Following Our Lead?

This morning, when I checked my email, there was an automated message from LinkedIn.

Usually, I don’t read these because so and so just changed their job title, or updated their profile or blah blah, I’m not job searching and it doesn’t matter anyway because I have two more years of hell and then post-hell before anyone will want to hire me.

Anyway, Rich’s name caught my eye, as well as the mention that he updated his education. 

After we broke up, he had updated his profile to brag about his job promotion—which occurred when our wedding was off and he threatened to quit his job and go back to New York.  He was offered a better title and hefty salary and bonus compensation to stay, while I was told that it would be "better for me emotionally" to repeat an entire year of medical school, of which I had failed nothing, at a cost of $50,000.

(In case you haven’t caught on yet, youngsters, the world is not fair.)

As you know, we all got through that year in our own way, but I come from a very education-oriented family.  Pushing yourself to achieve is highly regarded.  Rich, on the other hand, comes from a family where wealth and pretense are more important.  Putting up an image of perfection is more important than having the oomph to actually back it up.

Rich never cared that he only had a Bachelor’s degree, because apparently, if you start making six figures in your twenties, and live in Manhattan where other self-important, pretentious banker people tell you that you deserve it, your goals in life are sculpted appropriately low.

Compared to where I went to college (and attended on a full academic scholarship…ahem), Rich’s undergradate could be considered middle of the road.  But, it was located in New York and as many a scumbag New York banker will tell you, New York schools are just better.  (Spoiler:  This is not actually true!  I'm looking at you, Wharton!)

As Rich told me when we were dating/engaged, he would never enroll at any DC schools for an MBA, because it would ruin his “pedigree” (yes, he used the word “pedigree”).   Also, he reveled in the fact that he had such a great job without having an MBA and laughed at those poor, stupid losers who had wasted their time and money on MBAs, only to discover that they'd be working at the same level, for the same amount of money, as him.

Ordinarily, I couldn’t give a flying fig what Rich is doing with his life, but when I saw that his education had been updated, I couldn’t help myself.  I logged into LinkedIn.

I surmise that his pompous attitude might have gotten a reality check, because Mr. Pedigree himself is enrolled in an MBA program right up the street from my school.  In DC!  Where his educational lineage is now ruined!  It’s true that his company might be paying for it, but I hope he’s at least realized that bankers should be the least self-assured in our economy, and having a Bachelor’s degree doesn’t really mean jack.

Regardless, I thought that it was funny that he had updated his LinkedIn with this information, as well as a picture.  I have a picture on my LinkedIn profile because I am a vain and shameless human being (obviously), but you know what?

A funny, sweet, compassionate lawyer recognized that picture last fall and contacted me.  I didn’t recognize him, but he recognized me.  And, the ending?  He sneaks away and fills my car with gas when I'm studying, leaves me handwritten notes that I see when I wake up, and writes me silly messages on the mirror in the shower fog.  I love him.

I texted The Lawyer to tell him about the LinkedIn updates and jokingly asked if he thought Rich had heard that’s where we reconnected and was trying to use LinkedIn as his own dating website. 

We laughed about what Rich must have finally heard about The Lawyer from the family gossip, especially since I finally updated my Facebook profile picture to include him.  I was trying to screen my personal information on Facebook, but after rumors started this spring that I was blaming my aunt and uncle in New York for Rich’s and my breakup, I thought that everyone involved needed a hearty dose of the present tense.

(Yes, these rumors started a full 2 YEARS after Rich and I broke up…when The Lawyer and I have been dating for 7 MONTHS NOW.  You can roll your eyes, because I totally rolled my eyes too.  Then, I called my uncle and told him that he’d better check himself before I went second year med. student on him.)

It’s kind of funny if Rich really is updating his profile to try to look more appealing.  But then again, he never was that creative.  I don’t put ulterior motives past him at all.