Z – My Zoom Meeting

Z – My Zoom Meeting

I had just finished writing my “Y – Fountain of Youth” piece when I thought I would get more input from my friends and family about their opinions on getting young again. I started up a Zoom meeting, planning on sending invites to a number of my friends and family when all of a sudden I got Zoom bombed. I have no idea how they got the link nor how it was even possible for them to connect to me. I knew everyone one of the participants. Well, let’s just say I was every one of the participants. 

Here’s a screenshot of what my Zoom screen looked like: 

I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. Though these all look like images, be assured they all were real and could communicate; well, almost all, Harvey Pre-1, constantly babbled during the whole meeting, but he looked like he was trying to communicate something.

“We’re here to discuss the Fountain of Youth,” I stammered, “I’d like your thoughts on its potential”

Harvey Hockey couldn’t wait to jump right in. “Love it, Love it, Love it! I finally get to figure out how to play this game and all I get to play in is an Alumni game when I’m 52. Get me back to my early teen days when I started to play, I’ll show them a thing or two.”

“Forget it”, remarked Harvey Lifeguard, “Make that a few years later, that’s when you were buff, man. Then you could show off your skills.”

I looked at Harvey 3yr, who definitely looked like he wanted to say something, but wasn’t about to interrupt the big guys, so I asked him, “Do you want to say something?”

Harvey 3yr coyly looked at the screen and said, “I’m cute, I want to push a button on the screen.” That was the last we heard from him as he managed to mute himself. Even as the administrator of this Zoom meeting I couldn’t figure out how to unmute him. But trust me he kept on looking adorable.

Harvey Unkempt was looking me over on the screen and somehow managed to switch all the screens onto speaker view, with his picture being in the spotlight. “Look at all these guys, all neat and straight-laced, except maybe the musical madman. Don’t you want to be me my age? Let your hair down and let it grow out, man. You’d be back in being cool days”

I pointed out to him that in 2020 with COVID lockdowns, had I had his hair, I certainly would have looked that way and it certainly did not look cool. I prefer to have some control over the few hairs I have left. 

Harvey Violinist pointed out that if I went back to pre-high school, and put more time into playing a real instrument like the violin, I might have become a great player that could read music and be in a famous orchestra. “I think my hair looks quite appropriate for a classical musician,” he said.

Harvey Musical Madman might have had something to say, but I had to mute him as all he could do was play silly songs with his guitar and that marching kazoo in his mouth.

Harvey World’s Fair pointed out that 1964 was a great year to go back to. “This is when we went to this great Fair in Queens. I don’t know if there will ever be another one like it. All it cost me was a 15 cent subway ride to get there from the Bronx. All the exhibits were awesome. Also, maybe with the knowledge you older me’s have now, this time you might even pass the entrance exam for the Bronx High School of Science, which I didn’t get into.”

Harvey Teacher rebutted with, “But then maybe you might have become a scientist instead of the teacher you became. Think of all the creative ideas you will miss having, like teaching kids how to bake bread, which is what I’m doing here as part of our Westward Expansion unit.”

“Hey, don’t knock scientists as a profession. You end up marrying one; think of how much more you and Christina would have in common if you were a scientist. And you may have met her much earlier in your life.” Harvey Retire blurted out.

Harvey Dad did not even try to get into the conversation. I could tell by the glazed look in his eyes that all he was thinking about was being a father with a family for the first time. I’m sure he would have suggested going back to when David was born. 

Harvey Storyteller kind of summed it all up, speaking directly to me, “You’re the one who has all of this knowledge and memories and went on all of the adventures. You are the keeper of all the stories. What if when you go back to your youth you have to start over again but don’t keep all these wonderful experiences that you have had? Would you be willing to lose that and be someone other than who you are today?” 

I was about to respond when our 40-minute Zoom window ended. I tried to restart the meeting, but I never could get any of my me’s back again. I guess I didn’t need to at that point. I had gotten the answer to what I was looking for.