Then and There, Here and Now
The 30th reunion haunting
She often lives in the past. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. The past has a mind of its own, and overtakes her at odd moments. Such as while driving, when she doesn’t see anything for miles except the moving pictures of her past.
She uses the past to prepare for current situations, such as lunch with her former husband. She reminisces by conjuring up the bad times so as not to fall prey to his charms and forget why they aren’t together. It’s a way of protecting herself from the present and the charismatic person he is.
With her 30th reunion coming up, the past is entering the present. She tries to conjure bad memories to protect her, but finds she’s blocked them out. Her memories start after high school, when, with the help of that former husband, she finally escapes the tiny, conservative town that held her captive for 18 years.
She has memories of college, decorating the dorm, diving into learning, working in the University library, joining in activist marches on campus. She recalls her wedding in sharp detail, and the divorce in even more compelling details, like the uneven grain of the judge’s walnut desk, and the soft whisper of her attorney saying, “Don’t worry. Just tell him ‘no’ when he asks you if there is any hope of a reconciliation.” She remembers nodding…
