Shock to the system
Last night I had the unfortunate situation of attending the visitation for my friend's mum.
Now, I have (somewhat tragically) been to funerals for closer friends' parents, grandparents, etc. ... but this was the first time that it was one of those adult-y ones where you haven't seen most of the faces you recognize in some time. Aside from the fact that our age group shouldn't rightfully be losing parents yet (many even still have several grandparents alive and kicking), it was a sobering experience.
The group of friends that this touched was the people that I went to elementary school with. None of them went to the same high school as I did, and so we basically lost touch. In recent years, we run into each other at different bars and pubs in Bloor West Village, but we rarely have any substantial conversations, as we're mostly half in the bag. The idea that I saw a bunch of the people I grew up with (we were basically in the same class from SK to grade 8, being the French Immersion kids in a K-to-8 school), and we exchanged sober words for the first time in, quite honestly, 10 to 15 years was jarring.
This guy was one of my better friends growing up, and as we spent time on a lot of sports teams together (he was actually good enought to make the Runnymede basketball team), even our parents got to know each other. His house was always fun, and I remember his parents being really cool. Seeing his dad for the first time in who knows how long last night was funny, cuz he gave me one of those "Should I know you?" looks, until I told him my name... and he gave me the standard, "I remember you when you were this [hand moving to knee region] tall!"
It was nice to see people, and actually catch up with some of them in an "I might actually retain this" kinda way...
"So... are you still working at........ uh...where you were before?"
"Um..... probably?"
I was also floored when I got to meet the youngest brother of one of my friends. He was almost 10 years younger than the other two brothers (looking back, a definite "oops"), and he will eternally be the little kid we used to teach how to swear. Now he's in taller than me and in university....
Anyway, I'd like to think that this experience will encourage me to live each day more fully, as you never know when it might all come crashing down... but I can't help shake the idea that this will just start happening more and more as the years go by.
Now, I have (somewhat tragically) been to funerals for closer friends' parents, grandparents, etc. ... but this was the first time that it was one of those adult-y ones where you haven't seen most of the faces you recognize in some time. Aside from the fact that our age group shouldn't rightfully be losing parents yet (many even still have several grandparents alive and kicking), it was a sobering experience.
The group of friends that this touched was the people that I went to elementary school with. None of them went to the same high school as I did, and so we basically lost touch. In recent years, we run into each other at different bars and pubs in Bloor West Village, but we rarely have any substantial conversations, as we're mostly half in the bag. The idea that I saw a bunch of the people I grew up with (we were basically in the same class from SK to grade 8, being the French Immersion kids in a K-to-8 school), and we exchanged sober words for the first time in, quite honestly, 10 to 15 years was jarring.
This guy was one of my better friends growing up, and as we spent time on a lot of sports teams together (he was actually good enought to make the Runnymede basketball team), even our parents got to know each other. His house was always fun, and I remember his parents being really cool. Seeing his dad for the first time in who knows how long last night was funny, cuz he gave me one of those "Should I know you?" looks, until I told him my name... and he gave me the standard, "I remember you when you were this [hand moving to knee region] tall!"
It was nice to see people, and actually catch up with some of them in an "I might actually retain this" kinda way...
"So... are you still working at........ uh...where you were before?"
"Um..... probably?"
I was also floored when I got to meet the youngest brother of one of my friends. He was almost 10 years younger than the other two brothers (looking back, a definite "oops"), and he will eternally be the little kid we used to teach how to swear. Now he's in taller than me and in university....
Anyway, I'd like to think that this experience will encourage me to live each day more fully, as you never know when it might all come crashing down... but I can't help shake the idea that this will just start happening more and more as the years go by.
posted by Iain @ 11:08 AM
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