Personal Reflection

As weird as this is going to sound. I was in my friend John's bathroom tonight relieving myself and I thought wow, what a crazy way things turned out, I have to remember to write about this. Now just for the record John has a weird sense of humor and put a mirror covering the wall of said bathroom so when you're standing there relieving yourself you're starring at yourself in the mirror. It's funky.

So tonight I hung out with John and Stevie. Both I have known since high school - John technically before. He's a teacher and my folks took him out to dinner when I was still in junior high - thats when I first met him. Once in school I remember the first day of freshman year I was walking by his room and he was talking about Lord of the Flies and the breakdown of society which he demonstrated by throwing a chocolate bar into the middle of the room and shouting "Get IT!" and I watched a group of students pile up for the candy bar. Breakdown of the norms. It was hilarious. I didn't Have him for a teacher until Junior year, but he was the director in the fall Drama Club shows, and I worked Stage Crew so I got to know him then. We didn't become Friends until senior year, and then after I graduated we began hanging out. He is truly one of my best friends, and I can discuss guys with him, which for a long time was something I didn't have with anyone else. He can also appreciate my background, and I his.

Steve was a year younger than I was. I met him at drama club sophomore year, and inducted him into our little group. A few of us went bowling every Saturday night. I started inviting him senior year. We have been the best of friends for a while, when I was 19 and he 18 we drove cross country together in my old Taurus without cell phones. It was an incredible Adventure.

But the reflections were how we all ended up. Who in high school would have seen it going this way? Stevie the son of a carpenter now working as a high school teacher with autistic kids. Lives on the first floor of John's duplex. Hanging out every Thurs and watching TV, the three of us, sometimes more. Somewhere along the lines we became Men, the boys we were are gone.

My friend Brent who all but stalked the UMASS Life Flight pilots is now a helicopter pilot himself and a training instructor at the school he went to.

My friend Jon, short little hairy Italian is a Nuclear Design Engineer at Westinghouse. So is my friend Adam who was a year ahead of us.

3 of my best friends were frosh when I was a senior. Kyle is basically a legitimate Rocket Scientist who could actually end up in space one day. Was working on shuttle designs with NASA before he graduated his undergrad. I saw him just the other day, we had Lunch in Boston.

Paul and Chris. I have known Paul for a LONG time, his older brother is Adam who was a year older than me - Brent's class of 01. So Paul went from the little brother to a best friend. Since he was such good friends with Chris he got adopted into the group (Chris I mean) - both are Engineers.

I have done so much, attempted so much, changed so much. Its hard to remember who and what I was even 3 years ago. It's hard to know what I am now.

I am too tired and too medicated to finish this. I will tomorrow.