This June is my 11 year high school reunion. Don't ask. We graduates of such a fine institution as Ridgewood Preparatory School do things a wee bit differently. Honestly, I've been told, our class reunion is being combined with the class of 2000 in hopes that more alumni will attend. I'm down with that. Not that anyone asked for my 2 cents, but ours was a small Metry school. That's Metairie for you non-natives.
So, last week the invite came in the mail asking me to be a part of the walk down memory lane this coming June 5th at some joint in downtown N'awlins. And again, this is my blog, where I will only occasionally unload what's really on my mind. I know; I NEVER do that on facebook, do I? And I also know that there are many fellow RPS grads with whom I am friends on facebook, and they probably don't even know it. But if you are aware, I am about to dump on some things about high school. So, there. You've been warned.
High school is somewhat challenging for the less popular crowd. I was mainly there because I knew it would take 4 years to get out of that hole, but I did manage to make a few friends along the way. I can remember vividly every year on my birthday being called to the office by Ms. Saunders. I wonder if she's still there like MJ is? And there waiting for me would be flowers and a cookie cake, courtesy of my wonderful parents. They always picked up the slack for their shy, not very popular daughter, and made me feel like a million bucks. I love them. And I love them for loving me for who I was and am.They really are the best, and no, you can't have them. And then it would begin. I would open that box of sugary goodness after lunch to share with my group of friends who ate under the shade of that courtyard tree daily, only to be repeatedly harrassed by classmates who never gave me the time of day otherwise. Humor me. "Elizzzzzabeth! Can I have a piece, pleeeeeaaaase?" Oh, how you bug me. But I'm too nice to tell you no because I want DESPERATELY to be accepted by the cool crowd. Why I ever thought that the girls who ate lunch with the stupid football players were cool, I'll never know. And I'm also now brave enough to tell you that I HATE cheerleaders. I didn't hate all of them. Just most of them. They looked down on me. I always thought I had something on my face when I was around their laser eyes. Anyway...
One of my kiddos' preschool teachers told me that I should totally go to my reunion because all the kids who were flakes in high school will still be flakes, and it would be amusing for me. While I agree that it would be amusing, I fear that I would tell these particular Plastics off. In front of other people.
Having children has changed many things about me. But one of the most significant changes has been to my crap filter, as I call it. If I am given unsolicited advice by strangers concerning my children, it doesn't end well for them. "Yes, she's screaming. And unless you're going to take her home and work your magic, BACK OFF."
So, all this to say, that I will not be attending my 11 year high school reunion. I've got more fun things to do with my life now. And here they are. Well, they're actually at the top of this post. And they are the world to me. Who needs to go be all fake with people who only spoke to you when it involved dessert on your birthday?
