Thursday, May 22, 2003
In response to my earlier post today about high school, I got this very surprising email from the aforementioned classmate (the one I've known since 3rd grade, who emailed yesterday telling me about our upcoming 15-year reunion). He was on the swim team in high school, and played a cool instrument in the band, and always seemed popular to me. Shows what you think you know and what's really the case are often two different things. Had a great conversation with him on the phone today, too. Thanks, J. I'll see you in August.
[I've substituted names with initials, in the interest of protecting J's anonymity.]
... I also read your latest entry on your web site. It really blew me away. It's crazy how something like high school can have such an affect on people. I had no idea you went through such a bad time. But how would I? I was too busy with my sports/cheerleader friends. Right? Even though that's the crowd I ran around with, I was more comfortable and had more fun with the swim team and band. I suppose I was wanting to fit in also, and if [C] and [E] wanted to hang-out with me then I was more than happy to hang-out with them.
When I was in Jr. High, I had absolutely no friends. The friends I had in grade school ([H, H, G]) all found "cooler" guys for friends and I didn't have any luck at all making new ones. I didn't go to one party or to anybody's house to hang-out and watch movies or any of that Jr. High stuff. Why am I telling you this? I have no idea. I just wanted you to know I could somewhat relate if only a little.
I hope I was able to convey to J today just how glad I am that he did tell me. His email is a perfect example of why I am going to go to the reunion. People grow, people change, and people have wounds you don't learn about until many years later.
[I've substituted names with initials, in the interest of protecting J's anonymity.]
... I also read your latest entry on your web site. It really blew me away. It's crazy how something like high school can have such an affect on people. I had no idea you went through such a bad time. But how would I? I was too busy with my sports/cheerleader friends. Right? Even though that's the crowd I ran around with, I was more comfortable and had more fun with the swim team and band. I suppose I was wanting to fit in also, and if [C] and [E] wanted to hang-out with me then I was more than happy to hang-out with them.
When I was in Jr. High, I had absolutely no friends. The friends I had in grade school ([H, H, G]) all found "cooler" guys for friends and I didn't have any luck at all making new ones. I didn't go to one party or to anybody's house to hang-out and watch movies or any of that Jr. High stuff. Why am I telling you this? I have no idea. I just wanted you to know I could somewhat relate if only a little.
I hope I was able to convey to J today just how glad I am that he did tell me. His email is a perfect example of why I am going to go to the reunion. People grow, people change, and people have wounds you don't learn about until many years later.
# posted by Thomas : 6:49 PM
