Thursday, July 01, 2010

Old Friends - Bookends

Yesterday, while in Central Ohio for work, I had lunch with an old college friend - Lori S.

Lori and I go way way way back and I was quite fond of her and our friendship while I was figuring out how to come out and all. Not that I ever confided that with her. I wasn't that comfortable with me to release that info.

But Lori hung out at my fraternity house as she was friends with a number of the guys I hung with. It was deemed funny because we had similar horn-rimmed glasses and the same LL Bean Norwegian sweater. (I'm totally going to have to scan and post some of those pics.)

We picked up kind of right were we left off twenty odd years ago. She has kept in touch with more of my fraternity brothers than I had/have. Hell, she's been to some of their weddings. More than I have ever done.

So we reconnected via FB - I mean, that seems to be the norm for me lately. She said when our mutual friend Dee Dee told her I was on, she looked me up and they actually talked about my hair - or lack thereof.

Lori said she was devastated because I 'had the most awesome head of hair' she'd ever seen. I couldn't stop laughing. I think she was serious. She did a nice cover job saying she liked the way I could pull off my non-hair now. But she did say I looked a pretty much like I did back then - but I'm not sure about that. I think she did though. The years have been kind to her.

Naturally, we talked about mutual acquaintances - some amusing stories, though I got her to physically cringe when I brought up a fraternity brother/roommate I had for a few years. People never said it to my face, but I suspected people didn't like Jim that much. Lori pretty much confirmed that yesterday - right in Panera - with just a look.

For a number of Lori's sorority events, I was her date.

But for much of the conversation it was about the presents and not all on the past, as those things can so easily stay on because that's what you know. It was a short 90 minute lunch, but I really enjoyed it.

Sometimes FB isn't a total waste of time and energy.



Song by: Simon & Garfunkel

2 comments:

Jonny said...

Does she know you're telling people she was a single woman "hanging out" at a Fraternity?

Timbo said...

I agree that Facebook has an important niche provided it doesnt take over your life---although FB only became part of my life per an academic requirement, (long live reduced residency programs) it has allowed me to find many folks I'd lost touch with. oh yeah, the pool pic is fine by me ...:)