Lessons from “Freaks and Geeks”

The wife and I spent the last few evenings watching NBC’s far-too-short-lived “Freaks and Geeks,” an hour-long  dramedy about a high school in 1980.
The series is the work of  Paul Feig and Judd Apatow, among others, and reflects the lives of teenagers who weren’t cool, who weren’t rich and weren’t beautiful.
Yep, in essence, it’s the very antithesis of all the teenage soap operas on TV today.
The experiences these kids had very much mirrored my own, and I loved every minute of it. In fact, I can’t believe that it wasn’t a hit that didn’t live on for several more seasons. It was compelling, honest and heartfelt. It was a tribute to all of us whose lives aren’t a fiery trail of devilish plots. It was about what it was like to be normal — and in some cases, a little less than normal.
 To be honest, I don’t remember a whole lot of high school. It was more than 15 years ago since I graduated, and it’s only a foggy memory.
Sure, I remember things that happened, but it’s not all clear anymore.
Yes, I was a geek. I was picked on. I wasn’t even remotely popular. I was horrible with girls. I didn’t have any clue how to look right or act right.
But with my faint memory of these things, I look back and think that high school wasn’t all that bad.
Maybe I’m fooling myself, but it seemed to be a decent time.
Like I said, plenty of awful, frustrating things did happen to me, but I guess I just chalk it up as a learning experience.
I guess that’s what going to school is all about.