It’s just brutally hot this week (for Alaska, anyway). So last evening, I went down to the local mini-mart to buy a bag of ice and some iced tea. As I’m getting out of my car, I spot this other guy getting out of his and immediately recognize him as a guy I grew up with, but haven’t seen in 35 years. He’s hard to miss, as he has red hair and stands about 6’8". “Bob?”, I said. “Yeaahhh…?” he replied, eyeing me warily.
“Man, it’s me, Chefguy.”
“Holy shit!”, sez he, “You look worse than I do!”
“So what’s up with you?”, I asked, somewhat less enthusiastically.
He then proceeded to give me a rundown of his adult life (WAY TMI). Turns out, he worked up on the Arctic Slope until the oil crash of the 70s, then ended up working in a grocery store until they downsized him and retired him at about $380 bucks a month. So now he’s delivering pizza for a living. At age 56.
Well, nothing wrong with any of that, I guess. He also told me that he’s had no relationship that lasted for more than a year, smokes like a chimney, and drinks like a fish.
Suddenly, my life was back in perspective. I’ve got it really good. The small stuff just evaporated in the five minutes we talked. I went home, put down the ice, and laid a big smooch and hug on my wife. I don’t know why this chance meeting affected me so much. I’ve met other former schoolmates and not envied their successes. Maybe it’s because for the most part, they’re on a par with me as to where they are in their lives. And then there’s this guy…Bob…living hand to mouth.
Anybody else have this sort of encounter?
A couple of years ago, I ran across a guy I knew in high school. He was weatherbeaten, missing teeth, and looked like he was at least 10 years older than me. He’s been a physical laborer since graduating from high school, has never married, and seems to have lived hand-to-mouth the whole time. Despite it all, though, he seemed pretty happy with his circumstances in life, and he acted way happier to see me than I would have guessed he’d be, considering he was one of the “cool kids” in high school and I was a mere hanger-on.
I once saw a homeless man begging on a street corner, and he looked a whole lot like he could have been the boy I had a mad crush on for most of my teenage years. I was in traffic, though, and I thought better of going back to check before I got to a place where I could turn around. I dated that boy on and off through high school and I would have married him in an instant if he’d asked me. I can only thank God that I wasn’t given the chance to make that particular bad choice.
These encounters and my last high school reunion made me even more aware of how your perception of your lot in life can change, given perspective.
Well I used to remind myself of the type of people I went to school with, and the type of school I went to, whenever I wanted to put my life into perspective.
That was until I went to friendsreunited.com, and saw all the thoroughly interesting things that half of my schoolmates were currently doing.
Now I just remind myself of how laid back, and un-academic I was, and think “you did pretty well, considering.”
I hear ya. I was reminded of how much I have to be thankful for after one my reunions as well. Some people did absoutely nothing with their lives, others tried, but somehow got the short end of the stick. Some did fairly well, still others did exeedingly well.
Really makes me grateful for the life I live, what I have, and those that are a part of my life.