A day in the life of an average Joe, part 5 - the class reunion

I know I have been focusing on my high school years recently but this will probably be the end of that for a little while. Actually going by the title, this takes place 10 years after high school. My high school was having a formal reunion in November of 1997 but there was going to be a small informal gathering at a local Irish pub down the street from my house. It was within walking distance and so I decided to take a quick peak to see what was going on. I had no intention to going to the formal gathering the next day.


When I arrived I saw two people that I knew, though I was not friends with them in high school. I was making small talk with one kid when one of the old football jocks came up to me very excited. He put his arm around me and said something like "Hey dude great to see you again. Come on over and say hello to the guy's." I did not play football, I didn't hang out with the football crowd, and I didn't go to the football games so I was not sure what all the excitement was in seeing me. In any case once I was in the mist of 6 or 7 former football players they all seemed happy to see me. All had comments like "Hey buddy it's great to see you" or "Hey man what have you been up to?" I started to tell the story of the past 10 years when one football player called out to a guy named Joe Burke, a football player that was off talking to someone else. Joe Burke approached us and someone from my group said to Joe "Hey you remember this guy?" Joe Burke came over with a smile, shook my hand and said "Jim Butler, how the hell are you? That is all well and good except my name is not Jim Butler. Just as I was about to tell everyone that, the front door of the pub opens and the "real" Jim Butler walks in. As everyone was looking at the door I was making my way out the rear entrance. I felt really low at that point even though I probably should not have. I walked home and told my wife at that time what had happened. Her response was "well you were never popular in school so what did you expect." Comforting words from someone who is supposed to care.

So in less then two weeks my 20th reunion is happening and guess what, I will not be going.