Now that was unexpected

Whew! I did it and I survived. More than survived. I just got back from my 10 year high school reunion, and it was really great! The worst part was definately being afraid of it for 2 months. It was for the most part fabulous and only a teeny tiny part horrifying:

The Reunion Part I (99.9%) Fabulous:
Everyone one I talked to was fun, interesting, interested, sincere, laid back, and silly. We talked about northern lights, making soap, local geology, rock climbing, military service, europe, sewage systems, agriculture, zoning, legislation, teaching, architecture, 6th grade Dare class memories (probably my most horrible memory of school...and it got dragged out as the funniest story some people had ever heard. Whew! can finally stop worrying about that one!), rodeos, brewing beer, building houses, and all the people who didn't come (good stuff, too!). We drank and talked and shared stories and really honestly didn't end up rubbing eachother very much the wrong way at all, it seemed. All of that weird awful mistrust and hurt and drama that held us together as kids and in high school like some strangely essential connective tissue was wiped clear and for a night anyway, we were all having a good time, ignoring the band, and talking until our voices ran out. Fabulous fabulous. So glad I got to be part of that.


The Reunion Part II (.1%) Horrifying:
Standing in front of they guy that she might still have a bit of a latent crush on, my "best" friend from high school says, in a lull in the conversation, "So, do you even have a job?" I looked at her feet and said, quickly, "Of course! I've got a great job!" And then, as I take an embarassed and flustered pull on my beer, I get really annoyed! Hey, man, that was totally mean! I change my tone of voice (loud and harsher now) and continue, "No, I just sit around on my ass all day and drink beer!" Before I've even finished that last syllable, she has her hands on my cheeks and is holding my mouth shut and my head tilted to the sky, like she would her 7 year old daughter (who is standing right there), and says something about my language. I don't even have time to process this, really. I laugh at her and say that I'd forgotten that was even a bad word, and look at they other guy and say, Wow, it could have been a lot worse! We laugh about it together. I cease eye contact with her, and as soon as I can I sit with other people who don't feel the need to manhandle me and belittle me in front of children. And that was it. It really was. I hated that she made me feel small in high school and I'm kind of stunned that she still needs to make me feel small now.

But there is a good part to this. It makes me so FUCKING grateful! I have managed to surround myself ALL AROUND myself surround myself with wonderful people that I love to talk to, who I feel good about life when I talk to them! And it's a good thing I won't have to deal with her again for a long long long time. Maybe ever, actually. Yeah. Ever would be best.

Although I do feel bad for her gorgeous, observant, wide-eyed daughter. I hope she can escape that influence unscathed. I would have loved to have talked to her, although I'm pretty sure I permanently scratched any chances of that with my "language."

Seriously, when did ass become such a bad word? I missed that part, I think

Two Shoes (and proud of it now!)