This post turned out to be MUCH longer than I had anticipated. If you're feeling lazy, skip the asterisked part.
Yesterday was a big day. Two of my friends from high school got married.
I have known Ron since grade 4. Back then, he was an honest, stand up guy; always respectful and considerate of others. Today, he still carries the same honourable traits. In fact, one of the groom's men, Jason, and I were talking with Ron's father-in-law and family friend about how he hasn't changed since grade school. We used to play the usual playground games, ball hockey, hand ball and red ass (when the teacher wasn't looking, obviously). After grade 5, I moved and didn't see much of him until high school.
My very first class in high school was when I met Edilyn. I didn't speak to her much initially; everybody was pretty disoriented trying to adjust to new environments and new faces. My first impression was that she was a quiet, shy, and studious girl. She sat near the front and didn't say much. But she was in several of my classes first year, and eventually I started speaking to her a bit. I was right on the quiet thing, but she also turned out be really cool and friendly. Eventually, we become friends that chatted about school and the like.
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Meanwhile, I was catching up with an old friend. Ron and I still got along well, it was as if the four years apart didn't do anything. I remember every morning, he'd be hanging out with Jason and Geoff near their lockers. To get to my locker before first class, I had to walk past them every morning. Being a HUGE Leafs fan at the time, they would make sure I heard it whenever the Leafs lost. I will never forget coming to school the day after the Leafs were officially eliminated from the playoffs by Vancouver - I took a huge detour to avoid their pestering. Somehow Ron saw me from a distance, pointed, and the three of them laughed their heads off as I ran in humiliation. Good times.
Oddly enough, I never saw the two of them together. When I did, it seemed out of pure coincidence because neither of them ever said anything to the other. This, even though they both came from the same elementary school - and in those first few frightening weeks in high school, you cling to what's familiar. Perhaps the quiet tension was already bubbling?? Maybe. Other than their school and country of origin, the only commonality between them that I could think of was that they were both in the school band.
Two years past, the seperate friendships continued. It was a typical lunch period, and I was talking with Ron. By this point, Ron, myself and three other friends (Bryan, Jason, and Rhoscoe), had formed the "No Luck Club" - a title celebrating our collective bad karma with dating. The five of us were sitting at lunch with our other friends. At one point, Ron made sure nobody was listening, and quietly said "Guys, I was in poli sci today..." "Uh huh...." "we were lining up to leave after class...." "Uh huh....." "Edilyn was near the door and <voice drops to near whisper> man she looked GOOD."
After the requisite teasing and punching, the suggestion was made to give it a shot. Success would've meant an exit from the No Luck Club, and subsequent praise from its remaining members. And above all else, he'd be with a smart, sweet girl, and what guy doesn't want that? The suggestion was met with an awkward "Ooohhh....I don't know......" The thought must've been put to the back of his mind, because that was the last sign of secret admiration for Edilyn that I would hear for well over a year. I would've loved to have asked Edilyn what she thought about Ron at that point, but her and I never spoke about things like that.
March 1997, mid semester, and March Break is rolling around. Excitement for all, but especially the students in music band, as they had planned a trip to Jamaica. The Saturday after March Break, a birthday party was held at my house. Bryan and I picked up Ron.
"Hey man, how was Jamaica?"
"<big wide smile> Good man!"
"Anything interesting happen?"
"Well, I sort of hooked up."
"WHAT??? WITH WHO???"
"Edilyn!"
"NICE!!!"
He spoke a bit of how they got together, and we could really tell he was genuinely excited about the whole thing.
Once school resumed, the two were inseperable. They made such a great couple, got along so well it, and I practically forgot that I had never seen the two speak to one another for three years prior.
Fifth year rolled around, and their relationship had become a fixture in all of our lives. It was in biology class this year where I really got to know Edilyn. She sat next to me, and during the boring lessons we would often talk about things. It was at this point I began to have doubts about my ability to meet someone special. As often as I repeated it, she always listened, offered advice, and by the end of each conversation, I always felt better and believed in myself a bit more. When luck finally struck and things began to happen between me and somebody else, Edilyn was the first person I told. She was excited and genuinely happy for me. Being a rookie at relationships, the two of them offered seperate advice and really helped me along the way.
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After high school, I saw them less as we moved on through university and careers, but their relationship remained strong. Everybody knew it was only a matter of time before it all came full circle. Despite the expectation, I was really excited when I first found out they were engaged. Even more excited when I found out that I was invited!
Words can't describe what I felt seeing my good friends from high school exchange wedding vows. I feel truly blessed to have been there, and actually couldn't sleep last night because I was just so happy for the two of them. Even today, I couldn't get the smile off of my face.
Congratulations, Ron and Edilyn. All the best to you both.
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