Glory Days

No pictures this time, just some reminiscing.

This week I attended a convention in San Diego, where many years ago I lived and worked until the economy of the time (1992) and some other personal issues led me to move to the Bay Area. While I have been here I have encountered friends and former co-workers that I have not seen or heard from in almost 20 years. Not only that, but I also saw a college friend of mine who I have not seen or talked to since we both graduated 20 years ago.

It amazed me that some of the people that I seen here have hardly changed in appearance since the last time I saw them, while others have changed so much that I barely recognized them. I am also not sure where I fit in their eyes in this regard. They all recognized me, but only after I introduced myself to them. All that is except for one friend, who told me that she recognized me because of my smile. I was very happy to hear that, until she then pointed out that I had "filled out" since I had last saw her. But believe it or not I took it as a compliment, at least that is how I think she meant it, that is after she said that I was too skinny in college. It is the nicest way that I have ever been told that I have gained weight in my life.

Now while my time in San Diego is almost done since I leave tomorrow, my trip down memory lane has one more mile to go, as I will be travelling to my hometown to see another friend who I have not seen in 20 years or so but nevertheless is my longest standing friend, as I have known her for over 40 years. I have no idea what to expect or how that will go, but again I have that same sense of nervous anticipation as I did before I met my other friends.

It is funny how nervous I got before meeting my old friends and co-workers, and how nervous I am now before meeting with the oldest friend. All sorts of thoughts have run through my head the last few days: Will I see them? Will they recognize me? Will I be able to recognize them? Is this the beginning of re-establishing contact, or will they and I again not talk to each other for another 20 years? It is strange and tense and yet at the same time so much fun when they do recognize me and we touch base and reminisce about days gone by. It is also worth remembering that I still have something in common with each of them, even though our lives have gone in much different directions since then.

There are still a few friends out there that I have not seen in many, many years. I hope that the day will come when I will be able to reconnect with them and I hope that they too will be able to recognize me.