4/25/08 The Reunion

I just received an email that my 10 year high school reunion is coming up in a few months. I have mixed feelings about this. I don't really want to go because 1) it's a party and I hate parties, and 2) I didn't really have many close friends from my class. I mean, I had friends, but no one I've kept up with once we left. It's almost like that chapter of my life closed when we all graduated, and I'm not really sure I want to open it up again. And I've never been one of those people to wax poetic about the good old days. Plus, I could never ever in a billion years convince Tony to go, and I wouldn't want to go by myself.

Oh and I'm horrible with remembering names and faces, so it's not like I'm going to remember anybody, and I've found that forgetting people exist tends to make them feel uncomfortable. So there. I'm not going.

Except...reunions are major milestones, and what if I look back later and wish that I had gone? So maybe I should go. I mean, I don't want to regret missing it 50 years from now.

Not that I would. Regret missing it that is. It's a party with a bunch of people who I don't remember anymore. Not going.

Although it might be nice to find out what everybody does now. The people I hung out with anyway. I wonder what they've done with their lives? I could go.

Unless they've only done really boring stuff that I'd be stuck listening to all night. No thanks.

Except then I would totally be able to redeem myself for some of my perpetual dorkiness by showing them that I have managed to become a semi-normal functioning member of society. That would be nice. Look at Quirky, she's not the geek you thought she was! Maybe going.

Unless they're all like rock stars and Nobel prize winners and Senators now. Then I would seem like the boring one. Not going.

I could just go and check it out and leave if it was lousy. There's nothing saying that I HAVE to stay all night. Right?

Yeah, nothing but the three hour drive there and back for a party you won't want to stay at for more than 15 minutes. Have you seen gas prices lately?

Back and forth! Forth and back! It's making me crazy. I need some advice, cyber pals. Did you go to your last high school reunion? Was it any fun at all? If you didn't, did you regret not going later? Help a Quirky out here.

And is there a way to avoid the party but still get the after-party summary? Like a newsletter that says, Bobbie Jo is a teacher, Michael lost all his hair, Larry is dating a supermodel, Suzie got fat, Timmy won the lottery, and that nerdy guy who played the French horn is now running a numbers game from the state pen. All the gossip, none of the small talk. I could go for that.

Just as long as the newsletter lists me as the rock star Senator with a Nobel prize.