when i was about ten or so i went to my cousin's wedding off in some small town that i cannot seem to remember the name of. at the reception we sat at this long table eating cake while the adults inebriated themselves and i sat and watched a man blow up balloon animals. i said to my mom, "can you go get me one of those balloon animals?" to which she replied, "you're perfectly capable of walking over there and getting one yourself." "but i don't want to. i don't really want to talk to him." "well that's too bad. i guess you won't get a balloon then, huh?" so i sat and sulked and mumbled for a bit under my breath. "weddings always suck," i thought to myself. i got up out of my place at the long table and went outside. i found our van, pulled open the sliding door, and climbed into the far back seat. i put on the headphones of my discman and closed my eyes. i was probably listening to third eye blind or semisonic or maybe even eve 6. regardless, i laid there for a couple of hours until the reception was finally over, or at least winding down, and my parents and my brother came to drive us back to the hotel. "have you been laying here the whole time ever since you left?" my mom asked me. "no, i was walking around inside for most of the time finding stuff to do. i just got here a little bit ago," i said.