You CAN go home again

Well kittykats I went to my high school reunion tonight. I went back and forth in my head whether or not I wanted to actually go for the longest time. Everytime I thought about seeing everyone, it’s as if I was a geeky knock-kneed 15 year old again. This is a strange thing to me. Nowadays I have plenty of confidence to spare.
Finally an hour before it was due to start I told Chris that I wanted to go. He was a wee bit annoyed since I had changed my mind about 800 times in the last week about it. He grumbled for a little while but before I knew it we were on the road to Hagerstown.
I think I drove him half batshit on the way there. I kept asking him if I looked OK, if I was pretty etc. He humored me even though I am sure he was exasperated! Before I knew it I was looking upon my hometown.
Hagerstown is one of those places that seems frozen in time. It IS a pretty little town, almost Rockwellian. Of course there have been a few changes in the last 15 years, but small towns such as this are reluctant to change too much. Therein lies their charm. I hated this when I was a kid and it was the most boring place on earth to me. As an adult I see things differently. I am a city girl at heart, but at the same time the quiet and slow pace are appealing.
We got to the reunion and I froze up a bit in the parking lot, but Chris assured me that it would be fine. I jumped out of the Jeep, plastered a smile on my face, and grabbed his hand in a vice grip. Now here is the strangest part.
I had a really good time! I was happy to see everyone, even the people I didn’t really talk to too much. The years have mellowed people out a lot, and past hurts did not seem to matter. I even talked to my former arch-nemesis (her words not mine) and was reminded of getting into a fistfight with her in front of my mom’s house. I had forgotten, but it brought a big laugh all these years later.
Chris seemed to enjoy himself too, as much as someone who didn’t know a soul could at least. He spent most of the time talking to the husbands and boyfriends of my classmates. My friends were very impressed by him. I’m not sure how to take it, but my friends always seem a bit surprised that I landed a man like him. Perhaps I should be offended by this, but I am more grateful than anything.
We didn’t stay for the whole thing, we jetted after the first band was done playing. It was late and we were both tired. I think that this did wonders for me psychologically. It might sound lame, but I had still held on to a lot of bitterness from those days. Tonight I was able to let go of it and look back fondly on those years. HHS class of 1995-I love you guys! You will always be my old, dear friends!
As always, thanks for listening and God bless!