High School Reunion

My ex-best friend from junior high finally sent me an incredibly brief Facebook message asking me if I wanted to go with her to our next high school reunion that may take place this year. I'm confused. She has 453 Facebook friends with whom she's been friendlier much longer than she has been with me, but she wants ME to go with her? Does she not like any of her 453 Facefriends? Are they just numbers? Trophies? Has she not cultivated any connection with any of them and she feels closest to me? So weird.

I haven't had any contact with her throughout my whole adulthood. Although she professed much excitement at our initial reconnection, it took her two months to respond to my email, and her email was definitely less than 140 characters. I don't even know this woman  nor who she's become. She could be a psychopath or a serial killer. Or collect beanie babies. Or hoard cats. And she doesn't know me at all either. I could be psychopathic or...chemically sensitive! Yet she expects me to go with her to an event that will remind me of the WORST years of my life?

"High school is what gives you a record's low for judging the rest of your life.  

'Well, at least it's not as bad as high school.'"*

 

 

Now, I do know there are some people who feel those high school years were their wonder years, but for me, the more removed I became from the experience, the better my life got. It's sort of true time heals all wounds, but I have a really good memory of those three years of torture. I hated the competition and the popularity games. The rude, immature boys and snotty, back-stabbing girls. I didn't even like most of my classes. One or two of my teachers were great and I spent the lunch hours of my senior year in the library reading the Encyclopedia of American Murders so all was not lost, but most of it I'd rather forget.

 

 

But do I really want to go to a reunion? My high school best friend went to an earlier reunion and she said it was the same social game-playing only everyone was older. But CAN I even go to a reunion with all the perfume, cologne, lotions, fancy hair dos and make-up? You know all those old people will be trying to look their best and that means stink. Maybe it'll be held outside? In fresh air? Or will I travel for hours only to have to leave after five minutes? Is it worth the hassle, risk and gas money? Hmmm...

It already sounds like a plot to a really bad horror movie.

Did you go to your high school reunions?

*Quote from Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson. Hilarious book.