Class Reunions?

High school class reunions

This is an open letter to my High school class...you know who you are.....

I was recently invited to my high school graduating class' 35th reunion. (It's still a year away)

 I will respectfully decline the invitation.

Ya know, I tend to take up for the people who want to say things.... get them off their chest... but are afraid to for whatever reason (OK, sometimes the reason is good taste, or decorum, but still...)

For that reason, and because I am sure others can relate to this, I will say it. I was not popular to begin with, so nobody much wonders where I am now, or whatever happened to Scotty. 

I was in so many clubs and activities our senior year I can't count them all, but they didn't even list them in the yearbook with everybody else's accomplishments. As if I didn't even exist.  One of the detriments of not being one of the "anointed" "in crowd", I suppose.  No kidding here...look at your senior yearbook...people look forward to having all of their accomplishments and activities listed there, forever more... I was not allowed that verification of my accomplishments. Probably some prick on the yearbook staff that couldn't see letting me have even one moment of glory.  One little list of accomplishments that was more than the "annointed few" had. One more petty insult from high school I must endure forever. 

  Added insult to injury for my high school career, let me tell ya.

 Did you know I was in the state finals for Speech my Junior and Senior years?  Or District finals in Debate? Bet not. I was a crappy football player but I stuck it out, no matter how poorly I was treated by my so-called "team mates". Played every year. With a curved spine and extreme pain. But I was just a "pussy" to them, with their little sore knees getting all the attention... I was in A Capella Choir, singing vocal parts that only about 3 or 4 other guys in the entire school could sing.  Then there was Spanish Club, German Club, Photography club, and MYF too, plus traveled with the Voices of Jeff girls choir and god only know what all else. I got such high SAT scores that I was a National Finalist for the National Merit Scholarship.  Top 1% in the nation. All this while working a part time job. That amounted to zip to pretty much everybody in our class.  Oh, by the way, do you still have your class ring?  Graduation announcement? Yeah, that's me too, I was on the committees that designed those, and helped choose the vendors that supplied them. You're welcome, as if any of you cared.   

Went to the 20th class reunion, hoping, but not expecting, that a few would have matured, and would want to make conversation, but, other than Lisa Stone punching me for not saying hello to her....(gotta Love Stoney!),  I sat at a table with similarly situated fellas pretty much all night on "bar night". They weren't feeling the love either, I can tell ya. Getting up and milling about did not generate any camerederie, back slaps, or glad hands exteneded.  Not one.  As it once was, so shall it always be.....

As far as the 30th reunion went, in my humble opinion, especially not being one of the "country club crowd" myself, a golf outing and country club dinner did not hold interest for a large portion of our class, is a poor choice for an all inclusive activity......just another way for the anointed or competitive to prove they still have more skill, or money, or both than me.....Slap each other on the backs and remember fondly how well they were treated, how they were the "king or queen of the hill"... Ignoring how poorly they treated people like me. I guess some people just can't stop trying to prove they are better than the rest of us. 

So, the 30th reunion, I skipped it entirely.

I don't want to re-live High school.  Other than having a very special girlfriend my Senior year, who made me a better man, and who I'll never forget, I have no "glory" to bask in.  It wasn't as fun for me as it was for you.... And I am not the only one who feels that way.

If I feel like hoisting a few with my friends Bill or Mike, I know where to find 'em.  And, since I  do the Facebook thing under my own name, anybody who wants to find me can easily do so.

The reason I have sent our reunion class organizers so many updates on others in the past few years is that I want to make sure they are included in peoples thoughts, or prayers, or whatever.  There is no reason for our classmates to be "lost", and some small part of me feels sad that some were, and are.  You can bet your last dollar that every jock and "a" list cool clique member is accounted for though......

They are not beating down a path to find me.  I won't be missed, but I don't expect to be, and that is OK.  I genuinely hope those that partake in the reunions get what the expect, or hope for, out of it.  I hope you enjoy it, and I hope everybody appreciates all the hard work you put into it.  I'll pass, and stay home with my grandkids. I have nothing to prove to them, and I like it that way.