A Blast from the Past -- wtf?

I was totally shocked to go on Facebook yesterday and see a friend request. I am not such an ogre that any friend request would surprise me, but this particular one did.

It was summer many years ago. I was king of the world -- or at least I thought I was. I had been the student government president of my high school, an athlete and the president of the school's business club. I had a decent job at the local drug and liquor store and a college scholarship in my back pocket. The world was unfolding before me, and I welcomed it. I would guess that my good friends at the time would best describe me as "cocky." In fact, one of my two best friends wrote this in my senior high school yearbook: "lightning - I don't know how I managed to hang around you for such a long time without putting a fist in your face. I can't help it that all the sophomores love you. - Friend"

Well, that was the other thing. I guess the senior girls were smart enough not to have anything to do with me, I was carrying a torch or two for some juniors, but then there were the sophomores: young and easily impressed ...

Kathy was one of the sophomores that I took special interest in. We were in one of the high school clubs and participated in some projects like making and selling pizzas. I apparently was a veg in doing that since she wrote about it in my senior yearbook. I also apparently promised her some Stroh's beer. She did express an interest in seeing me that summer, and I certainly took that as an invitation.

I don't quite remember how our dating started, but I remember that we were having some fun. Going over to her house was cool because her mom took a liking to me. Things seemed to be progressing well in the relationship. So well, in fact, that I passed on going on my family's annual vacation. I figured that I wanted to spend the remaining time in summer with my girlfriend and my gang of good high school friends who would soon be scattering to different colleges once the new school year began.

Unfortunately, things unraveled rather suddenly. In retrospect, I believe that in Kathy's mind, things were  ... ummm ... progressing a little too rapidly. Enough said. I went over to her house one day and she basically ignored me as she tended to the green tomatoes in her back yard and watched Family Feud on television. I only remember these things since I wrote a song about that day shortly thereafter. Anyway, when I asked her what was wrong, she said "I just don't have a feeling for you anymore."

And that was it. I was, of course, unhappy that the relationship ended, and ended so abruptly. I was also regretting the decision to pass up the family vacation. But ... what the heck, I would be leaving for college in a few weeks, so I took my lumps in stride, knowing that my world would be changing soon anyway.

I rarely thought about Kathy over the years and was only reminded of her over the last ten years since her brother is buried in the same cemetery as my father. And then, out of nowhere, she sent me a Facebook friend request. Huh?

What has happened since we last saw each other? Barack Obama was elected president. Twice. George "dubya" Bush was elected president. Twice. Bill Clinton was elected president. Twice. George H.W. Bush was elected president. Ronald Regan was elected president. Twice. And even Jimmy Carter was elected president. It was that long ago. Geeeeez.

She seemed to me to be very bright. It's hard to believe that it took her this long to see the error of her ways ...

Oh -- and Nick and Rob: I thought that you would get particular enjoyment out of reading what my friend wrote in the yearbook!

And ... to all my friends, have a wonderful holiday season!