Monday, May 21, 2012

Let's Let it Go and Move On


We all have moments in life that we aren't proud of, but we learn from them and move on.  Or at least we try to as long as the people around us will let us.

Back in my Junior year of high school my cheer leading squad had a sleepover.  The seniors on the team brought a case of Mike's Hard lemonade to the party.  As most people know, "Hard" means alcohol.  And of course, if you were caught drinking there were strict repercussions.

Growing up, I was never exposed to alcohol.  My parents didn't drink.  Or at least not in front of me.  I don't have a single memory of a bottle of wine or can of beer being consumed in my house.  I had no clue that "Hard" meant alcohol so I grabbed a bottle, along with most of the other girls, cracked it open and took a swig.  Within a couple of sips I knew something was wrong and put it aside.  This didn't taste like any lemonade I had ever tasted before so I looked at the bottle a little more closely and read the alcohol content.  Yep.  I just drank my first alcoholic beverage (aside from the occasional champagne toast at a wedding) and I was going to pay for it big time.  Long story short, the school found out and most of the cheer leaders (myself included) were suspended from the team for the remainder of the football season.  Luckily, the football season only had three games left so the suspension was short-lived, but the ridicule has been on-going.

It has been 11 years since this happened, yet my friends won't let it go.  Even the one's who didn't go to high school with me but who have heard the story time and time again, love to razz me about it.  I can't remember the last party I was at where it hasn't been brought up by one friend or another.  They all think its hilarious to give me crap about it.  Which in fairness to them, it is a little funny.  I was dumb, naive and just plain ignorant about alcohol.  It wasn't one of my finest moments and something I would really like to move past.  I can handle a little teasing but it seems like this is the longest running joke in history.  To this day its something that I am extremely embarrassed and ashamed of and I am reminded of it at almost every social event.  No matter how hard I try, the people around me won't let me forget it.

Just last night at a party, a friend, brought it up yet again.  He made some crack about "Did you know there was alcohol in Mimosas? hahaha" and proceeded to say "just wait until the reunion this fall.  I can see it now.  That's totally going to be a 'remember when' moment."  Then it hit me.  He's totally right. I can see it too.  The entire venue laughing and saying "hahaha she's so dumb.  How did you not know there was alcohol?  Everyone knows there is alcohol in "hard" lemonade. Hahaha what an idiot."  I've heard it all before.  Countless times. But its getting old.  This has been going on for 11 years now.  I can only take so much teasing about something that is truly one of the worst memories I have.  Now, with the realization that it will most definitely be brought up again to my entire graduating class, I don't know if I even want to go to the 10-year reunion anymore.  I was on the fence before, but now that I'm sure I'll be ridiculed by everyone, I'm not sure its worth it.  I know my husband would be excited if I told him he was off the hook.  He doesn't remember anyone from high school anyways.  I guess I better make up my mind pretty quickly.  Tickets go up in price June 1st.  By the way, where did the time go and when did we get so old?

4 comments:

  1. Emily, screw 'em all. There is nothing wrong with being a "good kid," and I think the world could use a hell of a lot more of them. I never drank in high school either (funny thing: the first time I got drunk was my sophomore year of college, when I was 19 or 20, and it was on hard lemonade....I'm not sure I've touched the stuff since). Anyway, good for you for setting it aside then. I know this is totally after-school special of me, but I think it's more important that you didn't give in to peer pressure, especially at that age and ESPECIALLY being a cheerleader.

    I can't believe people still give you crap for that...that's not even that big a deal and it was 10 years ago. How dumb.

    PS - I didn't go to my reunion and I don't regret it for a second. :) And I saved $160.00.

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  2. First, I don't know who would make a snarky comment like that about the mimosas...oh wait.... I have a pretty good idea. ;) I'm sorry, I'm sure that person didn't realize it still bugged you, I'll make sure to pass it along. (In all honestly, as I was reading this, I was feeling guilty like...hey! I haven't mentioned the Mike's in FOREVER...)

    Second, you ARE going to the reunion. No questions. :) And everyone has their garbage and embarassing moments from high school, that's what high school is all about. I truly don't think anyone would think that/remember that about you Em, and if they do, they probably have a lot worse garbage (then and now!)

    I personally remember The Bangs from high school, that's all. (And I can't give you any crap on that, I had The Eyebrows.)

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  3. Agghhh the bangs! hahahaha That one can live on forever. I totally deserve to be mocked incessantly for them. I wish someone would have told me...... And it wasn't meant to make you feel guilty so no need to. You are right. You haven't brought it up in a few months but when you haven't, other people have so it feels like it is brought up all the time. Maybe not all the time, but frequently enough. Its just gotten to the point where it irks the heck out of me. Like "can't we get some new material people?" I know I've provided plenty of it. lol.

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