My 50th High School Reunion
Yes, I got brave enough to attend
When I got the invitation I nearly threw it away. I couldn’t possibly be old enough for our 50th reunion. It was expensive and I still only knew maybe three people from high school. But the invitation stayed on the table, daring me to respond. Once I sent in the money I knew I wouldn’t back out. Besides, there were two or three friends I hadn’t seen since 1969, so seeing them again would make the entire thing worthwhile.
Except for maybe three people I know in “real” life I didn’t know a soul there. I was basically sitting in a banquet hall full of strangers. Nice people but strangers. None of us remembered each other. They showed all the class members on a PowerPoint program, using the pictures from the 1969 year book. I remembered a lot of those people, but damn if I could see them in the room. One woman said she and I had had some English classes together, but I didn’t remember her either.
They had a comedian who was okay but loud, loud, loud. I talked with BB, former state representative, for a minute or two; I doubt he remembered me but being a politician he’s good at talking to strangers. I had planned to talk with ES, now a judge, but he was at a table at the other side of the room. AB, our city’s former police chief, was there, but he wouldn’t remember me, though he had told me at…
