Reunion
November 14, 2006 - 12:09 p.m.
Our high school reunion is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I will not be attending.
Olivia, Diana, and I went to the first reunion. I should have listened to my older friends. Five years is too soon for a reunion. Following that gag-alicious experience, I haven�t had the urge to attend any subsequent reunion. There�s no need, really. I�m still in touch with my friends, even though we have become scattered: California, Oklahoma, Michigan, Delaware, New Hampshire. Until we decide as a group to go to one of these things, count me out. Call me crazy, but I have no desire to talk to people I didn�t talk to in high school. Oh, sure, there are a few classmates I�d be happy to see, but who�s to say whether they�re even attending?
As for my friends, Michaela and Sonia will never go to a reunion; I�ve been sure of that since the day we graduated. Jenny and Audrey have expressed interest in the past, but I think that�s only because they didn�t endure that lame five-year reunion. Diana wanted to go to the ten-year, but I think that�s because she has been so far away for so long (in Oklahoma since two years after graduation). Sorry, Di, none of us wanted to go to that one, so she skipped it. Her interest has since waned. Olivia and I have had absolutely no desire to go after that five-year joke but have always maintained that the door is not necessarily permanently closed.
This time around, Jenny said she wanted to go. She is going to be spending Thanksgiving with her parents in Smalltown. However, she already had booked her flight with a Friday return and was unable to reschedule for a Sunday return. I must admit, I�m kind of glad, because I might have felt compelled to go with her.
For some reason, the organizers are being very diligent with this one. Either they�re trying to make it extra special, or they just don�t have very many attendees. Or, and this is probably the case, a lot of people (self included) just haven�t bothered to respond at all.
Olivia declined via email, and yesterday she received a follow-up request to submit the survey and/or �send us an email (include pictures!) that will be posted on a bulletin board at the reunion so your classmates can see what you are up to.�
The survey. Yeah, I got that. Great questions. �Did you marry someone from Smalltown?� �Do you have kids in the Smalltown schools?� Geez, was I supposed to do those things? Get a grip.
After chatting with Olivia, though, my cynicism was lifted slightly, and I proceeded to draft an email to submit to the organizers. I started out with the best of intentions but got a little carried away. I like the end product, but I may have to soften it if I decide to submit it. My classmates probably wouldn�t get it, anyway.
***** years. What can I say? Some things change, and some things stay the same. Like my hair. It�s been different lengths, different styles, and different unnatural colors. But I�ve always had the bangs.
Fun facts �bout me? Well, my last major public appearance was about six years ago when Korn rolled into town for a sold out show. I was one of the lucky freaks in the Korn Cage. Did ya see me? I was the one with the rock and roll hair wearing a leopard print shirt. Also, I met Mick Jones of The Clash some years back.
The reunion-y stuff: Single, no kids, three pets. I have been working at law firms for the past dozen or so years. I earned my second degree (summa cum laude, just like the first) a couple of years ago after convincing the lawyers they should pay my way. Suckers.
People at reunions always want to know what kind of car you drive, right? Mine is a Beetle, silver in color, and I totally dig it, even if it doesn�t have a sunroof.
When I�m not nine-to-fiving or trying to roll the first ever perfect game in duckpin bowling, I enjoy spending silly, girly time with my 12-year-old niece and just plain rockin� in the free world. Oh, yeah, and I always keep my toilet sparkling clean.
That pretty much covers my impact on the world over the past ***** years.
Maybe I will make it to the next reunion. I�ll be the one with the bangs.
Until then,
Peace. The fuck. Out.
[Name]
[home email]
Whaddaya think? Too sardonic?
Moi?
Hell, I may even send in a couple of photos, one of Jenny and me with Winnie the Pooh at Disneyworld from about twelve years ago and one of Olivia and me atop Diamond Head from two summers ago. With their respective permissions, of course. On the rare occasion I run into a classmate, I�m usually asked about J and O, and since they won�t be attending the reunion either�. I�ll have to think about it (the photos, that is, not about attending the reunion).
Autumn
Stuck in my head : �Cities Rise To Fall� � Rash of Stabbings
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Ungolding - June 01, 2007
Bollocks - May 29, 2007