A CLASS(LESS) REUNION

Some time ago, while either very bored or very drunk, I registered with my graduating class of 197? on the website Classmates.com. Typically social sites don't have much interest for me but I probably had a moment of nostalgia after hearing music by Earth Wind & Fire or England Dan and John Ford Coley. It's unusual that I registered with this social site in particular because, there's no other way to say it, I absolutely hated high school.

My memories of high school consist mainly of mind-numbing tedium and desperate unhappiness at being a social outcast and the butt of ridicule and taunts (I was a bit of a fattie). High school wasn't a happy experience, it was something to be endured; a requirement I had to fulfill before I could go out and get a proper job. There was the occasional break in the clouds though; the drama club, where I won a Best Supporting Actress award one year, the fencing lessons, the orchestra and marching band (thanks Uncle John for the use of the clarinet), and the college-level sociology class I took in my senior year, memorable for being a "by application only" class and one of the very few courses where I felt challenged and never ditched.

Given my dismal high school experience I was expecting not to recognize the names of anyone who had already registered on Classmates.com but surprisingly I did. My name must have jogged a few memories for others because several people have signed my guestbook; sadly the site makes you pay extra to read them and I don't want to dole out the cash. Never mind, because if people want to reach you they can email you from the information on your profile. Since registering I've received several emails; one from someone telling me of an upcoming Band reunion (meaning I must be on a list in someone's house), and recently I've received an email from an old classmate asking if I'd like to participate in an upcoming class reunion activity. Now, that's a problem for me. You see, up until now I've never attended any of my class reunions. Either I wasn't living in the area or as in the case of the latest reunion, I didn't find out in time. Now, thanks to high tech if I choose not to participate I really have no excuse...now they know where I live.

Some friends say that I should attend and if I'm honest part of me is curious, but then the other part of me asks, why on Earth would I want to? I'm sure many of the participating alumni stayed friends over the years or at a minimum, kept in touch. They probably have many good memories of the high school experience and see the reunion as chance to rekindle old friendships. On the other side of the coin there's me, who intentionally put high school as far out of mind as quickly as possible. I keep in touch with one close friend from my school days (she was a social outcast as well), but as for the others, my memories of them are vague at best and painful at worst. "Maybe you need to go now -- put it all behind you", said one of my friends. Frankly I put it all behind me years ago. But for Classmates.com and an email from a seemingly very nice lady high school would be light years from my mind.

If I go to the reunion I think the most I can expect is a mildly pleasant evening. Mind you, not because of any resurfacing painful memories of high school but for the simple fact that time has passed and I've moved on. I think that now, just as it seemed to me then, my former classmates and I probably have nothing, absolutely nothing in common.

So despite my curiosity I think I'll pass on the reunion this time and instead spend a pleasant evening with some people who actually know me. It'll be less expensive, less stressful, and I won't even have to wear make-up.