Memories

I'm trying to figure out whether I should go to my twentieth high school reunion in 2 years... 20 months.

It has nothing to do with who I am as a person. It has to do with my reasons for going.

I can think of about 4 people out of 120 that I graduated with whom I would genuinely like to see: Rich Kegrese, Mark Riley, Dana Echoff, and Mel Gores. I can think of another 4 to 6 more who I would enjoy chatting with for a few minutes.

The rest of the people? Spite. I would just want to go to see hopeless lower-middle and just plain lower class people walking around flashing pictures of their children like permission slips for having a dull life. I'm so fulfilled. Oh how nice for you.

I don't need to go to a high school reunion to know that most of the people that I graduted with are now boring adults with boring lives. I don't need to go to a high school reunion to know that my life is more book-worthy than anybody else's in the room. Hell: The only reason I can find (other than the few people above) for going to my high school reunion is so that everyone else can have the opportunity to find out how amazing and interesting I am. I certainly could care less about them... except in a vauge "I knew you would amount to nothing... thanks for confirming it" kind of way.

Additionally, I hated high school. There was a gang of kids who made my life miserable, and I had to put up with them every day. Some of those people will be at the reunion. (When you grow up in a dirt poor family in a dirt poor town and get dirt poor grades in school, it's easy to be certain...) I know that they will be total losers, probably working as farm hands or in a muffler repair shop, which will be nice to confirm... but I don't need to confirm it. I don't need to see those people.

Finally, to everybody in between... the 100 or so people that were somewhere between friendly and antagonistic who basically just ignored me: What's the point? Does the fact that we occupied common space 20 years ago mean that periodic updates are now necessary from time to time? Do prisons have 20-year reunions? Fine, if you're so interested, read my blog. I'll read yours. Save me the airfare, thanks.

How about reminiscing? About what? What did we ever do together? Do you want somebody to share your memories of Mr. Spitz' science class with? Yes... 20 years ago he was bald, funny and fat. What's your point? 20 years ago, if I tried to talk to some of these people, I would have gotten a snort of disgust as a response. Perhaps they would like to reminisce about that?

Truthfully, I can't find any reason to go to my high school reunion except to look down my nose at submediocre people who used to think they were so great.

And, ah, what the hell... That's all the reason I need. See you soon, Class of '87.