the place, but perhaps most notably to the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Worcester circa 1998. I was marching with the Jim McGovern contingent. This being a parade, there were lots of photos and such, and this did not bother me because I was wearing my AWESOME JACKET.

Fast forward three years.

I work a couple more campaigns for Jim and then I decide to go to American University (yay, go Eagles!) which is also his alma mater, and of course I'm all "I will intern for you!" I got myself some fancy Grown Up Style suits - which incidentally were also fairly horrid in retrospect since they were that long-jacketed 90s style - and I got on Metro and walked into the House Office Building. I immediately got lost because a.) that is what I do and b.) those buildings, much like the streets in DC, are clearly designed by a crazy person who hates interns, but I eventually found my way to Jim's office. He was wandering through and was all excited to see me, and then goes "oh, you have to check this out!" He takes me over to this big picture on the wall, and lo and behold, there is a picture of the front line of the Worcester goddamn St. Patrick's Day Parade with me and my giant yellow puffer jacket right up front, holding a Jim McGovern for Congress sign and looking cold. Yes, I know you are all jealous of me now that you know I am in fact so superfamous that my picture is hanging in a HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING.

On Election Night I went to Jim's victory party at Coral Seafood on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester (which is awesome AND has giant jellyfish lights which I know will appeal to some people), and as I was leaving I saw him and was like "I am so proud you're my Congressman, and I'm never sitting out another campaign." He gave me a hug and said "you've always been there for me, and I appreciate that. I see you every day in my office."

Maybe if I send him a picture of myself holding a sign, he can tape it over the puffer jacket shot.