A friend of mine said he had to have surgery, but I could find out how he was by emailing his brother Marcus. When Marcus later came to visit I met him. I felt as if I already knew Marcus because he and I had emailed. Later I learned that I had never emailed Marcus and that there was no surgery. Marcus’ brother had impersonated him and made everything up. I told this to Marcus, but he said he didn’t believe it. That’s when I knew Marcus is the type of person who would rather hide than face the truth.

She thought I didn’t have much of a social life in high school.  I thought she was a little on the bitter side after a divorce which had long since passed.  She was my teacher and tried to befriend me, but I found this distasteful.  I did not want to be friends with someone so much older than I.  She asked to borrow my favorite CD at the time which was Sparkle and Fade by Everclear after I wrote an essay about the song Pale Green Stars.  Cyndi’s son was a felon, and yet she wanted me to date him.

I don’t doubt that she enjoys the more than occasional marijuana joint. Among my parents’ friends, drug users are a rarity, but Kelly gets a free pass in my book. A few years ago she came over to our house crying. She told my father, who is not the most tolerant person, that her daughter is living life as a man. My father was totally supportive, which made me happy. Kelly is such a friendly and loving person, that the last thing she should fear is others not accepting her or her family. I bet Kelly is a great mom.

I watched Edgar blossom and evolve. He spoke almost no English when I met him, but I worked hard to teach him the basics. I have never been prouder than when he spoke to me in a few English sentences. I know it was difficult for him, but I was so happy that he was brave enough to try. I am sure whether he ever learned English or not, he will survive based on his good looks and his sense of humor. I always imagine he’s now dating a sassy Puerto Rican girl who forced him to perfect his English.

I hope Aaron realizes how mean he was and this epiphany completely changes his personality for the better. We rode the bus together in school, but he was the bully who tortured me. He constantly teased me and made me feel uncomfortable. At that time we lived in different neighborhoods. Then I moved away and later moved back, just by chance, into the neighborhood where he lived. He had been such a bully to me, but when I moved back, I’m not even sure he recognized me as the same person who used to be the target of his jokes.