More reunionism

I was out last night and got talking with this guy I see out at the bar from time to time... he's a year or two younger than I am, but he spent a good half hour dismissing my apprehension about doing the reunion next week.

"C'mon, go have a good time, play all the hits people wanna hear, and you never know, you might meet somebody."

I had to remind him, dude, this is a reunion I MET all these people already. Like, in 1967.

That being said, I have to give praise to the women in my graduating class. While us guys have gotten gray and somewhat fatter and probably stupider over time, the women have generally kept themselves up really well. A couple of years ago, Penny took me to her 25th reunion, and I was actually surprised at how old most of the women she'd gone to high school with now look. They really looked... old. Besides Penny, there was maybe one or two women I would have been attracted to. Not the case with my graduating class. Even the women who've worked all their lives and had multiple kids seemed to be pretty much themselves (though a couple of them now bear a really disturbing resemblance to their own mothers at that age, right down to the bad polyester pantsuits).

I guess the difference between the guy I talked to last night, going to his 20th reunion, and me going to this 25th reunion is that he just had to go down the road to his... he grew up and went to school locally, near Baltimore, where I have to drive 350 miles. By myself.

I used to like such drives. I still do, at times, if I'm going to see someone I care about or going home from seeing someone. This one isn't appealing to me, though. Me and a Saab full of audio gear, driving all night to stay in some anonymous hotel room. My parents offered me their extra bedroom, but there's something even less appealing about that prospect. I can't put my finger on it. I guess I'd rather just spend the money on a hotel than deal with the vibes and stuff.

It's not going to exactly be cheap, but if I only do this once every 25 years, it should be OK.