A friend asked me to stop for a beer after work. We were on our second, to be my last, when another acquaintance sat down at the bar, on the other side of me. We knew each other only casually, and for lack of anything else to say, he asked, "are you and Pam going to the 15-year high school reunion?"
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The Pam mentioned is 37; my wife of 13 years and mother of my two boys, Jake 11, and Sam 9. She is a doll, slim 5'6" with raven hair; that always amazes me how it shines in the sunlight. We met in our senior year of college, and married right after graduation. Pam has always worked, except for a brief time off giving birth to each of the boys.
My work allows me to do it on line from almost anywhere, so I rent a small office, and have a shared secretary/assistant. This is how we ended up back in Pam's home town after college. My parents are divorced and live in different states, and Pam wanted to be close to her family. We were married here, and have lived here ever since.
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"Oh, do you know my wife?"
"Yea, Pam and I graduated high school together. I'd be surprised if she didn't show up at the reunion. It's usually well attended. On the 10th reunion it seemed like the whole damn class was there."
"I hadn't heard about it, but I'll ask her when I get home. When is it?"
"It's a week from Friday in the convention center. I'm sure Pam knows all about it. She's on the planning committee. In fact, she's the one that's been sending out all the correspondence and received all the RSVPs. She's been a busy girl."
"I'll ask her about it tonight."
"Well, I've got to get going. Good to see you again. Have a nice day!"
"That evening, after dinner, I asked, "Hey Hun, a guy was at the bar after work tonight. He said something about your 15th year reunion coming up. Is that something we're going to?"
"Oh, I'd almost forgotten about it. Thanks for reminding me. I sent in an RSVP a month or so ago, for one person. I knew you wouldn't have any interest in hanging around with a bunch of strangers. I guess I'll run over for a few minutes to see if any of my old friends are there. Usually very few people show up.
That seemed strange. I wasn't invited, and she almost forgot about it, yet it sounds like she was the prime mover for the reunion. The guy at the bar said it's always well attended; Pam says almost nobody shows up.
Saturday Pam had to work, so on a hunch I pulled out her old high school yearbooks. First, I looked through the individual pictures. Pam was a doll back then also. She hasn't lost her figure, and her raven hair is just as pretty now as it was then, although a lot shorter.
Next, I started looking through all the pictures of individuals and groups of students, the kind you see in every yearbook; showing student organization photos, or students doing stupid things. There was one picture of a group of students lined up for an award. Pam was one of them, and was holding hands with a guy. There was another, apparently taken at a homecoming pep rally. It was a group of students, and what looked like the same guy had his arm around Pam.
I then found the guy's picture in the alphabetized individual photos: 'Ray Walker'.
I then opened Pam's junior yearbook. I only found one picture of Pam. There was Ray Walker next to her. They were standing so close they had to be at least, very close friends.
So, I'm assuming that Pam and Ray Walker were an item for at least the last two years of high-school.
Could he be the reason I'm not invited to the reunion?
I needed to talk to the guy at the bar, Pam's classmate that told me about the reunion. Unfortunately, I couldn't even remember his name.
Taking a chance on him being a regular at the bar, I stopped by after work. After two beers he hadn't shown up so I went home. The next night, half way through my second beer, there he was. He didn't sit by me this time, so I moved to an open barstool next to him. Luckily, he wasn't meeting anyone, and welcomed the conversation. We chatted about several things, then I lied and said Pam had talked about an old flame named Ray Walker, "did he know him?"
"Yea, Ray and Pam were exclusive through all four grades, as far as I know. I don't remember ever seeing either with anyone else."
"Ray is one of our success stories. He's married, a few kids, and his father-in-law owns a large tech company in Seattle. Ray is now executive VP, and will take over when Daddy-in-law retires. He's probably about 5'10', maybe 170, or was, 5 years ago at the last reunion. He's a good-looking guy. Ray's family doesn't live in town any more, but as I remember they had some money. I'm sure he'll be at this reunion. He always comes" After another beer I told him I enjoyed the conversation, but had to get home. I asked for a business card this time, so I at least knew his name, 'Barry', and how to contact him.
When I got home, Pam was making dinner. I gave her a kiss on the cheek, patted her butt, and went to the computer. I googled Ray Walker, and he popped right up.
My friend Barry was very accurate; Ray was married to Nancy, three kids, VP of large tech company.
When Pam and I were in college, I don't remember her mentioning any steady boyfriends, before me. I know she was popular, but she didn't talk about any long-term relationships. I didn't really know her well before we got together at a mutual friend's party. We hit it off, and became exclusive very quickly.
Ray Walker didn't go to our college. He went to Yale, per google.
Could it be that she had a steady boyfriend before me, but he was at Yale?
Could it be that her boyfriend at Yale, instead of being true to Pam, met and got engaged to his current wife, Nancy, who just happens to have a very rich and influential father?
Could it be that's why Pam became available for me to date and later marry?