The Breakfast Club Revisited

"Please try to come! Everyone misses you!" This is the handwritten message attached to the invitation for my 30th high school reunion. Seriously? It is signed by someone I haven't seen since high school, and even then I didn't think she knew who I was. I had about five friends in high school and she was not one of them.

Ten years ago I attended my 20th reunion. As I stood talking with a female friend of mine, two men approached us and were very happy to see us. I didn't remember either of them, but I listened patiently to the story of how they met and their 'marriage'. The mental pictures rolling around in my head were making me dizzy. Then, out of nowhere, the wife (his word not mine) in the couple asked, "How long have you two been together?" WHAT! He made an incorrect assumption about my sexual orientation and I was not happy. I quickly excused myself to find my husband, where I remained glued to his side for the rest of the evening.

So the prospect of another reunion with all the people who 'miss' me is causing a little anxiety. Ten years ago my hair was long, I was ten pounds lighter and in great shape. Today, thanks to chemotherapy, my hair is cropped short, I'm a bit pudgy and I get out of breath running to catch the ringing phone. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying my short hair; I think it's cute...as do all the women who hit on me! This reunion should be a blast!

When I received the invitation I was a little perplexed. The event is in September and the deadline for reservations was two weeks prior to my receipt of the invitation, which results in my having to pay extra to attend. I'm trying to figure out why it was so hard to find me. I've lived in the same town, married to the same MAN, working in the same business for the last 29 years. Six educated people on the reunion committee and not one could find me. I guess if they didn't miss me so much they never would have found me!

It must be because I am not attached to a 'social network'. The Class of 80 has a facebook page, but I do not. I am also not Linkedin. My invitation promises I can find over 170 classmates on the page and 'reconnect with friends'. Friends do not need to be reconnected with, acquaintances do. My problem with Facebook and the like is that what one posts can not necessarily be counted on to be true and one will only post what one deems to be positive. 170 people from the class of 80 will study up on the others attending the reunion based on facebook posts. We have all sized each other up and determined who we believe to be successful before ever walking in the door and ordering our first drink. I wonder what's up with the other 430 classmates I graduated with?

Okay, cynicism aside, I will attend the reunion and I am looking forward to it. Over the past 30 years I have survived four teenagers, successful and not so successful business ownership, marriage, and breast cancer. I believe I can survive a drink or two with 170 of my closest friends. And I will keep my husband close by!