It was a living breathing Diary Friday retrospective.
Some of these people I have known since I was 5 years old. I love continuums. I love evidence that there is a connection between who I was then and who I am now. It’s strangely comforting, because so much in life has to do with flux, and change, and upheaval. It’s nice to know that some things remain the same. Some things cannot be touched.
Priceless: flirting with people that you once played ring-around-the-rosy with. Flirting with people you met when YOU DID NOT KNOW THE ALPHABET . Flirting with people you knew when you only were 3 feet tall.
“Yes. I did a lot of flirting. I’m incorrigible.”
I went to my tenth reunion last year, and I did the same. My impression was that most of the guys had managed to put on about 20 or 30 pounds but most of the girls looked…uh, DAYUM…better they did in high school.
Honestly, I seriously considered not going because I was dreading how awful it would be, but I had a blast and I’m so very glad I didn’t skip out. Hanging out with a friend later today up here on the beach in Gloucester who I’ve known since 1st grade: really quite amazing.
DaveJ – yeah, in general – the girls were babealicious hotties. There were a couple of guys who were NOT handsome in high school who blossomed into HOTness. There were also a couple (just a couple) who were hot in high school and remained hot.
I love the continuum, too. It’s one of the best blessings from growing up in a small town – knowing some people from cradle to grave. I took great pleasure in introducing Danny to people, telling him, “I’ve know them my WHOLE LIFE” and it not be an exaggeration.
You can’t get too big for your britches in that situation either. It’s hard to be impressed by someone who’ve you seen eat paste, you know what I mean?
But the bond is unbreakable. A friend of mine and her husband, who are both from home, tried for 10 years to have a baby. When she finally got pregnant, the baby died at term from a knot in his cord. It was beyond horrible, as you can imagine.
My mom called me and told me the news and said they were having the funeral in my hometown (the couple live in Maryland) and I said, “I’m on my way” even though I hadn’t seen either one of them in years. I just knew they’d need their friends, their “Marion friends”, around them. I was right; people came from all over to be with them and support them in their time of grief. I think that was the reason they laid their baby to rest in our hometown, because it was “home.”
As to the “were hot in high school, and remain hot”- I must argue that point a teeny bit. Hot in high school= hot BOY. Hot now= hot MAN. And that, my friend, has made all the difference.
AMEN my Quaker friend!
that DOES make all the difference. (and thank god for name tags)
Yes. I did a lot of flirting. I’m incorrigible.
You and every other female on the planet. I think they implant it at birth or something. ;)
Mr. Lion – maybe cause flirting is a hell of a lot of fun. It’s also a lost art, in my opinion. Find me a man who can effectively flirt (ahem – Ireland) and there will be many good times had by all in that vicinity.
mere:
exactly. The name tags were KEY!!