The Way It Should Be

I returned to the home of my parents

for a few days last week,

back to a home where I once lived

but have been gone for over 25 years now,

I attended my 30 year high school reunion

while I was there;

it was very strange;

I’m not really sure why I went

or what the point was,

I realized once I was there

that I spent 4 years with these people,

and 4 years seems like such a very short time,

compared to the years which have gone by;

I’ve had a dog

almost 3 times as long as the time

I knew most of these people;

it was interesting to watch how quickly

everyone returned to the roles they played back then,

myself included,

there were so many things I had planned to say,

about places and things I have seen and done,

about all the words which I have written over the years,

to make up for the words which were never spoken

when I knew all of them,

instead I became the big dumb, smiling jock again,

as if nothing had ever changed;

most of then had ended up

exactly as I assumed they would,

lawyers,

college professors,

business people,

husbands and wives,

fathers and mothers,

grandfathers and grandmothers;

I suppose it would have been better

if I had gotten falling down drunk,

but I had already done that the weekend before,

drinking vodka and beer until I passed out,

and I’m only good

for about 3 or 4 of those a year anymore,

so I had to pass at the reunion,

but perhaps if I had,

I might have shown them a glimpse

of the person who I really am,

but then again,

perhaps not;

none of them knew me then,

none of them know me now,

which is probably

the way it should be.

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