The invitation for my 10 year high school reunion was stuck to the fridge and I felt it mocking me each time I saw it there. Just divorced after a horrid two year marriage the last thing I wanted to do was go to a reunion to talk to people I didn't give a shit about 10 years ago and cared even less for now. Plus how do you answer the inevitable questions of "Are you married? Kids? What are you doing?" when the answers are "Thank God not anymore, I hope to hell not, and trying to get back on my feet." Sure I could answer them honestly but where's the fun in that? And that's when the idea of making up a new life for myself came about. Spy? Unbelievable. Movie critic? Don't have the money to go to the movies. Internet millionaire? Hmmm....I went to the reunion.
"John, you look good, what are you up to?" asked a girl that I didn't remember and whose name tag didn't help.
"I'm between things right now. I just sold my company so I'm taking some time off," I told her.
"Sold your company?" she asked.
"Yeah, it was a software company and Yahoo bought us out." I responded with my rehearsed lie.
"Wow. Really? Wow!" she responded before quickly walking away and whispering to others.
But the story really spread quickly after talking with Mark, the biggest gossip at school and, obviously, still the same after 10 years. There were a few questions and lots of attention. Most of the attention coming from some of my female classmates which, since ours was a rather pretentious school, came as no surprise. The evening was winding down and I was on the phone calling cabs for most of my classmates who were past the point where they could even remember what their cars looked like.As the cabs pulled up Sarah, whose husband was one of the drunks and someone else I barely remembered, poured people into them and made sure the driver had the person's address. Sarah and I were the last two and, since her husband had left, I offered to give her a ride back to her hotel since she had mentioned also arriving by cab.
"I'm not ready to go back yet," she said as we got in my car and as she placed her hand on my leg.
"My place then?" I suggested.
"I've never done this before you know," Sarah said during the ride.
"Done what?" I asked.
"Cheated. On my husband," she finally replied, "And I'm not sure what's going to happen. Okay?"