Dear Journal,

It's me, Doug. I find it hard to believe that the year is now 2020. I am looking forward to see what 2020 will be like. Even Skeeter agrees with me. Wow, I can't believe I have been writing in journals since the fifth grade. I'm not sure what my other friends thinks of the new year, but I'm sure they will say something at some point.

Roger doesn't live in Bluffington anymore. I don't really miss Roger. He moved away to Colorado just three years ago and is still taking it one step at a time. He had to move there because of college. I plan to stay here. I was from here, anyway. Skeeter has been my best friend for several years, and is my neighbor now.

Since he has lived in Bluffington, Skeeter finally moved to my neighborhood to be closer to me, which both of us enjoy. My sister, Judy is no longer in Bluffington., but also grew up here like everyone else. I moved to a house that is only two blocks away. I might not be living with Mom and Dad, but I moved to a house that is only two blocks away. At least I can see them whenever I want, and they are comfortable with that.

I might not be close friends with Roger, but we stay in contact once in a while. Yes, I still keep my journals from the past until now. It's quite a pile. I look back to them every once in a while, which is quite fun. I doubt Dad and Mom ever noticed that I write in journals.

I'm thinking of trying to turn these journal entries into fictional stories, but I don't think that will ever work or happen. Some of my friends like Skeeter know I enjoy writing, but they never ask what I write about. I plan to keep to myself. Some people are like me, but none of my friends seem to care about journal entries.

I'm off to meet Skeeter for lunch.

Twenty minutes later, I met Skeeter, but I was the first to show up. I didn't have to wait very long, thought. I didn't care one way or another.

"Hey, Doug."

"Hey, Skeeter. Should we go inside now and find our table?" I asked him.

"Fine with me. Are you good for using a separate check?" he asked me.

"Either way works for me. I can pay for the both of us."

"I still prefer separate checks this time."

"That's fine with me," I repeated.

Skeeter opened the door, and I walked in first.

"Doug?"

"What is it?"

"Since it's a whole new year now, do you still plan to have time to write?"

"I already have. I try to do that once a week."

"That's cool. I've never been much into that like you do. I've only done that in school, not fun."

"I remember that. Do you ever keep in touch with Roger?" I asked him.

As we first sat down, the waiter handed us the menus. We both thanked him as he left the table.

"Why would I want to hear from Roger since he moved out of Bluffington? I think it doesn't make sense because he always picked on us."

"I know what you mean, but I hear from him."

"Why do you still talk to Roger? I thought you really don't care for that guy."

"I don't, but it was his idea and I fell for it."

"Have it your way. If I were you, I wouldn't want that."

"I know what you mean, but I don't mind him," I told my best friend.

"Is Willie still around or have you not heard anything?" Skeeter asked.

"I haven't heard about him since our high school graduation."

"How about Patti? I still will always remember that secret crush on her."

"I still do. No, I haven't heard from her lately. I have been in touch with her," I said.

"That's a good thing," he said.

That's when the our waiter returned.

"Are you ready to order or are you still need more time?" he asked us.

"I'm ready if you are, Doug."

"I already know what I want."

"So do I. You can go first if you want to."

"All right."

I told our waiter what I wanted. He wrote down what I ordered. Then Skeeter had his turn. It's not very often we both order the same thing. It really doesn't bug me one little bit.

"What are your plans after lunch?" he asked me.

"I don't think I have anything going at the moment. How about you?"

"Same here, except I had to work for a while."

"I already wrote in my journal earlier."

"I forgot if you write more than once or more times in the same day."

"Just once. That's enough for me."

"Very nice. I think I see an idea right now. Am I right?"

"Yes, but it's something that probably wouldn't work anyway."

"Why wouldn't it work?"

"Because I think that way."

"Do you want to share on what it is?"

I was about to answer Skeeter's question when the food showed up.

Once we thanked him as he left, I said, "I've thought of turning on writing a fictional story based on my entries."

"I like it. Why don't you try it and see what happens?"

"I'll try. I'm just playing around with it for now."

"I wish you luck, Doug. At least you can tell me what you came up with."

"Fine with me. I'll go ahead and let you know."