Amie - STEVEN R. TABOR

Amie

The song "Amie" by Pure Prarie League brings me back to the time I was a 20 year old college student living in a crummy basement apartment with my girlfriend, our cat, nine other flatmates, and three dogs. Next door lived a group of townies---young people who lived in the city but didn't go to school, as far as we knew. One of the townies was a gorgeous young woman named Amie, who took my breath away every time she walked past.

One winter's day I was down with the flu, and heard some sounds coming from our common living room. I wandered out of my bedroom to find a number of my flatmates sharing a joint with our neighbors, the townies. Wearing little more than a ragged bathrobe, I sat down on the couch next to Amie, and started to chat with her. At one point, Amie asked me if I'd like to get together for a drink. Just at that point, my flu started acting up, and all I could do was cough.

I don't think I ever spoke to Amie again, and so this song brings to my mind the wonders of a youthful crush, and the heavy burden that great beauty must be for some young women.

In this series, a model Ankie (rhymes with Amie) strikes simple poses in the studio. Ankie is about the same age that Amie was back in my college days. The way she carries herself and her forlorn expressions brings me back to that hazy wintertime day on the living room couch.

If you'd like to see the full series, download the PDF catalog here.