my high school crush

Ever since yesterday's entry, I've been reminiscing about years long ago. I even pulled out a few old yearbooks and looked through the pages. In some cases I was looking at kids, and in others, my peers, all at the same time. Some names I knew immediately as soon as I looked at the photos, others I struggled with. One thing I realize now is how helpful it would have been to have gotten both the first and last names of everyone that took the time to leave written messages. Back then of course, I mistakenly thought that I'd be able to remember everyone. And some messages have no names with them at all.

Right next to my yearbooks is a very thin booklet which is a remembrance from my high school graduating class's eleventh-year reunion (why eleven? - because we're special). Which reminds me of being in front of the dreaded video camera, which never fails to put me in an immediate state of panic.

I was seated at a table full of friends and acquaintances when several members of the events production group came to us with their video equipment in hand. Could we all stand up for a group interview? So okay, we all stood up and introduced ourselves. Then came more quick questions, including the one that threw me for a loop: Who was the prettiest girl from our class? Oh no, I thought. What do I do now? As the other guys for the most part all said the same name, I panicked and said that "I couldn't think of any." Isn't that terrible? All because I didn't want to divulge the name of the girl I had had a crush on ever since my freshmen year. I went on to say something to the effect of "I can think of a girl from the next class" - which was true - there was a girl in the year behind ours that was so beautiful she could have been a Playboy Playmate. But if I was going to protect my secret anyway, why not simply agree with the other guys?

Whenever I think of that video, I hope against hope that they edited my part out, but certainly that's not the case. And of course, there were lots of pretty girls in my class!