life by candlelight

Are there ever people that you wonder about? People who just disappeared out of your life? I was listening to my Avril Lavigne CD the other day and the song "Sk8ter Boi" came on. Now this is not my favorite song on the album but it made me think about this guy I went to school with long long ago. His name was Jeff Smith. I first met him in my third grade class and he disappeared around 7th grade. He was a true skater boy. But not the flashy-pants-around-their-upper-thighs kind of skaters that are around today. He was much grungier. Not a good student. Always getting into trouble. Definitely living on the fringe of the school. I guess you could have classified him with the "freaks." Of course, I was a super-nerdy kid with glasses who didn't wear the popular clothes and wasn't well-liked. I knew him in my really ugly phase. Jeff was always really gentle with me. He didn't have to be. His friends probably made fun of me along with everyone else for being a nerd but Jeff was always kind. He seemed to make an effort to be more straight-laced and proper when he was around me. He actually only lived a block away and sometimes he would come over in the early evening to see me. We would stand around in the backyard among the fireflies and crickets and talk. For hours. In different circumstances, we may have eventually dated. But it never happened. He just disappeared. About that time, I fell for Shawn O'Keefe and that was that. Shawn also lived on the fringe but he was cool. Artsy, long-haired, sensitive musician. Listened to Morrissey and REM. We liked each other and were very friendly but we moved in such different circles it was never to be. I'd like to find those guys now and see what they are up to. There are so many people who have moved through my life that I'd be interested to find out about. Isn't it strange that you can be so close to someone and then they move away or you move away and you never see or hear from them again? They just disappear out of your life.

By the way, I was just nominated "Most Creative Employee" for the second year in a row.