Things I Learned by Attending My High School Reunion

1. People don’t change a whole lot when it comes to personality in the 30 years after high school graduation. The rich bitches are still rich and still bitches. The intimidating tough guys are still intimidating and still acting tough. The shy wallflowers are still shy and still don’t mingle much. The cliques pick up right where they left off oh so long ago.



2. Kevin Spacey is a total prick. This I was sad to learn from someone entrenched in the entertainment business (behind the scenes, not on camera) and has had to deal with Mr. Spacey and his attitude first hand. I was sad because I’ve always liked Spacey as an actor, and somehow I always hope that actors I like would be the kind of people I’d like to call friends. Pfft. . .



3. In women’s fashions the black/white color combination seems big this year if my reunion is any indicator. It was indeed the night of the “zebra people” as the great majority of women seemed to be wearing some version of the black/white theme, including me. (And honestly? I am never the fashionista and generally end up looking totally out of place at these things. Imagine my delight to find that, quite unintentionally, I was actually in style on Saturday night. I guess it happens to all of us at one time or another.)



4. One of the guys upon which I had a major crush in high school (and who barely even knew I existed and certainly didn’t care I existed) is serving time in prison now for attempted murder after shooting his wife.



5. More than 4% of our class have died from a variety of causes – cancer, suicide, murder, heart attack to name a few.



6. While a few people look almost exactly the same as 30 years ago, most of us look enough different that it takes a moment to recognize us if you haven’t seen us lately, and a few people, no matter how long I looked at them, bear absolutely no resemblance to their teen selves leaving me to wonder if someone has stepped in to sub for them.



7. Never assume that a small town motel, even one that’s part of a chain, will be able to deal with reservations made on that there new-fangled internet thing.



8. Even people you count as friends can say very hurtful things behind your back. I was at the Evil Empire store (not many other options in ST2 so it was kind of unavoidable) when I overheard someone I’d seen the night before at the first night of the reunion festivities talking on the phone. What brought my notice at all was hearing him ask the person on the other end if they remembered me. Hearing my name immediately caused me to prick my ears and listen full on only to hear said “friend” say to the person on the other end, “She must weigh at least 400 lbs!” (I don’t weigh that much, but I am very overweight.) I had the option of walking over and confronting my “friend” or saying nothing and walking in the opposite direction. I chose the latter.



9. One of my former classmates continues to lead the charmed life. She is the only person in the world that somehow has me so bothered. I'm not sure what it is, but I sure don't like it in myself. She brings out a competitive streak in me that borders on psychotic just like she did way back when. Just imagine my over reaction when BJ mentioned how cute she is.