High School Reunion, the Musical

I recently realized (thanks to a Facebook group invite) that it is time for my 10-year high school reunion. Whhhaaaaattt?

I remember while in high school thinking that those four years were the Most. Important. Ever. While they were formative, for better or for worse, it's not something I necessarily want or need to revisit. Not that it was bad, just because of plain geography.

You see, I grew up in a one square mile town. One. Square. Mile. There was nothing to do, and our school was kindergarten through 12th grade all in one building. You would literally trip over first graders getting to your junior lunch. The school was so small that 80% of the kids were in every club or sport just to have enough people to keep them going. This resulted in getting to school at 7:28am and sometimes not leaving until 10 pm, with me running to my house a block away to grab a snack. (The tuna sandwiches before drama made my partner mad. Sorry, Dom.) The poor cross country team didn't even have a real route to run because the town was so little. The had to run "perimeters," running around the outline of the town just to get a workout. awww.

I loved my little tiny town, even though my entire life was focused on a three-square block area and I never learned how to safely cross streets because my street was always blocked off for school crossings.

It's just that, well, as tiny towns go, even when you grow up and move away, tiny town gossip still prevails. Everyone still knows what everyone else is doing. It's just how it is. Plus, with Facebook, my schoolmates and I have 24-hour access to each others' lives.

I wonder how this will affect the reunion. I imagine it might go something like this:

Mandy: So, what's new?
me: I got married in May!
Mandy: Yeah, I know, I saw the pictures on Facebook.

Me: How's the baby?!
Joanne: She's great! She just took her first step!
Me: I know, I watched the video on Facebook and my sister ran into Kyle uptown, and he showed her pictures.

Lori: My mom moved out of town.
me: I know, my mom saw her at the grocery store. Where's Monica?
Lori: She's coming late, she had to take her daughter to the sitter. Your sister texted me to tell me.

See? No surprises in Smalltown, NJ. I am sure it will be a great time, I just can't see it resembling in any way typical reunions.

To increase and maximize fun, I propose incorporating a Slip-n-Slide and kindly request the Class of 2000 to rehearse and perform perfectly choreographed musical numbers. High School Reunion, the Musical. Yessss.