It was on Facebook that I encountered Julian for the first time in 25 years, in July of 2009. After Julian ignored my Facebook friend request at least one time, I decided to more clearly identify myself as "Claire ELLIOTT" so he'd know it was me. This is when Julian immediately approved me as his Facebook friend, sending me this strange, open-ended private message:
July 10 at 1:48 p.m. (all east coast time)
JULIAN: remind me? i mean..we're from princeton and all - tell me a story to remind me of something...like..you know...
July 15 at 12:20 p.m.
CLAIRE: Oh my goodness, I can't believe you don't remember me, Julian! I know I skipped a whole lot of classes at PHS, but come on. Okay, I admit that I don't even have one story to tell you that could ever remind you of me, although all PHS boys might remember my name written on the wall of the boy's bathroom: I was listed as being one of the top three butts in school.
That is all I can come up with, Julian.
Were we also in Mrs. Sprague's freshman advanced biology class together? I was the silly boy-crazy girl who was always skipping class. In high school, I mostly wore my blonde highlighted hair down to my shoulders. Unlike these days, I would not be seen without my black eyeliner -- perhaps that's what is visually throwing you off.
I also was a member of the orchestra and chorus. It was merely my most horrible grades that prevented me from making choir like you.
Look in your yearbook... I really do think you will remember me, Claire Elliott. My best friend was Susan Taylor, but I also knew your friends, Erica Ruben, Amanda Rose & Simon Miller.
I'm thinking that, back then, you might not have liked me very much. You were so very serious about your life while I so busy being such a flake for all to see.
Hey, I'm the organizer for our 25th year reunion, have ya heard? It takes place, Saturday night, November 28th (Thanksgiving Weekend). I'm working out some of the last few details before I update everyone at Classmates.
Hope you can make it!
Claire Elliott
July 18 at 5:10 p.m.
JULIAN: OMG, that's RIGHT! Yer smokin' and wanted NOTHING to do with an A/V geek like me!
But...I'm OVER that now.
Anyway..what else is going on? I looked at my calendar, I'll be doing some talk thing in Paris over Thanksgiving, sadly........although it would've been fun and peculiar and all that to come to the reunion and I normally probably would have, don't think I'll be able to make it.
And, what else, what else?
.julian.
July 20 at 10:21 a.m.
CLAIRE: Get out of here, Julian! You were the one who wanted absolutely nothing to do with ME. I remember trying to be nice to you, but you were always so cold and rude to me as I now recall.
But... I'm over that now.
Okay, so you are so busy giving talk things all over the world that you will not be able to come to REUNION25. Too bad. You'll be sad to not be there, but I must say it is quite interesting that you'll be in Paris.
But I won't get into that one right now.
What kind of work takes you to Paris, anyway?!
Claire
July 22 at 9:15 a.m.
JULIAN: Oh, I wanted all kindsa things to do with YOU but *shrug* I lost...
I'm sad to miss the reunion esp if you're there now. I even looked at the calendars and got out rulers and protractors to see if there was any physical possibility, but I don't think so. Maybe. I'll have to see when the peoples books the tickets.
My work is more playful than work, but I get what you mean. I wish I knew precisely what I do and could say — I do international law for Citibank or something. This cycle I'm in an advanced design studio at Nokia doing curious things, sometimes making things sometimes creating scenarios to explore the things we're curious about. There's a fantastic machine shop and 14 creative bright people from all over the world (I'm 1 of 2 'mericans, everyone else is from everywhere else.) Many times a year someone rings up and asks if I'll come and do a talk or run a workshop or that sort of thing, which I enjoy doing a bit, but not all the time because the travel can get nasty. But, I do like going places and exploring and being an urban scout looking for the weird little corners of activities and humanity and behaviors.
That doesn't describe anything, probably..................
July 22 at 12:38 p.m.
CLAIRE: Well, Julian, you're being quite nice to me now. I had no idea that you liked me during our high school days. That's the thing about being a young girl, you don't always know that when a guy is rude to you, it could be because he likes you.
Reverse psychology technique. It did get my attention, as I recall.
Does this history of ours also explain why you kept ignoring my Facebook friend request?
So, you're an international lawyer who is also a designer. You must be rather talented to be so in demand.
Now that I'm a mature woman, I think I have far more appreciation for you today. I also like exploring the world to observe all of its weird inhabitants.
July 22 at 9:18 p.m.
JULIAN: No, no...not lawyering. I was just sayin'...I guess maybe I had no clue about anything of this sort back in the day...But, really — how could I be rude to you?? I think I was tucked away in a corner hoping for the best by not saying anything!
Speaking of PHS, we did a tear-through of the old place last time I went back there — here are some photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/..julianbleecker/sets/7215761960..7643741/
July 23 at 5:28 p.m.
CLAIRE: Hey, Julian, I can't seem to access those photos you linked me to. Flicker tells me your page is private and I can't get in. I'd really love to see those.
In regard to the rude thing, I have been able to remember a little more about you since we've been talking. Yes, you were the A/V guy working on some musical production our freshman year. As I recall, it was Mr. William F. Trego who pulled you aside to give you the reverse psychology tip. You became quite the master of it, too. I was thoroughly bothered that you weren't paying me the attention you once had.
You really did fool me into thinking that you were disgusted by me.
It was only later on that you cooled out with that... after I was already skipping so many classes that you hardly saw me anymore.
I'm so glad we're friends now.
July 23 at 5:54 p.m.
JULIAN: Woops! Oh yeah...try this:
http://flickr.com/gp/julianble..ecker/KA8T4qI wonder what kinda reverse psychology he pulled on me that made me pull it on you what so you started skipping class instead of hanging out with me???
.j
July 23 at 6:24 p.m.
CLAIRE: Yeah, that Mr. Trego was, is a sneaky one. But I would've ended up skipping classes no matter what.
July 23 at 6:49 p.m.
CLAIRE: Is that your son in the photos? He is so cute... he looks a lot like you! Nice to see you passing down our Princetonian traditions to the new generation.
Who ever selected the puke brown tile at PHS, anyway?! The hallway picture brought back a lot of memories, for sure. I can't remember our gym very well, though... I was always skipping PE.
Hoagie Haven, a classic. Our family was always ordering take-out.
I'm sorry I didn't hang out with you in high school, Julian. With a friend like you, maybe I wouldn't have gotten so depressed about the difficulties I faced at that time.
July 24 at 10:24 a.m.
CLAIRE: So, what are we... done talking? I thought we were just getting started!
July 24 at 11:12 a.m.
JULIAN: No way! What else you got? Do you have a normal human email?? I'm xxx.com...keep me company while I travel up to Monterey....