We Meet Again...

I am uncomfortable in general with the idea of running into people I used to know--co-workers, high school friends, whatever. It isn't that I'm not interested in the lives of people I used to care about (most people who know me know I am very nosy, so I like to know what people are up to). But I always wonder if they will remember me. It is really awkward for me. I never want to assume someone will know my name or who I am, especially after 9 years, as is the case with my old high school friends. It is just an icky situation. If I spot someone I used to know, I generally keep my eyes busy elsewhere and stay out of sight. I kind of figure, too, that if the person sees me and says hi first, then it's ok. But I don't want to be the one to initiate contact. So, I pretend I don't see them.

The other main reason I dislike these types of reunions is that I never remember what happened the last time I saw people. What if I was a jerk to someone? What if I was a big jerk to the person, and we left on bad terms, and then I just act like nothing happened? That would be weird.

Anyway, this system has served me well for the past few years. And considering I live, work, and shop in the same neighborhood where I grew up and went to high school, I see surprisingly few people I used to know as I go about my daily life. But in the last couple days, I have seen two old friends.

First, I saw my friend Nicolle at the mall. I didn't actually see her until she called my name. It was great to see her--we had fun chatting, and I now wish I had kept in touch with her. We had lots of fun together, and she was a really good friend to me in my JHS/Perkins days. Then, today at school, my friend Matt walked into the computer lab. It turns out he is trying to register his kid for our preschool. Again, it felt really good to see him, and it was of course lots of fun to hear about his life and the lives of our classmates that he kept in touch with.

The point is this: I think I should be trying harder to maintain relationships with friends I don't see often. I also think I should change my policy about pretending not to notice people when I see them. They may not have a clue who I am, but oh well. Humiliation be damned! I am henceforth friendly.