My sister’s photographs (15439 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.83 on 52 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (View user info) at 2004-08-10 09:43:49 EDT
I haven't been able to sleep in my own room ever since I got home for the summer. I'm not sure why, but for some reason I've only felt comfortable in my sister's room, sleeping in her bed.
Her old bed, to be exact. When I say "my sister", most people react with surprise. She's not someone I mention very often. She's not someone that, strictly speaking, is a huge part of my life. She certainly doesn't live here anymore. Age twenty-three, almost twenty-four, she lives on the other side of the country with her boyfriend. Before that she lived in Ohio for five years. And before that I was too young to really know her. We never went to school together, we could never share each other's clothes. I looked up to her in a fondly distant way, and I still do.
Naturally, while she was still at home, I rummaged through her things, as was my duty as the obnoxious younger sister. I would steal into her room and flip through her diaries, thumb over her sketchbooks, pocket her extensive music collection. I made it my job to annoy her as much as possible. When she brought a "special friend" over, I locked them in a room and read them a book about sharks. Since I was five and couldn't read, this involved lots of made up gore and sound effects. I'm sure she absolutely hated me right about then.
A couple days ago, I found myself rummaging through her things again. It was odd: both a familiar and comforting feeling, and a new and different one. It didn't feel invasive anymore, this was her left behind life, and I was merely looking at the bits and pieces.
High up in her dusty closet, wedged on the shelf in between a photography portfolio and the remnants of a skateboard, were several shoeboxes. Shoeboxes always hold important things, or so I've learned from years of invading the privacy of others, and so I gently took them down (read: violently dropped one) and set aside an afternoon to explore their contents.
In the boxes, in rough chronological order, were envelopes and envelopes of old photos. These weren't beautiful professional compositions, like I would have found in her photography portfolio. These were just her snapshots, her keepsakes, an informal record of her life.
I started to go through them slowly. Some of them were familiar, others were things I was surely not supposed to see (shirtless photos of various boys), but all of them together gave me a strange insight into her life.
You don't really realize how little you know someone until you sit there and go through the things they never meant anyone to look at. This wasn't a photo album; people always tend to edit out things and emphasize other aspects of themselves when given the chance to compile a formal set of photos. These were raw and unorganized.
I had always known how very different we were from one another.
She was the classic beauty; a mass of curly naturally red hair and alabaster skin dotted with freckles. Darker and far less striking, it was hard to measure up to her. She was all curves, voluptuous, va-va-voom. I was always scrawny and awkward, until more recently.
She was the epitome of all that was hip and cool. I was dorkier than seemed humanly possible.
She had guys lining up at our door. Her boyfriends were models named "Coleman", and chiseled members of relatively well-known bands like First Grade Crush. I didn't even date until this year.
But here I was, going through her life, and we didn't seem all that different anymore. I felt like I was watching her experience the same things I was going through, at the same time, as overplayed as that sounds.
There were the milestones, of course.
Spring breaks. High school graduation. Proms. College graduation. Roadtrips to Georgia. Visits to Europe.
But there were also the random clippings.
An old boyfriend poised on a couch with his guitar, gazing up and towards his right, looking every inch the teen idol and rebel without a cause.
A man on the streets of London dressed in silver, standing over a sign that reads "My name is Mystyco I come from Mars my spaceship broke down I need to get it fixed please help thank you I am coin operated".
A close-up on the back of her neck, freshly pierced.
Nostalgia, by definition, is a personal emotion. Yet here I was, looking at things that haven't yet happened to me, or just didn't happen to me, and feeling nostalgia over them. Here I was, almost sad over the fact that my sister, still so young, had already passed all of this and couldn't go back.
Once in a while I came over a completely empty envelope. I would pick up the darkened negatives and try to discern what was on this roll of film. Each empty envelope reminded me that these photos were just the scraps, they didn't form a coherent picture, as much as I might will them to.
User Reviews
Submitted by now_thats_doom (user info) at 2004-08-23 05:04:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Hmm, don't know what to say really other then yeah, people are so alike.
Submitted by camor (user info) at 2004-08-16 21:40:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by AvrilLaPete (user info) at 2004-08-14 14:59:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
alright, something actually worth reading.
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2004-08-14 14:40:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by heater (user info) at 2004-08-13 11:46:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Incestual lesbian Heat...does it get any better than this, folks?
Submitted by Kracka (user info) at 2004-08-11 16:36:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by wazzawazzayo (user info) at 2004-08-11 16:18:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This post made me sad.
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2004-08-11 16:17:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice.
Submitted by the_lone_stranger (user info) at 2004-08-11 16:07:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
It touched me...I'm suing.
Submitted by kai070169 (user info) at 2004-08-11 15:49:54 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I love you a little more each day, chickiepoo.
Submitted by Bellebrown (user info) at 2004-08-11 08:36:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Awww - if you were my little sister Id beat you up for going through my stuff... Then Id steal your clothes!
:)
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (user info) at 2004-08-11 08:24:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Wow, thanks Bart. I'm confused.
My account is rated R for language and violence?
Submitted by Banga3386 (user info) at 2004-08-11 02:38:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wonderful discovery you have on your hands. I'm sure you will cherish reading it as much as she did making it.
Also thanks Bart for the movie reccomendation.
Submitted by bart (user info) at 2004-08-11 02:25:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You account reminded me of this movie:
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0154506/
Submitted by Shlongy (user info) at 2004-08-10 22:12:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Dammit...no nudity or incestual beaver chowing.
Submitted by comicbookguy (user info) at 2004-08-10 22:07:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
hey, you registered on my birthday! +2's for life.
Submitted by bargled (user info) at 2004-08-10 22:05:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i came here looking for nudies of you and left all dissapoined and stuff.
Submitted by sterling96 (user info) at 2004-08-10 21:58:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice story, I look forward to reading more from you!
Submitted by dakingisdead (user info) at 2004-08-10 20:42:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice story Squirrel.
That is the thing; as much as we feel we are different and unique there are huge parts of our lives that we share with everyone else.
I think you might have seen some of the reflection of what you have been dealing with lately in your sisters life. A bit like looking through a dusty mirror.
I am on the side of there is a resemblance between you both and we all feel unattractive and dorky for large periods in our teens.
Submitted by SPECIALk (user info) at 2004-08-10 16:43:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Scott_James (user info) at 2004-08-10 16:32:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Luckystar (user info) at 2004-08-10 16:20:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you look alike
Submitted by creep_firebombing (user info) at 2004-08-10 16:02:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (user info) at 2004-08-10 14:52:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
And hang on a second...how the FUCK does this already have 500 hits when it's about five hours old and doesn't have that many reviews...
Just how many of you thought this was gonna be nekkid photos?
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (user info) at 2004-08-10 14:50:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Whoever asked if I lived in Ohio, I don't. I'm from Chicago.
My sister went to school in Ohio though, so she was there for a while before she officially moved away.
And thanks y'all.
Submitted by Tenyuki (user info) at 2004-08-10 13:09:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It's funny, because I was thinking of asking you what your sister looked like a few days ago.
She does kind of resemble you. I remember us having some semi-conversation on how some people say she does, some say she doesn't.
And I liked the little story, too. It's great. It makes me wish my brother lived with us while I was a kid.
And you're right about shoeboxes. I keep my comic books in shoeboxes.
Submitted by I_Have_a_Kristen_Fetish (user info) at 2004-08-10 13:02:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by ToxicNarcotic (user info) at 2004-08-10 12:58:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
why not
Submitted by ThatOneGirl (user info) at 2004-08-10 12:41:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That made my eyes water just an eensy bit.
I read this through the eyes of the older sister... I am 10 years older than my little sister, and I can just see her doing this.
It hurts to think though, that her most vivid memories of me might soon be from pictures.
Submitted by ubersitemakesmypenistemble (user info) at 2004-08-10 12:19:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
She's getting double penetrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Submitted by Malificent (user info) at 2004-08-10 12:15:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by loki (user info) at 2004-08-10 12:12:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Who is that trying to like her face?
I love boxes of photographs. Earlier this summer, I went through a box of old pictures from my grandmother's house. There is something odd about seeing people you always thought of as adults carrying on like children. There were stacks and stacks of posed pictures so old that they are more yellow and brown instead of black and white. Everyone looks so serious all slicked up in their Sunday best for the portrait.
My all time favorite one is of my dad when he was about 7 or 8. He's barefoot with no shirt on, wearing a pair of overalls rolled up to his knees hanging upside down on a tire swing. It's just not something that otherwise I could ever picture my dad doing even at that age.
Submitted by Chief_Rugger (user info) at 2004-08-10 12:08:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you live in OH squirrel? where? Oh yeah, good post.
Submitted by lojope (user info) at 2004-08-10 11:50:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I know this.
Submitted by Cryopaul (user info) at 2004-08-10 11:32:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by lessthanfour (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:46:43 (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked this, even though it wasn't naked photographs as I had hoped.
Yeah...
Submitted by JohnGalt (user info) at 2004-08-10 11:15:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm sad now. I don't have any shoeboxes.
Submitted by Gnome (user info) at 2004-08-10 11:00:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by lessthanfour (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:46:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I liked this, even though it wasn't naked photographs as I had hoped.
Submitted by funk_boy (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:27:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
*Can't express relevant praise*
Submitted by jumpinjellyfish (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:23:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Touching...nicely done.
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:22:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Super Squirrel
Submitted by legallady (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:16:45 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good Stuff.
Submitted by Random Joe at 2004-08-10 10:10:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very good.
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:08:25 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Claire honey, if you ever read this, sorry for going through your shit....heh.
Also, this was supposed to be more of an "I really do love you" than it came out to be.
Best of luck out west.
Submitted by tuesdaydelay (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:06:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Always a pleasant read, Squirrely.
Submitted by Ainkara (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:06:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I love photos....
Submitted by Circe (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:05:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really loved this.
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2004-08-10 10:00:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
wow. you guys look REALLY alike.
soo....young girls, maybe a little sexually adventurous?
Submitted by AlwaysAnEagle (user info) at 2004-08-10 09:55:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really enjoyed this.
Submitted by WillZone (user info) at 2004-08-10 09:50:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
and what did her diary say about me?
Submitted by The_taste_of_Monkeys (user info) at 2004-08-10 09:47:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
so...one at a time or both at once love? Im good for either.
Submitted by ohlookasquirrel (user info) at 2004-08-10 09:45:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
That's the lovely lady herself, though the picture does her no justice.