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I scored 56% on the Geek test; I am an Extreme Geek. I don't *look* like a Geek, do I? Anyway, this baffled me, until Friday. The Samurai and I went out with a pile of my high school buddies and their charming spouses. I'll be changing their names to protect the guilty parties, but THESE people are why I'm geeky. Oh, and Corby helped, too; he knew, and influenced, all of these folks in when we were in high school. First, there's Goliath, my big brother. At least, if I had a big brother, he'd be it. In high school, he was our Jim Morrison (except that he really can't sing-sorry, Gol)--long hair, dark shirts (in the Izod era, when real men wore pink)--my teachers used to warn me that I'd get a rep for being weird if I hung around Goliath. He's a lawyer now, bless his heart, and I am pleased that I am instantly comfortable around him, no matter how long it's been since I've seen him, despite the fact that he's the most secretive person I know. I have no idea if he's dating anyone, where he'll be tomorrow, or how his law practice is going, but I can tell you right away whether he'll like something or not and what he'll say when he walks into a room. I trust him absolutely. Then there's Jeb, who must have modeled for Matt Wagner when he was drawing Mage, because Mirth the wizard looks EXACTLY like him. Jeb is our computer guy, has a great laugh, and married one of my all-time favorite women, Aurora. She's a jewel. She's also very, very tolerant-she let us haunt her lovely home all day yesterday, despite her broken foot. My junior high giggle-buddies Squirrel and Lambchop were also on hand--these were their note-writing code names in 8th grade--and I am pleased to say that my formerly awkward friends are both graceful, lovely women and marvelous moms. Neither of them are nearly as geeky as I am. How do old geeks spend time together? Talking, of course. Admiring each other's children. Taking online Jungian personality tests and discovering which of us are world-dominating field marshall types. (Not me-I'm an ENFJ, a Teacher. You knew that!) The Samurai and EduCait infected the lot with Homestar Runner (thanks again, Diarmuid), and the boys played Risk. Yes, the Samurai won; he's very serious about these things. I thought a lot about what these folks, and others like them, mean to me. I will love them all until I die, if only because they knew me when I was younger, thinner, cuter, and stupider than I am now. I love their parents, too, as mine love all of them, because all of us used to hang at each others' houses, and the parents became friends, too. We all miss Goliath's dad, who mentored us each as we needed him. I miss our absent friends, too, especially Donna, who would have loved a gathering like yesterday's. Being around these old friends leads me to ponder all the paths I did not take, and to be glad that I am who I am, even if I am a geek. |
 
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Extreme Geek