Class Reunion

Glad to see you here this morning!  A great day for a walk because we have lots of things to talk about today.............................................

First on my list is my class reunion that I attended this past Saturday.  I was really glad it was scheduled in the middle of the day between the hours of 11:30 and 1:30.  Why? you ask.  Well as you will learn one day, OLD people do not see well enough to drive after dark and OLD people are tired after 4:00 p.m.  At this age it becomes a struggle just to get on your feet anytime after 3:00 p.m.

You see, once you are a short distance from the dreaded decade of the eighties, naps must be scheduled in during the day.  So the noon hour was a perfect time, even though I could tell by the yawns and droopy eyes some were well into their nap time as soon as lunch was over.

As soon as I entered the designated area, I was face to face with a large table upon which a triangular stand- alone arrangement of pictures stood encircling all our deceased classmates.  There were forty-eight youthful pictures as they were remembered as seniors of the 1958 graduating class of old HHS.  As I turned to leave the memorial, I found myself staring into the shoulder of a very tall  gentleman whom I did not recognize until I read his name tag.  He hugged me and with tears in his eyes was evidently in a deep grief state over the loss of his classmates that had occurred over a 60 year span. Recognizing that he must have a history of a previous stroke that must have affected his emotions,  I hurridly freed myself and moved on.  Surely there were some happy people here somewhere.........

As I navigated through the crowd that had  accumulated just a few feet from the entrance doorway, I found my old friend seated in a back corner at a table with another classmate.  As soon as we began our greetings, I realized she had a hearing problem since she kept saying "huh?".  She admitted that she did need a hearing test after I revealed to her that I had worn hearing aides for the past twenty years and they were wonderful.  Unfortunately I avoided her the rest of the evening because a conversation was impossible.  I moved on...................................

I navigated through the crowd looking for a familiar face, all too soon realizing that I depended on the name tags for help.  Unfortunately, most of those long ago familiar faces had disappeared. Why did they take the pictures away? The names were fine, but I really needed the pictures from long ago.

Suddenly an announcement was made for everyone to gather on the front steps of the building for a group picture.  Well that was quite a feat for some since there were a few walkers and canes and obvious walking difficulties. Someone grabbed my hand and it was one of my very best friends from high school.  She urged me to come and stand by her for our pictures.  It did not help that I knew she had a face lift some years back.......who wants to be old standing beside the one person in the room who still looks like she is forty-something?  At any rate she held my hand as we climbed up two steps for our posing position. Shortly before the camera shutters clicked I forgot to put my sunglasses on!  So there I was in the class pictoral beside the youngest looking one in the entire class and I did not even have my sunglasses on...so to compensate,  I tried to smile broadly and not squint my eyes ending up looking like Mr. Magoo in the old cartoons of the '50s.  Must show you the group picture!

We did have a lovely lunch, prepared by one of our classmates who does catering. I enjoyed sitting at a table with two of my classmates I had not been able to talk to at the last reunion. The dessert table was filled with delicious sweets home made by some of our classmates.

I used my time following the meal to visit every table and speak to all who were there.  I found it amusing that most everyone found a table as soon as they arrived and did not leave it for anything other that the picture and the food line.  I would guess that there were only ten of us who navigated among the tables and tried to have a short visit with each person.  Why would you come to a reunion and sit with the same person you see every day and not visit all in the room? Then, again, I suppose the imposition of walkers and canes played an important role in that decision.

Oh the pondering of it all......................................

All in all, it was a lovely noon gathering with lots of memories shared and wishes and prayers for each of us to return yearly instead of every five years.  We left with plans to meet again in August 2019 on the 2nd Saturday.  Same place..........same time.......................

We can only hope................................................................................................

See you next time............enjoyed the walk