Facebook

God help me, but I think I'm hooked on Facebook.
I got into it a few months ago primarily to keep tabs on old friends back in Indy. Not that I kept in close contact with them when I was in Indy, but I thought it might be a nice distraction from the day job. I'm too pooped and broke most days to do anything after work, so chatting with old friends on the ol' Mac seemed to make sense.
Well, Facebook has thrust me back into high school mentally. It's as if I haven't done all of the grown livin', lovin' and lyin' in the intervening 25 years. I'm even having the same daydreams I had when I was 17. I'm surprised the whiteheads and stuttering haven't come back yet, to be honest.
I think I know the problem. My relationships with these people, with a few exceptions, never went beyond high school. I was off to IU and bounced around for years after that before resettling in Indy for good about 12 years ago. I have no context for these people outside high school. We, of course, chat about bills, kids, etc., but I guess I assume teenage Mike is imprinted on their brains, because teenaged versions of them are still burned into mine.
Anyway, I don't dread or fear the old days nor do I miss them. High school was tough for me, as I'm guessing it was for them. I had a lot of fun, to be sure, but it was everything I could do to overcome my almost crippling shyness and insecurity. I guess that's what these good people remind me of when I think of them.
Maybe Vonnegut was right? Maybe we never really do graduate high school?
I must do better to know these old friends and acquaintances as the grown ups they have become. I'm sure I'll be glad I did.