[fintstone]

It was wonderful and horrible. I was very popular and had lots of friends. Classes were easy and i didn't really do any homework. I was one of the brighter kids (gifted and talented classes) and one of the better athletes. For some reason, girls liked me a lot. Now the down side...We were very poor (and social status/wrong side of the track still meant a lot back then). I lived about an hour away from school so It was very difficult to do any social activities....so I really could not date or attend many school functions except those I participated in (had to walk home). Especially since I started school early and was about 2 years younger than the other kids (so I couldn't get a driver's license until my senior year...and didn't have a car). There were constant fights (many just beatings), although they were usually one-on-one; the size/weight mismatches were usually an 18 year old, 6'4" 250lb man and a 5'4" 130lb, 13-15 year old child. No one did anything about it. Not only did I get my own share, but I intervened in a couple which turned it into a daily thing for quite a while.

Senior year was great because most of the real animals had graduated or quit school. I met a super hot college girl who had her own car and enough self-esteem to go out with a younger guy in her car (didn't I say for some strange reason girls liked me?). She taught me how to drive her stick shift ('66 VW). I skipped a lot of school that year and hung out with her all day (child abuse?). We are still married almost 40 years later .

Went to a 30-year reunion and the folks who were the rich, cool ones in school did not seem to have done much. Neither did the pretty people (no longer attractive) or the cheerleaders or football team captains. A few of the nerds did ok and were lawyers or college professors. My wife and I seemed to be the envy of all. They made me feel like a rock star...or at least a young James Bond equivalent (relative to the rest). We looked at least 10-15 years younger than the rest (most were old and very fat...had little or no hair and bad teeth). We were much better off financially, were relatively sophisticated and had seen the world. The guys who had been so much trouble (beatings or intimidation) were all long dead. Most did not last 10 years after high school.

Some had become very religious who had not been so when younger (in fact, no alcohol allowed at the reunion as many threatened boycott). Very strange, but it reaffirmed my adult path to me (if I had ever had doubts). I had not expected to enjoy the reunion (and might not when younger and less accomplished)...but did in spite of myself.