Reunion

Do you know that show Hot In Cleveland?
The premise is that these 3 women go to Paris together. One is depressed after a divorce, the other 2 are "has beens" in the entertainment industry. This trip was supposed to take them away and feel good about themselves and less depressed. All from LA. When their plane makes an emergency landing in Cleveland they find they like it there. They are considered attractive there, not old. They are liked if they aren't sticks/bag of bones and they can eat a potato and have a beer so they decide to stay and move there.

Well that pretty much was my reunion.  I am apparently hot in my hometown, just no where else in the world.  I did not go to the actual reunion for reasons I will share later. There was a meet and greet the evening before at a classmates bar in our hometown.

I meet my girlfriends at one of their moms homes. What a hoot. Mrs. Weaver looks fabulous and not a day older. I asked her what she was drinking to look so young. She said, Wine!
I think my wine is highly defective!

Honestly it was like a minute only went by. We 3 were laughing and talking about old times and just like we always were. We rolled right into the "characters" we were.  We walked into the bar and I swear to you I knew no one. Everyone came up to me and said Peggy and I would have a blank look on my face. Then once they said their name I could see it. But honestly I had trouble with more than not.

I heard from way too many that they had crushes on me but would never ask me out because I was "popular" or a "cheerleader" or insert any dumb reason. 
I told 'em all that is why I was home on Friday nights or just hanging with my guy friends. No one asked me out, or as much as my girlfriends (who I went to the party with)
One guy said he was certain I would say no. You don't know silly unless you ask.  One told me I was his favorite Cheerleader but since he named me Tits Malitz I don't think it had much to do with cheering. (my maiden name is Malizia...say it like the z as T sound in pizza - Ma- litz- z-ia)  One kid I had a crush on for years said he always had a crush on me but didn't think I'd ever go out with him. WHAT THE HELL? Why didn't you guys ask? 
When I asked him that he said he was certain I would say no and he didn't like the rejection. So when I told him I had a crush on him too he said, "I guess I blew it!" 
Yep, then he asked if I was married cuz he was divorced. Ooh ick! Yes, I am married and happily was my response.   I had a few ask me out and I had several say very nice things about me today. Where were these guys in high school? So it was good for the ole ego but now I'm back in reality and I'm the ugly duckling again. Damn it was fun while it lasted.

I talked to a few girls that said that they were so jealous of me and thought I was so confident and had it all....oh my what bullshit. OMG. Couldn't have been further from the truth. I was gregarious, friendly and all that shit but I was like any young girl at that age. Insecurities galore! I can't believe they thought I had it all together. No way until I was about 30. Just goes to show you that you don't know what is going on with anyone from the outside. 

The women all looked good. The men didn't fair as well. Two looked better than in high school the others were schleepy or fat or both.  The gay men looked fabulous. Even the girls that were a bit mousy in school now look great. But boy the men were a mess. I found those that left look better than those that stayed. Interesting. Those that stayed looked like they were from a small town. Those that left look like city slickers for lack of a better way to say it.

I must admit that I haven't stayed out that late in 25 yrs. I was literally out 2 hours before I normally wake up.  I only had 2 cocktails because driving was an issue. I was drinking water with lemon and I got peer pressure. I said to Chuck, "Hey I'm not 17 anymore, you can't make me feel badly about not drinking, pretend this is vodka."  He laughed and said he'd buy me a drink.  

A young woman who is one of my sisters friends and is 3 years younger than me married a guy from my class. They live in Florida now. They came up and she was rockin' a head scarf. I asked someone if she had cancer. Sure enough she did. She was given a few months to live. I sat and talked with her and I ended up crying and had to go fix myself after that discussion. She is so strong. But she really wanted to see family and everyone for the last time. She was tired early but it was so nice to see her and her husband. Her hubby's last name was Lucas and I always sat behind him in homeroom from 7th through 12th grade. (Besides the fact that we were friends) It is difficult to know what to say to people going through this. She and my sister lived together after college. I remember helping them move furniture and buying them pizza since I was the older sister with some cash. We laughed about some of the old days. What she is going through puts it all in perspective doesn't it? She is 55 with young children. She is determined to not be sad but see everyone who means something to her and to tell them. She's beautiful.

We even have 3 teachers that we had in high school show up.They were very young teachers probably not a lot older than us but a teacher in their 20's when you're 17/18 seems old. That was fun. The fact that they remembered more of us than I did is frightening to me.

The following day was a pig roast at some park. I did not go to this because my high school sweetheart, ex husband was going. I didn't want to deal with any of that.  Mark, a neighbor growing up and friend, wrote to me today that he was there asking if I was coming.
Mark wrote, "just like you said he would"  Yep. Don't need the drama or grief or uncomfortableness.  I had enough questions of, "Aren't you and Rick still together?" or "Where's Rick"  Since they don't know I am on my 2nd Rick I would have to tell them we are divorced and I've been with my husband for 27 yrs and married for 21.  Pain in the ass. 

Because I was a chick who hung out with the boys just as much as the girls I have a lot of male friends. Drove my father crazy because he didn't think boys and girls could be friends. So a few asked about my father which made me laugh. They spoke of how they were so afraid of him. That would make my father happy to hear. And the few dates I did have he would always try to put the fear of "George" in them. Successfully  scared them it seems if they still are talking about it  40 years later.

So fun was had by all. I needed to come home to sleep. I was out late every night and up early. I needed to come home just to get some Z's. I'm not young anymore, damn it!