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> After all the hoopla, over-eating and borderline >imbibing, and conversations with people at the >reunion, I actually enjoyed the long drive home that >provided time to reflect before I forgot details, >which is something we are prone to do as we accumulate >the years. I enjoyed this reunion more than any of the >previous ones and I attribute that to seeing a couple >of people who hadn’t been to our other reunions and to >the superb job the steering committee did in keeping >things rolling. I actually had the time to talk with >people without worrying about details. I was >particularly glad to see Tony Laratta, who I >remembered as a cool guitar player and one of the 26 >classmates who went into the Air Force with me. I >hadn’t seen or corresponded with Tony since the day in >August when I left Texas for Colorado and Tony stayed >for a few more weeks of basic training. I was hoping >Ron Quinlan would be at the reunion; he was also with >Tony and me in our basic flight; but Ron wasn’t able >to make this one. I was also pleased to see Don >Fiesinger, who was my mentor in the audio/visual club >at Central. > > My memories of those high school years are >probably a lot different than the memories many of you >have. Frankly, I have damn few—one day just melded >into the next and for the most part, they were all the >same. I remember most of the classmates who come to >the reunions, and a few more that don’t come, but >specific events involving most of them escape me, >probably because I didn’t mingle and mix with the >movers and shakers. I wasn’t in the frats, didn’t >compete in sports, didn’t play in the band and didn’t >date. I wasn’t in the top 25% academically (I did >make the top 26% though) and if my classmates remember >correctly, I was 5 feet 6 inches tall and only carried >145 pounds. I sprouted up to 6 feet six months after >graduation, but didn’t get above 160 pounds until >after I married my wife five and a half years later. I >worked after school and weekends so I never attended >the school functions. Didn’t go to Prom and operated >lights (out of sight) for the class play. I was, >except to a few, essentially invisible. > > Some encounters at the reunion caused synapses to >fire that haven’t sparked in years and I managed to >tie together a couple of loose threads that pulled >incomplete memories out of the recesses of my mind. >However, I want to know where all those kids went that >roamed the halls of Central so long ago. They never >come to the reunions. Instead, we have a gathering of >taller and shorter, heavier and thinner, grayer and >balding strangers. I think Shirley Walker put it >together as clearly as anyone could. > > Shirley shared some thoughts with me via email >after the reunion, and I don't think she'd mind if I >shared it with the world. I thought at the time it was >very profound, and it sticks with me yet > She said, “I found it difficult to relate to you >in person - as whenever I read your posts online, my >image of you is as an 18 year old. Most of the folks I >had no contact with at all in the past several years - >so it was easier to adjust to their (minor) physical >changes - but having followed your tales on the >message board, I was totally baffled by trying to >integrate the picture in my memory with the reality! I >found the reunion to be such a bizarre experience - at >first people looked like total strangers - then I'd >glance at the name - and recognize it - and the >yearbook photo - okay. A few seconds later, talking to >them, the eyes or the mouth would begin to look >familiar. Then the voice or some mannerisms would kick >in - and within a matter of a couple of minutes - >they were totally familiar and easily recognized. It >happened over and over - and was a strange experience. >“ > >I’ve only come to know Tom Hogg and Liz, and most of >the others on the reunion steering committee through >the reunions. Except for Bruce, Mike, Professor >Puzzle/ Dr. Dave, and Kathleen, everyone else was >merely in the same class---I wasn’t even acquainted >with them. Oh, I knew them in passing, but we didn’t >move in the same direction. Until the reunions. Then, >I experienced the same feelings that Shirley related. > > Overall, I spent less time with the classmates >that I correspond with frequently and more time with >the folks I seldom or never have contact with between >reunions. Afterwards, I regretted not talking more >with those who I feel closer to, especially as I >realize that those with whom I seldom have any contact >don’t remember me or remember very little. So, what is >one to do? > I noticed, too, that folks for the most part >tended to gather into the same groups they ran with in >high school. Techies with techies; sororities to >sororities, frats with frats. It’s the same all over >again. We’re comfortable with those we have more in >common with. It’s human nature. >By pulling together an event like the major reunions, >we create a venue for many little (table by table) >reunions. That’s just the way it is. We’re always >going to break into small bands of friends. > If there is interest in another 10 years to pull >these small tribes together again, providing there are >enough still surviving and able to travel, the effort >will have to be made without me---I have probably made >my last trip north. And from the winter addresses I >see for many of the classmates, I wouldn’t be >surprised to see more folks moving south and staying >south. Damn Yankees.

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