No Promises

I don't go to high school reunions.

I went to one - 5 years - 10 years - I don't remember, and it was a joke. I believed from that point onward that reunions are a joke. I believe I was right.

Time passes. At some point a whole lot further down the road, I decided I would never attend a reunion out of embarrassment. Not a lot to talk about to your "friends" if you have pissed your life away. Unless you want to lie. And I wasn't going to go in there and tell everybody I am an enormous success, financially secure, with no worries.

Fuck that.

The 50th reunion was 2 years ago. I didn't go. A few of my friends tried to talk me into it, but I just couldn't do it. Felt a bit of emotion about that decision.

Last Saturday my class had a "we're all 70" party. A vast majority of us are 70 or turning 70. It was kind of off the cuff. It got brought up earlier this year and caught on.

They got a good crowd. I didn't go.

Pictures were posted on facebook on Sunday. It got to me. 

My class is trying to set a world record for early death. The number of people who graduated from my high school in 1972 who have died is way above the average. Already.

If they wait 5 years for another reunion, a whole lot more will be dead. Even if they hold one 2 years from now a bunch will have died.

I was truly bummed out Sunday morning as I checked out the pictures. Came out of left field. I didn't see it coming. When I decided not to go I felt practically nothing.

Next time? I'm not sure. I am getting older and weaker - maybe my resistance will be overcome.

Gotta have some ground rules, though. Discussions about my financial health and/or success professionally, are off the table. Happy to talk about my family. Overall I think the focus would have to be "Hey, look - Joe's still alive."

I could live with that.

I'm not making any promises.