Reunion Re-Percussions
January
We received James' family's Christmas card in the mail last week, and I thought, Why didn't I think to send him a letter?
I wind up digging through the trash for the return address label, and send off a short, friendly letter:
James,
Hi, this is Tara, from the reunion this summer. I've been trying to get in touch with you for a while, so I decided to write you a letter. I had a great time talking with you at the reunion. My screen name is MalletGirl89, if you want to talk.
From,
Tara
I decide that I should wait about three weeks to hear from him, before getting my hopes up.
Reunion Re-Percussions
February
I haven't heard from James yet, and I'm trying to keep myself occupied, so I won't think about him. I joined the crew for our Winter Guard, which is a lot of fun. My best friend Audrey is in the guard and the crew are all friends of mine, too. Our inside jokes and conversations really help me not think about how it's been four weeks, and I still haven't gotten a response from James.
We've been especially busy lately, because our high school is hosting a winter guard competition next month, and we're doing a lot to prepare for it. I'm glad – I need the distraction.
Chris picks me up the next night for guard practice, and he can immediately sense something is wrong.
"What's up?" He asks.
"Still no response from James," I answer sullenly.
"Well, he's a jerk then, if he hasn't answered you yet." I smile feebly at Chris's attempt to make me feel better.
Two weeks later Chris, Glenn (another crew member), and I are busy posting signs around the high school, for the competition to next day.
"Honestly," starts Glenn, "the school goes around in a circle. Eventually, people will find the gym or cafeteria, or whatever they're looking for. These signs are pointless."
"Yeah, well, people are ignorant," I say, as I post a CAFETERIA sign with an arrow pointing straight ahead.
Chris comes around the corner then, holding on last sign, which he tacks up, up-side-down, about three feet away.
"Way to be, Chris" I say, as I fix the sign.
"I figured we could use a little variety", he says, laughing. I smile weakly.
"Still no word from James?" He guesses.
"I shouldn't care this much." I say, trying to shrug it off.
"Yes, you should." Glenn says firmly. "You obviously liked him enough to write to him in the first place. If he doesn't have the decency to get in touch with you, it's his loss."
"Aww, thanks, guys." I say. They always know what to say to make me feel better.
"Come on," Chris says, stopping me from getting all mushy. "We've still got to put up signs in the band wing for the drumlins competing tomorrow, too.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot about those." I say. I'm actually really excited to get to see an indoor percussion competition, being a percussionist myself. "I really hope we can compete with them next year." Our instructor has been trying to get board approval for us to compete indoors next winter, and I'm really thrilled about that.
We finish tacking up signs in about fifteen minutes, and then head back to the gym to disassemble props after the guard's last run through.