Tom's story: 1997
5 pieces on this page. Click a picture or "See the whole card" to open the card.
1997 — Tom was 18 and 19
5 pieces on this year: 2 dated to this year · 3 from a range of years, shown here in the middle.
DATED TO 1997
1550GRADUATION
June 15, 1997 (age 18) PROVED
SCHOOL AND GROWING-UP KEEPSAKES
A printed Lynnfield High School graduation program from June 15, 1997, kept with a greeting card with a yellow flower and a handwritten Happy Birthday message inside, and Tom's Lynnfield High School identification card for 1993-94, with his photo, signed Tom Jensen.
the card says: made at age 18
See the whole card → 4 pictures
1505A Warm Fuzzy Award
October 10, 1997 (age 19)
OBJECTS AND KEEPSAKES (TICKETS, POSTERS, SIGNS, SHIRTS, A GUITAR)
A hand-lettered, hand-colored A WARM FUZZY AWARD certificate with a blue fuzzy creature, presented to Tommy on October 10, 1997 for always being there and signed with love by [name kept private].
the card says: written at age 19
See the whole card → 1 picture
ABOUT 1997: FROM A RANGE OF YEARS, SHOWN HERE IN THE MIDDLE
1516Boston Red Sox Ticket Stubs (group 1516)
about 1993-2002 (age 14 to 24) PROVED
OBJECTS AND KEEPSAKES (TICKETS, POSTERS, SIGNS, SHIRTS, A GUITAR)
A group of Tom's Boston Red Sox ticket stubs.
See the whole card → 1 picture
1823Going to college is a totally new experience to someone
about 1996-1998 (age 18 to 20)
ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS (NOT LYRICS)
A single typed page by Tom on what it is like to leave home for college, over an hour away, with no curfew and new independence.
the card says: about 1996-1998 (age 18 to 20)
See the whole card → 1 picture
picture kept private
360Why am I lonely why am I sad
about 1996-1998 (age 17 to 20) BEST GUESS
POEMS NOT YET RELEASED
One of Tom's earliest poems, Why am I lonely why am I sad (then catching himself sounding like Dr. Seuss), handwritten on a lined sheet and kept with a napkin labelled REAL FIRST POEM in red.
See the whole card → pictures kept private
MEMORABILIA FROM THIS STORY
Every card on this page is a real piece — 5 pieces.
IF YOU LIKE THIS, TRY:
What the words mean: PROVED a date or a dated book proves it. BEST GUESS our best reading, not yet proved. TOM SAID Tom's own word. LIKELY strong clues, not yet proved. NOT PROVED an estimate from the pieces around it. NOT SURE the sources disagree. No word: the card gives none yet. "About 1996-2002" means somewhere in those years; the piece is shown once, in the middle year.