When we moved to Casper, WY just before my sophomore year in high school, I didn't think I knew anyone in the city. Then, during the first day of French II, the teacher said the name "Thad Reatherford" while calling roll. When our family would go down visit my mom's parents in New Orleans, my brother and I would hang out with the brothers next door, Seth and Thad Reatherford. Sometime around fourth grade, the Reatherfords moved and boring people with no kids moved in next door to Grandma and Grandpa. Thad Reatherford isn't that common of a name, so I promised myself that if given the chance I would find out if he was the same Thad as long as there weren't too many people around and I wouldn't look stupid. When we sat in our assigned seats in Biology and he was seated right next to me, I had to ask.
(When reading the following conversation, imagine Thad's face looking more and more freaked out as he wonders who the crazy stalking girl is sitting next to him.)
ME: "Hey. Did you ever live in New Orleans?"
THAD: "Yes."
ME: "On MacArthur Street?"
THAD: "Yes."
ME: "Next door to Mr. and Mrs. Steele?"
THAD: "Uh, yeah."
ME: "Yeah, they're my grandparents. I'm Joanna, and my brother David and I used to visit them during the summer."
THAD: "OH YEAH! Hi!!"
That was the coolest "Hey ... I know you!" story I had about re-uniting with someone you hadn't seen for a while.
Until this weekend.
This weekend, I got a call from one of my good friends from high school, Jana Allen ... sorry, Jana Griffin, now. (I am a horrible friend. Once my parents moved away from Amarillo, I lost track of everybody. Before this weekend, I knew the location of exactly ONE of my friends from AHS. Sad.) I had found Jana's blog and read back a few entries to see what was going on in her life. Imagine my surprise when I saw the phrase "when we moved to Knoxville a year ago." WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?! Knoxville, TENNESSEE?!?!? Awesome. We talked for a while and made promises that we would get together ... the sooner the better! I can't wait.
1 comments:
The only good part about moving back to Alvin to do student teaching last year was that I got to reconnect with some friends from high school who I'd fallen out of touch with. They're not like bosom buddies or anything now, but it was fun to get to hang out with them again, and we still talk online every once in a while. I'm kind of a believer in "the more friends, the better." They don't have to be BEST friends, but it's nice to have them around.
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