A few years ago, when I had some interest in keeping in touch with people from high school, I signed up at Classmates. I never used it because, in reality, I can say that all of the people that I knew in high school who are worth talking to, I am already in contact with. But this morning, I did the groggy email check and noticed that I have a message from someone who found me on the website. A friend that I haven’t spoken to in about 7 or 8 years and someone that I am terribly upset about losing contact with. Someone from middle school. What are the odds?
JGJ was one of my favorite people in eighth grade. In eighth grade, I was shy and quiet and was just starting to come out of my shell. I met JGJ in Science class. He listened to They Might Be Giants and wore Jncos and tagged everything. We wrote each other dumb notes and threw things at each other in class. He drew me pictures and taught me about music.
After eighth grade, we went to different high schools and thus our snail mail war began. We still lived in the same city, but I spent summers in Michigan or Georgia with family and when I was away, the JGJ would play.
I don’t remember how it all started. But every time I got the mail, I hoped something was from him.
From him: Open condom wrappers and 7 eyelashes.
From me: Brochure on what to expect during pregnancy and a sock.
From him: Handmade card “from Bubbles” with what I hoped were leg hairs taped inside.
From me: Maxipad with his name written in red marker across it.
From him: Kit to get rid of crabs complete with “pubic hair comb”.
This went on for two years. And then he moved to Georgia. I kept in touch with him long enough to know that he had taken up photography and looked exactly the same.
And today, eight years later, I paid 15 bucks to send him an email. Imagine that. That Classmates shit…they sure know how to rope you in.
No comments:
Post a Comment