Reunion Ruminations Part Deux

I attended the High School Reunion for the school I actually graduated from on October 13. It was very different than the first one starting with setting - i.e. a schmancy country club in Pitt Meadows, BC, rather than the Country&Western themed restaurant in Dawson Creek.

Within a few minutes of stepping into the building, I came to a fairly important realization about my High School years at Terry Fox - I didn't know anyone. This was a shock because I seem to recall knowing a lot of people - there was always someone to sit with in the cafeteria etc. But, when I entered that banquet room and started looking around for a friendly face, although I recognized almost everyone, I didn't know any of them very well.

I eventually spotted a friend of a friend who I got to know a bit in University but she was sitting at a full table reserved for those who worked on the reunion (and including almost everyone I would have tried to sit with of any of the people there). I stood around and chatted with her and the others until it became really clear that I needed to find somewhere to sit STAT. I wandered around a little and had a really awkward conversation with a fellow band/choir geek but couldn't imagine sustaining it an entire dinner. It was while talking with her that I realized that I wasn't actually a pariah but that none of the band/choir/drama geeks that I had been friends with were there. I did have friends in HS, it was just that none of them came to the reunion.

I found this to be rather odd since reunions are usually the heyday for geeks and former geeks who get to flaunt how much cooler and more successful they are than the "in crowd" could ever be. Maybe it works in reverse in the 'burbs rather than the small town because it was the same old "in crowd" running the show at the reunion as they did at prom. My position as 'tweener' - I was friendly enough with that crowd but not assimilated - left me table-with-comfortable-acquaintances-free for the night. I must admit, it was a LOT like my first day at TFSS when I didn't know a soul.

I fought back my pretty strong desire to hop back into my co-op rental car and drive the 40 minutes back to the safety of Vancouver and my known life. Instead, I sat down at a nearly empty table and tried not to look as lost as I felt. I ordered a drink and eventually people started filling in seats. They were people I barely recognized but I put on my best "wedding reception table lottery" face and started chatting. I had the "so what are you doing these days" convo more times than I could count, but once the soothing alcohol hit my system, my comfort level increased.

There weren't too many surprises as far as people went. Almost everyone looked the same with the exception of people I didn't recognize at all (I doubt I would have known them in HS either, it was a big school). One long-haired guy I'd had a mini-crush on in History was now a clean-cut, suit wearing, diamond merchant but he was the exception. The women looked fabulous, so I was glad to be at my post Body for Life weight and included in the fabulousness. I was also glad I went for the silver pleather pants ensemble so I looked as hip as I could despite the strangeness of the situation.

Dinner was served and a bunch of door prizes were given out - I won $25 movie gift certificates, significantly better than the construction company pens I won at the DC reunion. After dinner some dancing was starting up, but I just couldn't find the will to stick around for much longer. I knew I had a long drive ahead and decided to get the heck out of there as soon as I found out that I didn't win the diamond earrings.

All in all, it wasn't a terrible night. Certainly not the best one of my life but not terrible. I'm glad I went just to catch up with a few of those folks but I would definitely try to round up a few friendly faces before going to the another one.