So, less than a week ago, I checked the obsolete-but-still-operational email at Pat_and_Dan@yahoo.com. I direct most of my music related "business" through my "hylton44" presence, but there are still a few contact points for the old musical duo out there in the w.w.w., not the least of which is the Pat and Dan website. I'm only in there sporadically now, and then usually just to clean out the overflowing spam folder and sift through a few various unsigned band venture invitations that probably belong in the spam folder.
In this particular visit, however, was a "hey guys" message from an old high school friend that tracked either Pat or me (or both of us) down and was interested in seeing what we were up to. I got back to him and we had a little exchange in which we filled each other in a general overview of our 17-odd years since high school and 15-odd years since our last contact. Though it may have been of some interest that I carried a then-bourgeoning music interest into a lifelong pursuit and recently found myself back into the arena of theatre (we both acted in high school plays "back in the day"), I think what was probably most amazing to Steve was that I still carried with me a group of some of my closest associations from my high school days: Pat M, Pat G, and Cory L.
What I found, both in our emails, and when I reversed the role of investigator and checked out Steve's blog (is it Stephen now?), is that his experience since high school is remarkably similar to my own. Not many, or nearly any, of the actual events (he taught English in Japan for three years, then later returned and got a masters degree in literature, I think from the University of Iowa), but kind of in the overall "personal journey" sort of way. In his post regarding the intial overture, he refers to the earlier, high school version of himself as the "stupid version," one that he resisted coming face to face with. It was a sentiment with which I could totally identify. As many of my closest friends of these days can attest, my own journey from this earlier version of myself has been so long and crazy that I truly feel like I don't even know who that old verison of Dan was. Of course, I needed for him to exist to get here, and yaya yada, but that doesn't mean that I look back on those years with comfort or pride. In fact, one of my greatest goals in life is to try to prepare my daughter to take that introspective journey about seven to eight years earlier than I did.
So, it was refreshing to have a voice from the past announce that he, too, has arrived at some kind of destination, if maybe by a different route, and is now waving to me from far off, atop his own mountaintop. That is, as opposed to some sort of creepy reminder of a past I'd rather forget (like, say, an insane publication put together by a desperate, former homecoming queen wannabe trying to assemble a "where are they now?" guide arriving in my mailbox). So, hi Steve! (Stephen?)
As an aside, I see that Steve checked in on my last post; great to see, not only in that maybe there is some sort of re-establishment of our relationship, but also because it ups my readership by a significant percentage. Though I can't guarantee a constant string of comments, I will start checking in on his blog, as well. Maybe the next time Steve is in the Twin Cities, we can hook up for a visit, beer, and/or bad movie and some pizza.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
17 comments:
Sounds like you are asking him out on a date. Dinner and a movie?
Hey, I'm RIGHT HERE
Wha-? Don't DO that! I spun suddenly around to see if you were leering at me from the cube behind.
To your comment, Clogger: yes. What I was really trying to get at in the post is that I am gay. Gay, gay, gay. And I have have a desire to date old male friends I re-aquaint with on the inter-net.
How do you suggest I break it to Sharon?
T-Clog's jealous.
How sweet.
Wow, This is turning into something off the Fox or WB networks.
It usually does.
Can we call you Moesha?
Um, I think that's UPN, so, no.
Is this the Steve who once worked for the Boy Scouts of America?
If by that you mean the job I had with a certain Dan and Pat in 1989, which paid $450 approximately, then that's me.
I remember you as the guy who had a dense head of hair. Is your head still covered with a lot of hair? You were the buisness manager right?
Anyway, it is very nice converse with you.
I had a lot of hair, 80s style, back then. The hair is still there, but cut appropriately. Based on your 2003 photos it looked like Pat and Dan were still sporting hair, too. Based on Pat M's eye picture one can't really state what the hairline status is.
As for business manager, I don't recall holding that position. The boy scout gig was more of a clerk thing. I got a good crash course on smoking from the guy in charge.
Congrats on reuniting with an old chum.
(I am a blog pal of Stephen's)
Thanks, and nice to meet you Carol.
My hair situation has varied wildly, from being bald to working on my current venture venture
I gots pretty much the same hair, though I try to keep it from looking too much like Luke Skywalker these days, something I couldn't say in 1989.
Ahhh, the magical Boyscout summer. That was 1989, was it not?. JBart and me off in Europe (separately), you clowns hanging around in Waverly, listening to bat babbles, and poking each other with your penises. (not internally) Or am I conflating multiple scout camp summers into one?
If not, that may be the critical summer for bringing T-Clog into the group, and releasing Steve into the wild, only to return 15 years hence, wiser, wilier, but still hirsute. Shazam!
The magical Boyscout summer. I worked with a camp director who was into L. Ron Hubbard. I remember when they brought the women in halfway through the summer. That was a gret idea. Actually hanging out at the campsite at night was fun. Gorgeous lighting storm one night.
I remember a quote by you, actually. Something about not wanting to "dodge women all summer" or something like that.
Ha! That was because one of the women came to our camp and stuck her head in our tent to wish us good morning. I remember getting pretty uptight about that.
Post a Comment