The Trapeze Swinger

My high school class reunion is on Saturday in Oak Valley, a town within the township where I grew up.  I haven't been to a class reunion since my five year one, although I'm not entirely sure we've had another one since that one.  I kind of think I was class president (or maybe vice-president?), so I  probably should have helped plan one of these things, but alas, I moved out of town when I left for college and besides some way-too-long stays on college breaks, I haven't lived there since.  And I haven't kept in touch with anyone from high school, at least until Facebook forced me to become reacquainted with my old classmates over the past year of reunion planning.  Of course, I only live an hour away now (in the same state), and my parents still live in the same house and my sister lives a mile away from them and I'm home to visit enough that I don't exactly miss Deptford, but I thought it might be nice to see any old friends who are showing up for the reunion, even if I haven't seen many of them since graduation.  I'm also kind of thinking what was I thinking, but we'll see.  They all got together a couple times at Adelphia's recently for some pre-reunion "parties" that I couldn't make but that sounded fun.  So it might be cool.  I just hope there's those little nametags for everyone, because I'm pretty sure I won't recognize anyone.  I saw the girl who organized the reunion at a Phillies game a couple weeks ago and she said I hadn't changed -- nor had she, but I'm not sure I would have recognized her if we didn't plan to meet.  And we used to be really good friends in 9th grade, I think.  I guess you move on, though, and forget.  Even some of the people on Facebook who either graduated with me or a year before me... I don't recognize their names.  Which is rather sad.  But I don't know if that's unusual.  I remember one of my teachers in high school said that we'd most likely lose touch with just about everyone from our class.  I didn't believe him then -- I thought I'd at least stay close with a few of them -- but he was right.   Not sure if any of my old friends ever read Vague Space, but perhaps.  And perhaps they will enjoy this song from Iron & Wine's collection of B-sides, which seems so very, very appropriate for the occasion.

"The Trapeze Swinger"

Please, remember me happily
By the rosebush laughing
With bruises on my chin, the time when
We counted every black car passing
Your house beneath the hill
And up until someone caught us in the kitchen
With maps, a mountain range, a piggy bank
A vision too removed to mention

But please, remember me fondly
I heard from someone you're still pretty
And then they went on to say
That the pearly gates
Had some eloquent graffiti
Like "We'll meet again" and "Fuck the man"
And "Tell my mother not to worry"
And angels with their great handshakes
Were always done in such a hurry

• Buy Iron & Wine - Around the Well
• Download Iron & Wine - "The Trapeze Singer".mp3
  

And please, remember me that Halloween
Making fools of all the neighbors
Our faces painted white
By midnight, we'd forgotten one another
And when the morning came I was ashamed
Only now it seems so silly
That season left the world and then returned
And now you're lit up by the city

So please, remember me mistakenly
In the window of the tallest tower
Calling passers-by but much too high
To see the empty road at happy hour
Gleam and resonate, just like the gates
Around the holy kingdom
With words like "Lost and found" and "Don't look down"
And "Someone save temptation"

And please, remember me as in the dream
We had as rug-burned babies
Among the fallen trees and fast asleep
Aside the lions and the ladies
That called you what you like and even might
Give a gift for your behavior
A fleeting chance to see a trapeze
Swinger high as any savior

But please, remember me, my misery
And how it lost me all I wanted
Those dogs that love the rain and chasing trains
The colored birds above their running
In circles around the well and where it spells
On the wall behind St. Peter
So bright, on cinder gray, in spray paint
"Who the hell can see forever?"

And please, remember me seldomly
In the car behind the carnival
My hand between your knees, you turned from me
And said, "The trapeze act was wonderful
But never meant to last", the clown that passed
Saw me just come up with anger
When it filled with circus dogs, the parking lot
Had an element of danger

So please, remember me finally
And all my uphill clawing
My dear, but if I make the pearly gates
I'll do my best to make a drawing
Of God and Lucifer, a boy and girl
An angel kissing on a sinner
A monkey and a man, a marching band
All around a frightened trapeze swinger

Comments

[Jane Sheeky Gosdis]

Yes Bill some of your old classmates do read your blog!! I was a year younger than you, we went to Lake Tract together and I remember riding the bus with you to Monongahela, it does feel like a lifetime ago. Enjoy the reunion and have a great time!! Will be looking forward to reading about it since I am sure something is going to happen to you...because it always does!!

[Bill]

Hi Jane, yes I remember you -- it was a lifetime ago, sadly. Thanks for reading the blog and I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about it.

[Matt]

Will there be any Jews at this event?

[Bill]

oh god no. only good Christians where I grew up. glad I'm out of there!