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Par For The Course

Education > K through 12 > Class Reunion
 

Class Reunion

It must be a mistake. Couldn't be. Something's wrong. How is it possible?

Alas, it's true. It's been 50 years since I graduated from Frankfort (IN) High School. We were (still are) the Hot Dogs!
Great name, eh? Different, at least.

So last night, about 50 of our original class of 181 got together for a reunion. 30 have died. It was a mixed feeling of joy and sadness that I could see some long lost classmates, but not others I really wanted to see.

The high school building has been demolished. Nothing but memories left. I took my yearbook with me last night. Everybody wanted to look at it! I sought after those that inscribed a note to me 50 years ago. They enjoyed reading what they had written. Some added more!

I got to sit between two of my best old friends. And unlike most attendees, I roamed around, yearbook in hand, shaking hands and hugging each and every former classmate--even if I really didn't know them. We share a bond broken only by death. Few people sought me out--I was the seeker. Strange. They just sat at their tables, like they were stuck (or too fat and lazy--or old-- to get up and about). Wrinkled, white hair, overweight. Who were these people? I hardly recognized some of them.

My prom date (both years) was there, sans husband (!). No, she gained weight and looked all of 68. My first date was there also--7th grade dance. It was fun to reminisce.

I have no point to make here. No moral to the story. I don't really like "living in the past". But the good times stay with you 'til your dying days. They WERE good times.

posted on Sept 11, 2011 6:25 AM ()

Comments:

My class has reunions every five years. This started after the ten year reunion when we discovered that classmates were dropping like flies! I have gone to them all. My fifty-fifth is coming up in October. I decided to skip this one. I have no family left in the town I grew up in so no reason to go back except for reunions. Now I may be sorry I didn't go after reading about yours.
comment by boots586 on Sept 14, 2011 4:30 PM ()
You probably won't miss anybody you haven't seen in previous reunions, so no big deal (I say). My father doesn't even get information regarding reunions anymore. Either he's been "lost" or everybody has died.
reply by solitaire on Sept 17, 2011 4:41 AM ()
I went to my fiftieth. My best friend was dead and gone and my best enemy
was fat and looked very ancient. My best boy friend that I had planned to
marry had lost his mind because of a stroke but they brought him anyway.
Those were the timesz!!
comment by elderjane on Sept 13, 2011 6:17 AM ()
Ah, memories. Do I want to attend any more? That is the question. It's usually the same ol' (actually, OLD!) people. I'm motivated to outlive them all!
reply by solitaire on Sept 13, 2011 1:58 PM ()
Smart of you to take your yearbook. It's strange that more people didn't think to bring theirs, probably sold them at garage sales years ago.
comment by troutbend on Sept 12, 2011 7:50 PM ()
They had a trivia quiz (Who was...?) at the reunion. Since I had "studied" the yearbook beforehand, I knew many answers. Won a pair of work gloves!
reply by solitaire on Sept 13, 2011 4:32 AM ()
I had only one close friend in high school and we were not in the same graduating class, she being older and we were friends from being in the band. She played clarinet and I played cornet. She is the only one, I think, who would remember me. But our reunions would be different years. I love the past and have ever since I was 8 and wondered about the sweet mysteries of 6 and 7. I have been nostalgic from early childhood. I remember a 30-something man approaching me while I played on the sidewalk and asking about the neighborhood -- it seems he'd grown up there and was looking for a lost connection. I was no more than 9, at the time, but I understood his sorrow.
comment by tealstar on Sept 12, 2011 2:34 PM ()
I did one "reunion"- when the girls of Our Lady of the Highlands got together for one of the nun's Golden Jubilee. I did not recognize anyone and few recognized- or remembered me, but that did not prevent all of them from talking to me. OLH is a tight knit group. We connect on Facebook, have our own page and have occasional live chats.
comment by dragonflyby on Sept 12, 2011 7:24 AM ()
That's cool. When did the reunion occur? Must have been fairly recently if you didn't recognize anybody.
reply by solitaire on Sept 13, 2011 4:29 AM ()
Good for you for being the seeker. I bet it was a much more fulfilling night for you. I tend to get in a group and stick there - but I think I should try your method, sounds more fun!
comment by kristilyn3 on Sept 11, 2011 1:50 PM ()
Even if I didn't really know who they all were, we still shared the same classes, teachers, building, times. That bonds us all. And at our ages, I have no embarrassments or reasons to avoid fellow classmates. Do it!
reply by solitaire on Sept 12, 2011 4:38 AM ()
Never went to a high school reunion--wouldn't know anyone there!! I was too busy exploring my life in The Big Apple to hang around those 'kids' with their silly ideas--I had THINGS to do!!
comment by greatmartin on Sept 11, 2011 8:17 AM ()
You were "full of yourself" even back then, eh?
reply by solitaire on Sept 12, 2011 4:35 AM ()
Aren't you glad you went?I've never been to a reunion of any kind, mostly because I hated most of the people I went to school with.

No moral to the story? I beg to differ. Realizing that they really *were* good times and yet not living in the past sounds like a pretty good moral to me.
comment by juliansmom on Sept 11, 2011 8:10 AM ()
I suppose you're right. There are "morals". I probably live with more memories--good and bad--than I realize. Still, I look to the future.
reply by solitaire on Sept 12, 2011 4:34 AM ()
Reunions get to me now. I am glad you were the "seeker." They are probably not in as good shape as you if they were glued to their seats. Yesterday an old Beta pledge brother from BGSU, Stan Osur, from northern New Jersey now, visited me for a couple hours. We last saw each other on graduation day 1966. 45 years! We had a damned good day yesterday. I will have to pull the same trick on him some day and drop-in on Stan with a few more memories to stir up. What a good day it was.
comment by jondude on Sept 11, 2011 7:34 AM ()
THat's great! My best HS friend died 8 yrs ago falling off a ladder. Keeping in contact with old friends is priceless.
reply by solitaire on Sept 12, 2011 4:32 AM ()
Glad you went. Such events and revisiting relationships from those years and good times are worth it! My brother Joe's high school Class of 1961 will gather here for their 50th reunion next weekend at Maumee Bay State Park. Joe just sent me the reunion class notes and photos, an e-update of the yearbook with updated bios, life stories and greetings from everyone. So glad Joe and his wife Barb are coming. They'll have a blast. We'll get together on Sunday for brunch and I'll enjoy hearing all about it. I remember so many of his classmates. My 50th will be in 2018.
comment by marta on Sept 11, 2011 7:17 AM ()
It's just so disappointing that most classmates don't bother to re-unite. It was such a treasured time in our lives.
reply by solitaire on Sept 12, 2011 4:30 AM ()
So true,good time does stay with you.Though not surprised that you find some of these old and fat and lazy etc.A good thing that you took care of your life and did not ended liked them.But nice to see the mates even though some you did not recognized .No moral as you say.
comment by fredo on Sept 11, 2011 6:39 AM ()
Another good thing--as far as I know, I never made any enemies. Everybody liked me. But what's not to like?
reply by solitaire on Sept 12, 2011 4:28 AM ()

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