Edward had been born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. He loved his home town and honestly hated to leave it even though the reason was that he was going to school in Southern California. He had always considered it to be one of his dreams to live and go to school in San Diego, but when he was actually accepted and planned his move he realized that it was going to be extremely difficult to leave his hometown with all its beauty, his family and friends and strike it out on is own. So naturally, that Christmas of his freshman year, he was extremely happy to fly home to celebrate the holiday.

This all happened over ten years ago and after school Edward landed a great job in Portland, Oregon so he moved up the Pacific Coast where there would be no more surfing opportunities. He laughed as he thought this and stressed the opportunity part because Edward never learned how to surf and that was one of his intentions while he was in San Diego. After he moved to Portland, Edward met a beautiful woman Lila whom he married. The two of them had twin sons two years later and it seemed to be more difficult with each passing year for Edward to visit his hometown.

The invitation arrived six months ago. It was going to be the summer of Edward’s ten-year high school reunion. He could hardly believe all that time had passed as he made his reservations with one of the hotels Carolina. He wondered how many of his high school friends would be there and was greatly hoping to see a few of them. He realized he hadn’t seen Travis in six years and Bob in eight. He wondered what everyone would look like and if anyone was bald. He checked the mirror and was relieved and then surprised to find an almost full head of hair resting atop the stranger staring back at him. He shock his head and brought himself back to the present time and smiled back at Lila who was watching him from across the room.