a last minute party invite took me on a journey through a portal in time. it was frankly a dark and unexpected corridor to an awkward past. i arrived at a dingy garage with a construction permit posted on the window of the entrance. surely i had arrived at the wrong place. it was all wrong. the cold winter wind blew a chill down my exposed neck. i heard laughter on the other side of the door. “i guess this is it” and i shrugged, turned the handle and entered. the room was poorly lit except for the christmas lights hung everywhere along the rafters and in the fake ficus trees. one wall, i presume where the garage door had been, was stuffed with insulation and covered in clear sheets of plastic. the music was blaring from old speakers in the corner of the room. there in the middle of the room was a couple dancing. the rest were in audience against the walls of this small space watching and ch...