Had a Gatlinburg weekend recently. NOT a vacation, but a blip in the space-time continuum wherein I found myself surrounded by the mists of yore, blasted by my past-ed, etcetera. I graduated (or granulated, as my dear old friend Zeke used to say) from Gatlinburg Pittman High School in 1981, and when I walked out the door, I really walked out the door. I was on the edge of the orbits of a couple different circles of friends, and that post-grad summer I started a new job and romance (the marrying kind) and I disappeared into that. Like witness-relocation disappeared.
I was a bad friend. I have a history of being a bad friend, I see now in hindsight. I have something like an excuse. We moved several times during my childhood. The natural order of things was this: live here for a little while, have some fun, move on to the next place. Family goes with, friends wave goodbye. I may still be a bad friend - in fact, I'm fairly certain of it. But I try. I really try, but in some ways I'm that puppy who left the litter too soon. I just don't have the social skills for the pack environment.
Memory Lane came strolling in with lunch on Friday and the parade continued through Sunday evening. Can't think for the life of me why I have this horrible impression of my high school years. I don't remember anything specifically awful, just a general sense of not fitting in and being surrounded by stupidity. I guess we all battle our insecurities there - mine is perhaps not quite finished. I always worry about kids who love high school. This should not be the apex of your life. It's the prelude. In fact, I don't want to reach the apex! I just want to continue the climb.
So I've started climbing through the past a little, seeing that it isn't the acid-washed nightmare I feared. Good things are back there also. And good friends.
Congratulations to the Right Reverend Jenny A. Pam and I are so proud to know you. You *are* our once and future king. Even if you're a girl.
I was a bad friend. I have a history of being a bad friend, I see now in hindsight. I have something like an excuse. We moved several times during my childhood. The natural order of things was this: live here for a little while, have some fun, move on to the next place. Family goes with, friends wave goodbye. I may still be a bad friend - in fact, I'm fairly certain of it. But I try. I really try, but in some ways I'm that puppy who left the litter too soon. I just don't have the social skills for the pack environment.
Memory Lane came strolling in with lunch on Friday and the parade continued through Sunday evening. Can't think for the life of me why I have this horrible impression of my high school years. I don't remember anything specifically awful, just a general sense of not fitting in and being surrounded by stupidity. I guess we all battle our insecurities there - mine is perhaps not quite finished. I always worry about kids who love high school. This should not be the apex of your life. It's the prelude. In fact, I don't want to reach the apex! I just want to continue the climb.
So I've started climbing through the past a little, seeing that it isn't the acid-washed nightmare I feared. Good things are back there also. And good friends.
Congratulations to the Right Reverend Jenny A. Pam and I are so proud to know you. You *are* our once and future king. Even if you're a girl.
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