The Night Crew

[ria 75]

I had few friends, no enemies, hardly a grasp on reality and nobody ever bothers me unless they're trying to sell me new windows.

You know what you need? Some storm windows! Here, read this pamphlet.

All these salespeople are on the phone, calling from a telemarketing company cheaply located in Western Africa. These women seldom have accents but if you catch it, you know what it's about. Of if they get your name wrong, which is what they always do with me. Having an é in my name screens calls.

 

[Philo]

When my roommate was a telemarketer calling up 'dumb americans', he'd often affect different accents just to fuck with people. He never tried to make any sales, just have fun. Usually he'd just try to have conversations with people.

 

[thestrangequark]

^ That's a good point.

It's because once they've gotten out of that high school world, they can look back on it with a little perspective and be like, "hey, you know what? that strangequark girl was pretty cool".

I'm not too sure. I think that may be the case with some people, but I just can't give enough credit to some of my old classmates.

If you want to, but I'm guessing I'm more right than wrong. It's also possible that some of them just weren't aware in retrospect that they were being cruel. Which actually would make them look worse.

Actually, I was just using those as examples, because I wasn't really teased during high school. It's more the fact that the people who made no effort to be a part of my life, and whom, to be honest, I never made an effort to get to know, suddenly want to be my "friend."

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

I did get teased in HS but for the most part, i flew under the radar of most people so i wasn't actually bullied. And none of those guys have tried to contact me after high school so ...

 

[thestrangequark]

I skipped half of high school -- literally, my attendance was around 50%, but I stood out a bit, so I don't think I fell under a many radars.

 

[Philo]

Actually, I was just using those as examples, because I wasn't really teased during high school. It's more the fact that the people who made no effort to be a part of my life, and whom, to be honest, I never made an effort to get to know, suddenly want to be my "friend."

Oh, okay. I'm really not sure what to say about that. I guess it's just weird.

 

[RoJoHen]

I had perfect attendance most years of school. If I didn't have perfect attendance, it was only because I was legitimately very ill.

 

[thestrangequark]

^Whoa, I can't even imagine. I think I got stupider every day I was in that school.

 

[RoJoHen]

Eh, I liked high school. I would love to go back. I can't wait for my 10-year reunion.

 

[Philo]

Hah! I skipped most of high school too.

I think the worst was this class I was taking where I went for the first month, then the teacher left for maternity leave, and on the last day of school I went in to see the new teacher (who had never met me), pointed at my name on the attendance list and said, "That's me".

The other worst example is the year my report card showed that I had 123 absences from homeroom. My reaction being, "I didn't even know there were that many days in the school year!"

 

[RoJoHen]

My favorite class of high school was definitely junior year Pre-Calculus. We had one teacher for the first quarter, and we were so awful that we made her quit teaching. Then we got a new teacher, who would teach for about 10 minutes and then give us the rest of the period to do our homework. We usually used that time to have Euchre tournaments. My teacher also participated in the Euchre.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Eh, I liked high school. I would love to go back. I can't wait for my 10-year reunion.

I wouldn't go back. And you have 5 years to go.

 

[Philo]

Eh, I liked high school. I would love to go back. I can't wait for my 10-year reunion.

I loved high school too, actually. I was just scared of going to class because I never had my work done, and that rapidly snowballed. After I dropped out I continued going to the school for two or three years (well passed when I should have graduated) just to hang out with my friends. Some of the best times I ever had.

 

[RoJoHen]

I know.

Some people tried to get a 5-year reunion to happen this summer, but they only gave a week's notice, so I definitely wasn't able to make it.

 

[thestrangequark]

Gah! My computer just died. I think it was a sign that 4am is time for bed.

 

[RoJoHen]

Yeah...that work meeting is now less than 6 hours away...and wake up time is less that 5...

And then I have to work at my other job until midnight!

Tomorrow is gonna be looooooong.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Get to bed then. I'll tuck you in.

 

[Philo]

I keep meaning to go back to my school sometime when classes are in session and wander the halls.

 

[Philo]

Gah! My computer just died. I think it was a sign that 4am is time for bed.

I think you might just be right about that. I am supposed to be up at noon. Our school's Liberal Arts College is holding their Oktoberfest shindig at my house tonight, and I need to clean the place up a bit first.

Yeah...that work meeting is now less than 6 hours away...and wake up time is less that 5...

And then I have to work at my other job until midnight!

Tomorrow is gonna be looooooong.

Egads, I do not envy you that, my friend. Good luck!

Shameless, you can tuck me in. It's not like any of these other fuckers is going to do it.

 

[RoJoHen]

I visited my high school for a couple years after I graduated to see one of the teachers. But he has since moved to another school and is now an assistant principal, so I don't really get to see him anymore.