Hello Grade 9

Why is it that so many people around me seem like they are still living in grade nine??? I've taken a hard, long look at them and most are in their 30's, good jobs, dress like adults, yet act like grade niners. I find the men are worse than the women, with there sneers and leers and immature comments.

Similar to grade nine these ‘adults’ and I use the term loosely, will ignore you rather than answer a question, have a tantrum if they don’t get their way, bully those who are ‘weaker than them’, gossip and start rumors if they think it will get them ahead in the game of popularity. Daily I am subjected to hearing conversations about such things as video games, or TV shows meant for teenagers. What is wrong with these 35 year old men? Watching TV shows with 15 year old girls and then talking about it the next day the same way 14 year old boys would. These men are old enough to be their fathers. Besides the fact that it is nauseating, don’t they have anything better to do with their time? Shouldn’t they be hanging around meat markets and leering at the 20 year olds.

Women are just as bad, they judge you by what you are wearing (are you wearing the latest lululemon outfit or have the newest baby phat bag?), who you hang out with, what kind of coffee cup you are holding (if it contains the trendiest drink) and so on. I was subjected to enough of that in high school, why do I have to put up with it now. I end up ostracized by these women as I can’t stand their pettiness and meaningless conversations. I just can’t seem to care what Paula Abdul looked like the other night or what Paris is wearing or who she is dating and I don’t give a shit about what is going on with Angelina, Jennifer and Brad. These women are just as shallow as the ones I went to school with. I wonder if they still put gum in people’s hair.

I would like to escape from this never ending grade nine nightmare. I’m expecting any minute now to be running down a high school hallway, past the lockers, naked and never able to get to the door at the end. You know that dream, the one where everyone is pointing and laughing. I'm sure it will happen, these people are all around me!