Just Because...: "This Is How We Do It"...

Saturday, March 11, 2006

"This Is How We Do It"...

Remember that ol' jam by Montell Jordan - "This Is How We Do It"... well while watching VH-1's Classic Soul this weekend, hearing this track brought up memories. The countdown to going home stirs up feelings that have long laid dormant. Much like a high school reunion, going out with my friends often brings about the possibility of running into some cronies from back in the day.

Throughout college and after, I worked in many a nightclub. There was a unspoken schedule in this crowd - Wednesdays - Geraldines, Thursday through Saturday - Annies, Sundays - Annies for Darts & a couple games of Pool, Lemons on Monday and Tuesday was our day of rest. For 4 years I maintained this out by night, work by day schedule and it was grueling. I met my fiancee during this time (hence me swearing off ANY man that I met in a bar as a future rule). I also met some of my closest friends during this time as well (i.e. Bec, BR, B, etc. to name a few).

I went out with Bec a couple years ago when I went home and it was a real eye opener. Annies had long been demolished. Many of the crowd actually went to a bar in W. Springfield whose name escapes me now, so running into those guys was like facing a firing squad. Alot of questions of "So, are you married now? Any kids? God, you moved to Florida - really? " Questions about my breakup with Mark often followed by full disclosures of what they really thought of him, etc. etc. etc. Not to mention that I had gained weight during my "hiatus" from Massachusetts. (The Poly food will do that to a gal).

Now that I have lost the weight (and then some), I'm finding myself a tad nervous to go home and see everyone. Not only that, but on St. Patty's day, I hear that a concert is scheduled with some of the artists I had dealt with in my previous "lifetime", so the torn feeling of "Should I go or not?" is starting to rear its ugly head. The concert is scheduled in Springfield which is known for its lovely overabundance of late of shootings, stabbings etc. Not to mention, the thought of walking back into the old lifestyle is a tad nervewracking.

B. and I were finally able to catch up this week. His wife M. and I are far from close, but I'm thrilled for them both that they are expecting their first baby. I gathered from B.'s and my conversation that M. was unaware that I was coming home. While we have a game of pool scheduled, he needs to clear it with M. which is fine. But what was NOT fine was his lecture of "When are you going to settle down? When are you going to have a baby?". I told him I'd settle down when I didn't run into rednecks from Polk County at every turn, even in the Bahamas. As for the baby question - mute point right now.

Hence the interrogation has already started and I haven't even boarded a plane yet! If this is the beginning of the chaos, the wine better be flowing!

Posted by Lys :: 9:30 PM :: 0 comments

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Just Because...

Saturday, March 11, 2006