How to send someone a message on fb when the option is missing?

[Leah]

There is a person who I was friends with in like 2010 or so, and we lost contact. We met again in 2011, but I didn't see the person in 2012 or this year. So, I doubt he remembers me. I want to send him a message on fb (I found his account) but we are not friends on facebook, and I would rather message him first to see if he remembers me. But when I go to his profile, the message option is missing, just the add friend and report/block options are available. If I friend request him, will I have temporary access to send him a message? Help!
He is a year older than me, we will be going to the same school next year (it is a district high school, that's why we weren't before) so should I just wait until I somehow meet him in school? Or if I friend him will I be able to send him a message? I do know him, that's the thing, and facebook is making this reeeeally hard. But it has been so long, I had to find him on the honor roll to spell his last name lol (I was only one letter off!).
Help?!

[abraXus]

he has his settings set to require at least one friend in common in order to send him a message

and even if you could send him a message, he probably wouldnt read it until you are friends first, because messages from non-friends go to the "other messages" folder instead of the inbox, and the person is not notified that the message is even there

this is a spam prevention device