Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Fear Confirmed??

Over the weekend, I crashed a second HS Reunion, the same class I crashed back in 2009, in order to 'catch up' with old friends I hadn't seen since 1981.

Brief Recap:  Back in 2009, people were happy to see me, and confidences spilled, due to excessive alcohol.  I spun some of those ideas into Kenzie's Class Reunion, with the permission of two people who suggested a loose plot idea.

When it was released, I jokingly wondered if anyone would speak to me now, five years later.

At my own HS reunion, this proved NOT to be the case, and even had another character suggested, plus discovered my BFF from HS googles me often, and even has CR on his computer!  Don't think he's read it yet, though....

Anyway, Friday night was good.  People spoke to me, we danced, we talked shop (I helped one guy publish his own self-help book).  Saturday, it was as if all topics had been exhausted the night before.  I'd ask questions, they'd answer, then go off to spend more time with someone else.  The few long-lasting conversations I did hold with people included my 'date', and those in which a group of us discussed something.  I pretty much took pictures, offered an opinion or anecdote, then felt abandoned.

I WAS thrilled to see one of the guys I'd remembered from 3rd grade on, and happy to see he's made a success of his life, after so many of us were unkind to him.  Since I was in the same 'social pecking order', I tolerated his presence in private, but avoided him in the halls and in class, since I was not happy with my junior high 'status', but had no desire to be in the 'popular' crowd.

9th grade had been a little more kinder to me, esp 2nd semester, and of course I cinched my 'floater' status in HS by being BFFs with a basketball player; being involved in Band and Home Ec; working in the library; and having friends who were unwed mom's and those who openly smoked pot.

My point to all this?  Thirty-plus years later, it no longer matters who was unkind to whom; we learn more about those we didn't interact with, even though some 'cliques' stay together, at some point everyone has a conversation and discovers wrong misconceptions and assumptions.

I guess we have finally grown up...at least some of us, anyway!


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