What happened to your high school friends?

I kept in touch with about four people after I graduated from high school, simply because by the time I left for college, I didn't want anything to do with most of the people I grew up with.

However, we recently had our first reunion, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well everyone was doing, how much fun we all had around each other and how, for the most part, the classmates had mellowed out. (Maybe that was in part to the alcohol?) Anyhow. I left the reunion eager to continue friendships with A LOT of people. One of my friends is on her second marriage, has five children and she is a firefighter and an EMT. Another friend has three children and is a neonatal cardiology nurse. Another friend sells boats and has the coolest wife, I am so happy for him. And for the most part, I'm really excited to see that so many of them are doing well in their lives and in their personal relationships.

Plus, the joys of technology (re: Facebook) have reconnected a lot of us.

Funny story, though. About three years ago, I met up with one of my best friends from high school at a classmate's wedding - we hadn't spoken for about nine or 10 years over something really stupid. Now, we talk just about every day and while we don't talk to the classmate whose wedding we went to, we both agree that we're very lucky to have been reconnected because of him.

 

Never went to a class reunion, because I always seemed to be un or under employed when they came about.
I was always closer to my brother's class -- three years behind me -- and have good friends from that one.
Connected with a couple of guys I went to high school with on facebook. But haven't seen a guy from my class in high school in I'd bet at least 10 years.

 

Lot of people from my class with multiple kids, sez Teh Facebook. Lot of people who have bounced around jobs the last three or four years, after graduating college, still trying to find their way. At least three have been laid off recently. Then again, we haven't had much time (10th reunion comes up next year, if anybody arranges one.)

Our valedictorian got her Master's, quit her job, hiked the AT and is now living out West (like me), enjoying the sunshine. My best friend discharged from the Marines and she's self-employed as a personal trainer. Another guy is a rising political lobbyist in D.C. A couple others work for the big hospital in our hometown. One longtime friend just got his MD last month. At least three of us are in media -- one's at an NBC affiliate and another is working for Ted Turner. Three classmates were out here in SoCal, last I heard; one got chewed up and spit out, and went back home. One of my friends is in Ottawa, one's in Chicago, most are still somewhere close to home. At least one classmate died in Afghanistan; several others were in Iraq the last few years.

And those are the ones I know about. Most of the ones not on Teh Facebook were about to have kids or had kids before I left town. Typical "Glory Days" stuff.

 

I live a continent away from most of them, but we stay in touch through facebook, and most of them seem to have done well with their lives and are happy.

 

Sure. She says she was hiking the AT. I've heard that story before.

 

My best friend had some dream to pursue state politics. He landed some communications-type gig in the state government, made good money, married his high school sweetheart and had kids. I have not heard from him in years. His original family bolted my hometown one day about two years ago. Didn't say where they were going. Just pulled up and left. I don't have any desire to talk to him again since he basically treated me like I didn't exist for years even though I was in his fucking wedding.

Best friend No. 2, who never hung around me with best friend No. 1, flunked out of college and now works on communication towers. Stayed in regular contact with him until about three years ago. He was dating some teenager at the time and was engaged until she broke it off. He went a little haywire after that. I think he cleared that out of his system though as his myspace profile is back up and running. He has a picture of himself with a kid. Don't know if it's his. He's still a big redneck and racist though and I really have no use for someone like that in my life at this point.

At my 10-year reunion a few years ago I ran into some other people I hung with on occasion and they were all extremely cooler than the people who I was close with. Made me wish things had worked out differently, but what are you going to do?

 

Went to my 15-year reunion last year.

I guess the most "successful" guy runs his own hedge fund. My best friends from growing up are a banker, a bank executive, a door salesman and an evironmental engineer, and I keep in touch with them on a regular basis even though we are spread out all over the place.

There are a few doctors and lawyers from my graduating class as well. One working Hollywood movie director, and an actor as well. You haven't heard of either of them. Very few got married young, but some do have kids by now.

 

Off the top of my head...

Bartender, two professional gamblers, bar manager, couple construction workers, one in the clink, two manage grocery stores, several working at banks or insurance companies and various forms of corporate suck-jobs.

The percentage of us that tended bar at one point in time has to approach 75-80, though. Working close to home, and all of that.

 

You don't count, Zeke.

 

How the fuck do you think I ended up here?

People telling me shit like this.

Asshole.

 

One of my buddies from elementary school is an agent for CAA. I guess he literally started in the mailroom and worked his way up. Robert Downey Jr., Matthew McConaughey, Salma Hayek, Tobey Maguire, Jared Leto and Usher are some of his clients.

Maybe I should try and conact him? I have not spoken to him since ninth grade when I moved to AZ and he moved to CA.