Really, REALLY weird question

[gwyn]

Um. So, like, if you wanted to find out about a person, how would you go about doing it? Like, stalker 101? I know this probably sounds crazy, but I'm trying to find out about someone I went to high school and junior high with, and I'm having a bitch of a time finding him. I think I may have finally located a phone number, but I sort of wanted to find out if I could locate an email because I feel a lot safer approaching someone via written communication than phone -- 'cause I have no idea what to say by phone. "Hey, it's me from high school. Whatcha doin'?"

I'm notorious for hating everything and everyone connected to my school days. I kept up with no one except my friend Mel, and even hardly her anymore. A couple people have found me on Facebook, but I don't really interact with them, except to exchange a few emails (and the one who seems the most participatory in these sorts of things I actually have already asked if she knew anything about G, but she doesn't) or FB comments.

But I had this weird dream the other night and G was in it, and it reminded me that the last time I went to a reunion (I only go under extreme duress, usually put on me by my sister or Mel), he showed up toward the end of the evening specifically to see me, and I wrote down his info but I misplaced it or something later. The dream really reminded me of what a great friend he was -- we had the strangest friendship for the longest time, and lately I'm feeling very friend-deprived, so I thought it might be nice to get in touch. That always carries difficulties with it, though, I've found -- most women don't like their men to have female friends, as I've learned the hard way, watching my close male friends disappear when their SOs give them the evil eye for talking with me or spending time. The weird part? They always like me and we always get along great, but they still don't want their men hanging out with a girl from their past.

G used to show up and knock on my window in the middle of the night and I'd wrap a sweater around my nightgown and go sit out on the roof of his car with him and he'd tell me about what he'd been doing. Or he'd drive up on his motorcycle and ask me if I wanted to go for a ride and we'd just drive around, then he'd plunk me back home. My parents were incredibly tolerant, even if they thought he was a goof and a stoner (which he was) and not especially reliable. And when I wouldn't get my picture taken for our yearbook, he dragged me to the photographer (literally -- I fought him as hard as I could) in my senior year because he was tired of me not being in the yearbook.

I have no idea why he was in my dream at all, but I figure it's a sign that I should have gotten in touch with him all those years ago. Don't know what his life is like at all, but I know he was in construction and starting his own company when I saw him ten years ago. Still, it's really hard to locate info about him, but I don't know how to begin stalkingfinding out a possible email for him, especially since his name isn't that uncommon. All these people who find out the most amazing things for free via the interwebz, but I haven't got a clue where to start that doesn't cost a bunch of money. ETA: No, there's no alum info, and no Classmates info, or anything like that. He's about as involved in old school stuff as I am, which is not at all.

Comments

[klia.livejournal.com]

I wish I could help more, but I honestly don't think it's easy to find people online, especially email addresses (I doubt anyone looking for me could find mine). Awhile back, I was looking for a friend from home who'd moved to Seattle, and never did find her.

The only thing I can think of is, if you know the city he lives in and his line of work, there may be an email address attached to his business.

I hope someone will comment with better ideas!

[the-shoshanna.livejournal.com]

Does your high school keep track of alums in any way? Maybe you could find something through them.

[feochadn.livejournal.com]

Contact your high school and find out who is in charge of the class reunions for your year, then contact them and find out if they know anything. You'd be surprised how much info they have.

[cattraine.livejournal.com]

Classmates.com

[viverra-libro.livejournal.com]

If you know his full name, you can probably find him through Intellius.com. (They own all of the sites of that type that I can find, so you might as well use them) That's a pretty stalker-ish thing to do, but I'll admit I've done it, in a similar situation to yours.

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Do searches on companies like his, esp. if you remember part of the name.

[belmanoir.livejournal.com]

this is kind of a longshot, but could you call his parents? like, do you still have their number/could look them up in your local phonebook?

[queenofattolia.livejournal.com]

zabasearch.com

Sometimes their listings have birth dates, so that helps to narrow it down (especially if he has a common name). Sometimes they also print phone numbers - not email, though.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Put an ad. in the local paper where he lives, asking for info?
Or phone construction companies in the area and just ask if he works for/owns them?
I hate that, when girlfriends stop you being friends with guys.