An old high school friend that I haven’t kept in touched with, showed up online one day and suddenly asked me that.

“Uhhh… no?” I replied.

Supposedly, I should be rich and successful by now. Driving a car that cost more than most houses, riding helicopters to work, and using solid gold toilets. I would have ignored the question, had it not been asked again by another person.

“So you got that bimmer yet?”

“Whu?”

“Are you rich yet?” the other person asked.

“Uhh, no? Where the heck are you people getting this from?”

“I don’t know, I thought you’ll be all successful now—you know, graduate from Harvard and stuff.”

I went to a state university, for crying out loud. Most people that knew me should know this. Which really made me wonder if there’s some wacky rumor out there about how I’m filthy rich now. Maybe thats why people are hitting me up, so they can get ready to mooch? Regardless, you won’t ever find me at a high school reunion—rich or not.

What got me thinking though, is how the question actually bothered me a bit. Not of the actual question per se, but the fact that I felt a bit obligated to meet some past expectation—from people that I otherwise don’t really care for.

It’s the same deal I guess, when you first meet a person, you might ask the generic question of:

“So. What do you do?”

“Um, I’m a student.” I would reply.

“Ah that’s cool.”

No, from your facial expression, it doesn’t seem too cool to you.

But, it’s not a big deal. 99% of the time I could care less what someone thinks of what I currently do. But are there times where I wish I could reply differently? You betcha.

“I’m helicopter pilot.”

“Oh, I’m also a millionaire.”

“And yes, in case you’re wondering, I do have a toilet made out of solid gold.”

Yeah, sometimes first impression matters. In the case mentioned above, these are “first impression” after a long hiatus. So when these two past acquaintances asked me if I was rich and successful yet, a part of me did want to answer yes—even if the question was relative and pointless, even if the “first impression” didn’t matter. Because I’m positive that if I ask some other old high school friends the question, unlike my response, they would be able to give a different answer.

Thankfully for myself, I’ve grown up a wee bit through the years, so I don’t sit around all day and compare myself to past associates. There’s still that 1% though. In fact, it’s probably more than I’m letting on. But eh, that’s normal right? After all, you have expectations for yourselves too.