A reunion of a reunion

yesterday was about as bad a day as they get. And, I still had a party to go to. I texted the person who had asked me to go with her. She said she understood if I wanted to skip it and that was fine. But given the circumstances, it might provide a good distraction. She had a point and, as it turned out, it was, We showed up, were introduced around the room and I made my way to the beverage table. Alcohol is never a solution to anything but I did feel a need to take the edge off with one stiff one. I poured that and found a seat a little away from the action. Katie, the hostess, plopped down in the chair across from mine and smiled. Maybe she thought I needed some help warming up to socialize. But, it wasn’t that. “You don’t remember me, do you?” Uh-oh. I’ve heard that opening a few times (not always directed at me) and it seldom led to anything good. I studied her and wasn’t getting the picture. “Give me a hint.” During my heavy party days, about fifteen years ago, I ran with a big group of like-minded singles. She was part of that. She connected the dots by telling me who her best friend was, someone I did associate with to some extent. “Okay, now I do remember. The way you said that before, I thought you were saying we dated. But, we never went out or anything.” “Oh I wouldn’t rule out the anything. “ That could’ve been a red flag except her smile broadened. “Think high school reunion.” Bingo. Now it was my turn to smile. At the time of her clue, I was dating a woman in the group named Brigit, a willowy Sharon Stone type. I can’t think of a thing we had it common but, during that phase of my life, that was irrelevant. Sharon Stone type was more than enough. And, I was pretty sure we understood the ground rules. So, I was a little surprised when she asked me to her high school reunion. That seemed to carry too much gravity for a relationship based upon the Victoria’s Secret catalog. But, I finally agreed to go. We sat at a table with her old friends, who largely seemed to be beautiful and vacuous. Growing weary of hearing names of hair dressers shared, I wandered about the room. A face caught my eye. It was one of those experiences where you see someone you think you know, but you can’t place it because they’re out of context. Then it dawned on me. Katie. Since I was bored, the thought occurred to me to do something creative. It is not unusual for that mode to veer the bus off the road and into the ditch. But that seldom deters me. Katie was conversing with a guy who appeared to be her escort, but there was an empty chair next to her. I went over, sat in it and put my arm around her. “Sorry, I must’ve misunderstood. I stopped by your house and you weren’t there. I thought then that maybe you said you wanted to meet here. Good thing that occurred to me. All’s well that ends well.” She glanced in horror at my arm and then back at me with a confused look that slowly came into focus. “Henry? What are you doing here?” “Very funny, you know.” “No, I don’t. What are you doing here?” I feigned shock. “Why, you asked me to your reunion. So here I am.” “I did? No, wait. I didn’t. I’m sure I didn’t.” “Then what am I doing here?” Feeling the weight of her date’s inquiring stare, she swung around to look at him. Finding now words, she turned back to me. “I have no idea what you’re doing here!” “Well okay, then. I’ll just leave.” I stood, noting all eyes at Katie’s table fixed on her, and resumed wandering about the room. It didn’t take long before she hunted me down and demanded an explanation. I gave it to her, barely able to get it out because of laughter. I thought it was hilarious. Katie made it clear that that was the assessment of just half of us. Until now. I am glad to find out that in retrospect, she finds it humorous.