reunion 45

Reunion 45 was pretty interesting. A bunch of people from my past showed up and we got to chatting here and there until the band started and about 1/4 of the people there bailed out.

One of them that bailed was a woman I have wanted to thank for a few kind words she made about 37 years ago. I was bummed. I wound up getting her address from someone else and sending her a letter. When we ran into each other years ago I was at a crossroads in life with the ink not even dried on my divorce decree or Army discharge.

Her interest in what I was doing made me feel good about myself and gave me a sense of value that stayed with me for life. She very well may not even remember the encounter but it has stayed with me for life.

She really looked wonderful. The years have been very kind to her.

Can't say I blame the people that bailed. With music you really can't talk save to shout. Personally I think having rock band wasn't the best idea in the world. An awful lot of us booked flights to the outside porch to be able to continue our conversations.

All in all it was a good reunion and I was glad I went as I met up with a few people I have not seen in almost a half-century.

There were a couple people I had wondered about over the years and it was good to see what they were up to.

What was interesting is that there was someone I hadn't ever thought about over the past 45 years that I struck up an interesting conversation with. He's been driving a truck for years and looks pretty good. One thing we shared in common are DOT laws and we share a phobia of illegal drugs. Both of us are too close to retirement to be able to start new careers. We can't afford to fail a drug test. We'd lose it all.

The years have been good to some of them and have been hard on others.

There were a number of women that had managed to stay fairly attractive and that says a lot considering we're talking an average age of about 63.

The Class of '69 was a crossroads class. The Old Guard was taking a beating and the new age was entering. It was truly (according to the hippies) an Aquarian Age we were living in and it was a confusing time.

The Vietnam war was hot and there were differing opinions of it. Some joined the Marines, others ran off to Berkley. Although the Summer of Love had passed a couple of years earlier, it was the Summer of Woodstock.

To a certain extent we were a class torn in two. The drug scene was in full swing and tune in, turn on and drop out was in the air. 

To be honest I was surprised to find as much common ground with my classmates as I did. 

There was some sadness. One of the sharpest minds I had ever met had been dulled by medication. He said he had been forced to using anti depressants.  We have all heard the ad that a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Seeing one dulled like that is just as bad if not worse.

Another thing that was scary and that was that one of the people there was still a pothead and started in on how the state was getting ready to legalize cannibis. It didn't bother me as I have thought that the war on drugs is a waste to begin with. It served as a mild warning not to go to the after-hours party as likely someone would light up.

I can't even afford to be around a dope smoker at this stage of my career. When I was offered an invite to the party I simply refused it gracefully.

Interestingly enough, both of the banes of my existence were dead. The guy that sat behind me for six long years in homeroom grades 7-12 was gone. As was another that never did seem to grow up.

Another thing is one of the organizers told me that the vice-principal asked him to get invited. Thank God he refused to pass the invite on to him. He was a jerk then and likely hasn't changed. He'd have had a lot of apologies to make had he shown up.

Another interesting thing happend and I guess one of my classmates came out of the closet and came onto me a little. I just ignored it and chuckled inside. What the hell, at my age it's nice to know that SOMEONE thinks I'm hot. As I age my perverse sense of humor just seems to be getting a lot dryer.

Many people were not there. I was hoping that the kid that lived across the street from me would show but he didn't. We grew up grades 1-12 together but by high school we were on different paths. Last I ever laid eyes on him was at a rock festival in Canada in '70.

I think that one of the mistakes that was made was that organizers didn't realize is that sometimes less is more.

For a 45th reunion I don't feel entertainment is necessary. We generally bring our own. It's about people meeting people. To have a successful reunion all that is needed is a few tables and chairs, a source of food and a source of beverages. A bar is great, but not absolutely necessary. A tub  full of iced beer and soda and a pile of sandwiches will work.

I think that people go to these to swap notes and satisfy curiosities. I'll admit that I did.

There was so much I couldn't bring up because I knew nobody could relate to it. I spent the first twenty years after graduation making a hard living in far flung remote outposts that most of them have only seen on the Discovery Channel.

For example the concept of eating an animal you have just shot is a concept that is totally alien to many of these people. As is having to take a shotgun loaded with slugs with you to go to the toilet fifty yards away from camp because you are in bear country.

One thing, though. A number of people aske me if I had recently gotten remarried and started a family. I'm going to blame that on one or two of my mischevious close relatives. 

One person asked me how long I had served in the French Foreign Legion which amazed me. Apparently the rumor (not true) was about 40 years old and started life as a sarcastic comment I had made to my sister when I was in the army.

One thing I did was that I think I got two people back in touch. 

I mentioned seeing another classmate in Kodiak back around '86 and knew the woman I mentioned it to was a friend of hers back in the day. I also gave her a clue as to how to get in touch with her and I think they might reconnect.

Even though several of the people I wanted to spend time with bailed and I spent most of the reunion on the porch where it was quiet, I was glad I went.




To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY