Those Who Stay & Those Who Go

I really enjoyed Ann Daum's "Those Who Stay and Those Who Go". Though she and I come from completely opposite sides of the country, and the images of her home town are completely different from my hometown, I know the feeling she is talking about. I haven't really noticed it too much until this past Christmas break, but this is exactly how my hometown is. It's small, everyone knows each other. Kids become fake, "too cool", and bland all at the same time. The same families have all the political pull in whatever programs their children take part in, until their kids have all graduated. Families become "Bay Royalty" when two prominent community members have either a son or daughter in a relationship with another prominent community member's son/daughter. Things just become very redundant and almost timeless. No matter how far removed I am from that place, I hear all the same old stories about the same old people. Daum is very right about the whole not knowing "what to say when you see people you went to high school with", and were friends with, only never really maintained contact with. It has happened to me a number of times since high school, but none more prominent than going to my little brother's basketball games over break. It's just so funny how true, yet cliche, it is. People really do grow and change, and some may not. But, one thing is for certain, I am definitely one of the "leavers".