Reunion (Part II)

Reunion. It is always fun to find out what has become of your High School classmates. Somehow it feels good to discover that people turned out exactly the way you expected. Like Jenny, the popular girl in my class. Oh, poor Jenny. I listened to her story. How she got pregnant at age 19. Of course she did not know who the real father was. How she had to give away her child and became addicted to drugs. How she sold her body in order to pay for the drugs.

Yeah, she turned into the drug addicted whore, just like I expected.

‘I have been clean for almost a year now, because God saved me.’ She said to me. Tears appeared in her eyes as I praised her for her fighting spirit. I put my arms around her and told her that everything will be alright. She started to cry. Yeah, it feels good to be right.

While I comfort Jenny, Richie walked up to us. Richie Jenkins was the captain of out High School football team. The typical looks and no brains guy. Shame girls only go for the looks during High School. I shake his hand and put Jenny in his arms. Uneasy he tells me his story, how he failed at his football career and how he finally became a fireman. ‘Close one’ I thought. He looked like the kid who would fail at football and then in despair join the Army.

I excused myself and walked towards the next group.

Suddenly I heard someone, no something, yell behind me. ‘Jooooohnniee! Sweeeeetieee!’ I turned around as the voice that called my name sounded like Jabba the Hutt, with his mouth stuffed with chicken wings. Shocked, I saw a woman that made even Jabba look like a starving anorexia model. As she rolled closer I looked around, hoping there was some other John she mentioned. No such luck. Breath reeking of what was probably the banquet. She opened her mouth again ‘It is me, Wendy.’

It could not be. Little Wendy. Quiet little Wendy. She did not have many friend at school but I had done some school projects with her. She was kind of cute back then. And weird. I remember her laying on the bed in her mom’s wedding dress, listening to the Cure.

More memories are washed away as she hugs me. She tells me how good I looked. I released myself from her grips. ‘No, fat jokes John. You don’t want her to eat you’, I thought. I needed to get away from her. Looking around not hearing what she was saying, I saw a punch bar in the corner. Figuring it would take a long roll for her to get there. I smiled, said her name and made an excuse to head for the alcohol.

Close one, I thought while walking away from her. There was no one at the table, so I took my time filling a cup with what looked like punch.

I took a sip. It tasted awful. I turned around and walked towards the side of the room.
Leaning against the wall, I had a good view of the ballroom. It looked like Wendy found the desserts. Sighting, I looked at the other women in the room. Age had taken their toll. I took another sip from my punch, when I saw Nadia talking to Jake Hammond. She looked good in that dress. Most have cost a fortune, I thought. I wondered what happened to her.

Another woman walks up to Jake puts her arm around his. She looked young. Her dress even more daring then Nadia’s. Revealing way too much. An image of the present Wendy wearing the same dress flashed through my head. I took another sip when Nadia turns around and looked at me. With a warm smile she walked towards me. ‘Who is the Russian prostitute.’ I asked her, while pointing at Jake’s playmate. ‘As subtle as always, John. She replied. ‘I hope you don’t say the same thing to my husband’ She continues. ‘Would that cause me any trouble?’ I said. She laughed and pointed at a guy now standing at the punch bar.

I smiled, seeing Eugene look at me with a puzzled face (to be continued…)