Revenge of the Nerds?

So this weekend was my high school reunion.  I normally never out myself on these kinds of things, but yes, it was 20 years.  20 years!  How did that happen?  I'm definitely feeling more like 10.  And going to a 20 year reunion when you are single, childless, and never-married (did I mention unemployed?) requires a certain amount of preparation, mental and otherwise.  I had to figure out if there were any other single people going, and most importantly, if any of them were guys.  Imagine my shock when I discovered that not only was there an eligible SF bachelor who was going to be attending solo, he was actually a guy I had scoped out on a dating site!  He was totally unrecognizable from his former nerd days, with broad shoulders and wavy dark hair.  Very promising!  I actually started an email relationship with him earlier this summer, under the guise of reunion networking.  He was nice enough, until I asked him to meet for a drink.  He shied away from my invitation, and then never wrote to me again.  Nice!  All the more motivation to look super hot for the big shindig.

And let me tell you, that was not all that hard to pull off next to some of my former classmates. (Sorry, HS brings out the cattiness...)  Those ladies may have rings on their fingers and someone to keep them warm at night, but I have something that may be only a distant memory to them: a pre-baby-weight body, no spanx required.  So I was feeling cute and confident, and certain that Former Nerd would be eating his heart out.  I ran into him early on, during the nervous pre-cocktail moments.  He was as cute as his photos, and friendly.  We agreed to chat more later once we made the rounds.  Despite my hesitations about going, it was really so fun.  Unlike high school itself, it was great to talk to everyone, not just my old friends.  And I'm glad I got over myself- I actually never really felt weird being there alone.  After about 50 catch-up convos and maybe half as many drinks, my attentions returned to FN.  Where was he?  Why was he not chatting me up?  Did he not realize that we were both attractive, single urbanites in a sea of suburban married folk?

I was a woman on mission.  I infiltrated the nerd ranks and chatted up his friends.  I sent some of mine in to talk to him.  We did connect and talk for a bit (details foggy) but there was no flirty vibe.  Someone's wife, another girl's husband, and a few friends of mine all had the same conclusion: dude seems gay.  Really?  Let's remember, I found this guy on an online dating site!  (And wait, was that why he was suddenly so good looking?)  When I like someone and the feelings are not returned, I often default to "he must be gay", so at least I had backup on that this time.  But really, FN?  Please stop advertising yourself to women and sort out your issues.  After he left, I got over it and on to the task at hand: all night hotel room parties with a motley crew of people I barely knew 20 years ago.  Hooray!