Blast from the Past?

Ya know how on ShoutyFace there’s that people you may know feature? Often enough the names/faces are complete strangers OR folks who may as well be. We may have a few mutual friends, maybe their name rings a bell but I’ve never met them (or don’t remember having known them).

Then there’s the rare person who I actually knew and recall fondly or semi-fondly. Do I send a friend request? More often than not, no. Why not? If I knew them in high school there’s a 50/50 chance they grew up to be Cheeto voting Republi/Fascists. I’m careful with my ShoutyFace account—that is, I want to keep it a warm safe haven, away from bullies, generic fuckwads, Jesus pushers, authoritarian mosquito-brained orange cultists and other assorted undesirables.

It takes no small amount of energy to keep my morale flying and I don’t need or want the annoyance and aggravation these types inevitably bring to the table. I mean, fer fucks sake, I truly enjoy people’s family, pet and holiday pics. I like funny memes, animal pics, stories and vids, art stuff, links to informative news and opinion columns (the sane, intelligent ones like Heather Cox Richardson or Jeff Tiedrich) and science posts are always welcome. Got a complaint or something you feel like whining about? As long as it’s not targeting marginalized groups—yeah, bring it.

That’s a pretty broad range, right? Why allow piss in the pool?

What I don’t want are posts by proselytizing christians, insecure assholes who just live for a ‘good’ verbal brawl and preening, condescending twatzillas (AKA Karens and Chads).

Why’s this come up this morning? I checked into the site and saw an interesting friend suggestion. It was for a dude I was friendly with in high school. Friendly (NOT in the friends-with-benefits way) until his mother put her foot down, saying he was not allowed to speak with or so much as acknowledge me anymore.

‘the fuck??????

This happened to me a few times back then. Why? Who the hell knows. Possibly I gave off serious Imma-steal-your-son’s-virginity-and-turn-him-into-a-free-thinker vibes? Maybe I came off as too wild or needy or independent or just different and definitely not blonde.

So, I checked out this, now 66 year old, dude’s profile (as much as can be seen without being 'friends'). Maybe his mommy will let us be friends now? Emmmmmm. He’s a preacher—a preacher in ultra conservative rural Western Pennsylvania at some generic (probably evangelical) christian church. He has many, MANY children. That line, famously attributed to Grouch Marx comes to mind:

I love my cigar, too, but I take it out of my mouth once in a while.

This fella and I have SIX mutual friends though—three of whom I consider actual, not mere ShoutyFace ‘friends’ and two aren’t even christian (or Christian). That last bit—that’s really got my curiosity in the stratosphere. Who is this guy now. I mean, it’s clear that he and I’ve lived radically divergent lives. Is he one of those hellfire, brimstone, bullshit and child abusing “christians” or does he have actual morals and at least half a brain?

I don’t need to send him a friend request but I’m, without a doubt, wicked curious.