The 42nd and a half high school reunion

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Just had the 40th in 2003, but we’re starting to die, and most of us turned 60 this year, so an energetic classmate decided we didn’t need to limit these to every five years.

There were 63 in my high school class that graduated in 1963. Eleven of us have died – one early on in Viet Nam, the rest heart disease and cancer, and one suicide.

Of the 20 who showed up for the informal event at the lake Friday night, I was the only smoker, although when I ducked outdoors for a toke, several people followed me (sans spouses) and my cigarette made the rounds. (I hadn’t been that popular since I got drunk at the prom.)

Earlier reunions had been all about oneupmanship. The women overdressed, the guys seemed inordinately fond of whatever they were driving, and there was lots of talk about “our cabin at the lake” and European vacations.

It’s much more relaxed now. Jeans and tee-shirts, cars that haven’t seen the inside of a carwash since they were new, everybody talked to everybody else, and I didn’t detect a single comment that sounded remotely like a brag, unless it involved grandchildren.

I am apparently remembered for being the biggest Elvis fan in the class, and a good friend who I hadn’t seen since 1988 couldn’t believe that I remembered her birthdate.

Two of them have gone back to school in the last couple of years and gotten degrees. Actual working degrees – not dilettante stuff.

I was using a cane because of the broken hip from May, and I felt sorry for myself until I talked to the guy who’d lost a leg to diabetes complications, and was trying hard to hold on to the other one.

That said, seeing these folks once every few years is enough. We don’t have much in common except for remembering the words to Will You Love Me Tomorrow and growing up in a small town. They’re mostly Republican, a few are fundamentalist (saying grace before chowing down on a sloppy joe?), and they all say they’re going to work until they drop. (I’m happily semi-retired, and have already cashed in my 401-K.)

I’d love to ask some of them if they watch Deadwood or read epic fantasy, but I’m afraid none of them will know what I’m talking about.

There’s still something special about spending time with people you grew up with. In small towns, you’re together from kindergarten through graduation. Everybody remembers who farted at the sports assembly, and the new wrestler who thought he could call time out when he was about to be pinned.

But it seems that by the time you’re 60, all is forgiven, if not forgotten.

The point of this pointless sharing is to ask about your high school reunions. Do you go? Doesn’t it get better as time goes by?

2

I’d be past my 25th, but I’ve never been to one. I’ve always figured they’d be like the ones you describe earlier.

3

Well, AuntiePam, I graduated the same year you did (I think 1963 had the highest SAT scores), and I’ve never been to my reunions, nor kept in touch with anyone in my class (I lived out of town for about 30 years). But there were over 1000 in my class, and most of my friends were a year younger anyway. Maybe I’ll get to the next one in 2013, when we’re all pushing 70, if I’m still around.

4

I graduated in 1982. We didn’t have the highest SAT scores but we were the year that was at the all time peak of drug use among 18 year olds. My class had like 800 kids. I didn’t go to 10 or 20 and I won’t go to 25 if there is one. I can’t be bothered.

5

I graduated with over five hundred in my class, makes tracking folks down for reunions a bit tougher I’d imagine. I went to one, my ten-year, and it wasn’t good, over-priced drinks, rubber chicken and a crappy DJ. Sort of like a wedding reception for someone you know casually from work, you’re sitting with the only other people you really know out of the entire group and have exhausted all the catching up in the first hour.

The good thing about larger schools is everyone gets a shot at a peer group, not just the jocks or popular kids. I still keep in close touch with ten of fifteen of my high school pals, the rest I had nothing in common with then and still don’t. If I hear about a twentieth reunion for my class, I’ll go, just this time I’ll drag a couple of my buddies that ditched the tenth with me so I’ll have fun.

6

I don’t think I would have gone to any of mine if a few close friends hadn’t gone with me. I was awed at the “singles” that showed up – the ones who didn’t hang with any particular group. That takes guts, or maturity, or confidence, or something.

Tonight we did the more formal dinner. The chairperson had put together a Power Point thing with pictures and music; nicely done. Another person had made personalized music CDs for everyone – the covers were our graduation pictures.

People must have been getting sick of each other though. Everyone complained about how loud Judy was (“was she always that obnoxious?”) and others were wondering which single guy Diana was going to take back to the motel. :slight_smile: Another person commented that the only time “these people” talk to her is at the reunions.

I may have been looking at this with my Sentimental Glasses on.

(The food was good though.)

7

Graduated in 1970 and have only made it to one reunion, the 30th in 2000. My HS was in a small town in downstate Delaware - graduating class was about 200, I think. I had actually hoped that they’d try to do a 35th this year, but no dice it seems, which is a shame because last year we lost two prominent class members, unfortunately. :frowning: I hadn’t kept up with any of them either; my parents moved during my freshman year in college, to a suburb of Philadelphia, and while I went to visit a friend during freshman year, I hadn’t been back.

It was interesting to see and chat with folks, to be honest. People remembered me that I didn’t remember, which really astounded me. There didn’t seem to be as much “clique” behavior as there was in HS, but the ones who still lived in the area of course remained chummy with one another. Many classmates had moved away, and many of those that I wanted most to see didn’t attend the reunion. I’m hoping that they’ll have a 40th and that I’ll be around to attend. :slight_smile:

8

I graduated in 1984 with a class of about 120.

A large chunk of them went from 1st grade all the way to 12th together.
I haven’t been to any of our reunions because I am not that girl anymore and I really have noticed that for the most part people seem to never grow up or change from those days, especially those who still live within the zip code of our youth. It is sad, really.

9

I don’t know if any of us have made basic changes. I think I’m the same person I was then – I just make smarter decisions now, and that’s a function of experience.

The nice ones are still nice, the snooty ones are a bit less snooty – but maybe that’s because they didn’t want to be the only ones not hugging and saying hello to everybody.

It was the guys that surprised me. I dated out of town and never got to be friendly with the locals. I was amazed at how funny they are – not just class clown funny but some real wit. Maybe they always were.

Putting these together is a lot of work but the people who come really enjoy them. I’d say if anyone wants a reunion to happen, get a couple of classmates and make it happen. The hardest part is tracking everyone down.