They Walk Among Us

Today while I was in line at my lunchtime food-o-mat of choice, I saw, from a distance, a kid I knew from fourth grade.

Yes, you're right to be skeptical. How could I be sure? Fourth grade was like 25 years ago for me. I have a hard time remembering people and things 25 days ago, much less years.

So how did I recognize him? Well, apart from his having unique features (his face is sort of "nonstandard"), he hadn't changed. At all. In a quarter century. He was identical to his fourth grade self. He was maybe taller, but only in the same proportions that I have grown, and so, subjectively, he was exactly the same.

As someone who physically transmogrifies every eight years, I find that incredibly odd. I remember seeing someone in the grocery store at 24 who I knew quite well at 17 who didn't recognize me at all. I stopped and waved, and she gave me the "go away creepy guy I don't know you" look and hurried away with her cart full of doritos.

If my wife and I run into mutual acquaintences that we haven't seen for 7 years or more, they will start talking to her at length, ignoring me, until finally she says, "You remember Dean, don't you?" At which point they usually just stare at me, confused. Usually they come around and acknowledge that I might actually be the person they remember from 1998, but I don't think they're completely convinced.

So, my friend from the fourth grade. I always kind of thought he was a freak, even back then, but I had just moved into the big city from the farms, and couldn't be too choosy about who was willing to spend time with me. But now, now that I see with my own eyes that he hasn't changed at all in 25 years, well, I can be sure that he is in fact an Unnatural Thing.

And to think I've been carrying around all that guilt from his nasty head vs. brick wall incident that I facilitated while in a fit of rage. What a relief.

Comments

[stubby larue]

Is it me you are talking about or that other friend of ours with initials IR.

[Faith]

ah. reading the title, I thought something evil was about to show up.
hey, my dad hadn't seen his buddy from school since high school, where his dog ate my dad's book he had lent the guy,l but he called a few weeks ago feeling bad about it and having got dad a new copy.
bu dad never tried to kill him.