Auld Lang Syne or times long past. My 50-ish reunion ... was a year late when a good number of my high school classmates got together for a milestone reunion. It was bittersweet but mostly sweet. The very first person I saw was my next-door neighbor from long ago. Seeing her was worth the trip from the Bay Area to SoCal. I’m sure my mother looking down was happy to see us hugging and smiling. It was also sweet to reconnect with classmates had not seen for decades. I would approach someone who caught my eye with a friendly smile and we would bow inward slightly so we could read each other’s name tags. Invariably the first questions were ... where are you living, are you retired and how many grandkids? After that it was stripping away time back to when we were sitting around the quad at lunchtime or remembering some high school hijinks.
Ray Fowler
The bitter ... or poignant portion of the reunion was taking time to view the memory wall. It was sometimes difficult to keep reading the names. At my 30th reunion, two women approached me at separate times to chat for a moment or two. I didn’t recognize either one but I remembered their names. Each one told me that they were hoping I would be at the 30th reunion because each one wanted to thank me for being so friendly. They were not popular or top students or accomplished athletes ... just regular kids trying to get through high school ... but they remembered me being nice to them. It was such a huge compliment and something I did not expect. Well, both their names were on the memory wall ... side by side. I had to turn away for a moment.
Some of the old high school spirit was rekindled. Our school mascot was a Scottish warrior, and our marching band included bagpipers. I remember playing football on Friday nights. I never heard the band ... and they were loud ... but I do remember hearing that low rumbling sound the bags make then the pipes’ skirl piercing the cold air. It cut through the noise and action at the game. The cool thing is that the reunion organizers invited some pipers from the current band to the reunion. They entered with a slow and deliberate march while playing ... “Scotland the Brave.” It’s always magical to hear that song.
Some more disappointment. I was stunned to learn the football team captain was couch surfing. How does that happen? He had suffered some serious medical issues over the years but to be homeless when he had so much promise is beyond sad. Then, a woman walked up and joined an impromptu catching up session. She had been working as a waitress while caring for her ailing father in a rural town at the edge of the desert, but things were getting better. She told us that she was planning to move north to stay with her daughter’s family. I just had to sneak a peek at her nametag. My jaw dropped. She was a pep squad leader and one of the most popular girls in our class. Wow ... things don’t always turn out the way we expect. Maybe they never do.
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On the brighter side, I noticed a very attractive woman earlier in the evening. She was gorgeous, lithe and looked to be in her early 30s. I thought she must be an attendee’s daughter. Our paths did not cross until she joined that impromptu session. My jaw dropped again ... another former pep squad leader. She joined the group just to say “hi” to me. We didn’t really run in the same circles during high school, but we knew each other. She was warm and gracious. Things turned out well for her. She married a restaurateur and, although her husband died years ago, she still owns their super successful restaurant business. I’m sure she could not have imagined the turns her life would take after graduation.
There was a final remembrance. Our class president stepped up and recited some moving poetry about how our classmates from so many years ago may be gone but they still live as they once did in our memories, and it is up to us to keep those memories alive. Then, one of the pipers started playing “Amazing Grace.”
It was bittersweet but mostly sweet. Auld Lang Syne… times long past.
Ray is a retired naval aviator at the rank of captain and a retired high school history teacher. He may be contacted at rayfowler@gmx.us.
Thanks for your great article and walk down memory lane. At my 50th several years ago the Memorial Table answered too many questions about why isn’t “Bill” or “Cathy” here tonight. I also was shocked when checking name tags of someone I didn’t recognize and thinking to myself, wow, I didn’t expect that.
I penned my reflections just a couple of days after my Oct. 1 reunion. There is a post script to the story... the football captain passed away about two months after the reunion. His nickname was "Hondo." It is an apt moniker.
Thank you Ray for an uplifting and welcome relief from the political bantering. I have determined to use a measured approach to responding to certain LTEs as some will never change their minds and opinions anyway. A little humor now and then will help although some are totally devoid of such an attribute. Happy New Year.
Really bitter sweet. It is indeed a bit of a shocker to see the Memorial table. I hadn't heard anything about my sixtieth anniversary two years back so assume the one you attended will probably be "it'. Also the shocker of seeing the apparent rising stars who ended up struggling and some of the 'geeks' are now buying private islands or something. One other item that struck a chord was that too many ended up busted by medical debt and health issues. That one we might compare ourselves to our foreign brothers in Europe and even in Asia where people don't go broke due to medical expenses. We really need to do better as we spend more per capita the they and cover fewer folks. Not a good conservative value to me. Glad you got to say hello to some of those old time friends as I sure did.
As I mentioned below, the football team captain (a lineman) in my story passed away about two months after the reunion. He had a lot of medical issues. While I cannot say for certain, I'm guessing the costs for the medical services he needed could be folded into those medical issues. Our quarterback graduated from Harvard and later Boalt Hall. It's not likely our QB would have had the same medical costs challenges. You're correct... we need to do better re: how money is spent on health coverage.
Another small item Ray. You're a healthy looking guy. How about a smile next time out? You look like someone just stole you hubcaps or something. Just sayin'
Funny you say something... I took that selfie when I sent in a Guest Perspective piece a while ago. My wife doesn't like it. So, I took another selfie, but the DJ crew used the first photo. The next time I send something in... I ask the crew to use the newer photo.
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(10) comments
Mr. Fowler, AKA, Ray,
Thanks for your great article and walk down memory lane. At my 50th several years ago the Memorial Table answered too many questions about why isn’t “Bill” or “Cathy” here tonight. I also was shocked when checking name tags of someone I didn’t recognize and thinking to myself, wow, I didn’t expect that.
Tafhdyd
Thanks, buddy... you are my biggest fan.
I penned my reflections just a couple of days after my Oct. 1 reunion. There is a post script to the story... the football captain passed away about two months after the reunion. His nickname was "Hondo." It is an apt moniker.
Thank you Ray for an uplifting and welcome relief from the political bantering. I have determined to use a measured approach to responding to certain LTEs as some will never change their minds and opinions anyway. A little humor now and then will help although some are totally devoid of such an attribute. Happy New Year.
Hi, Dirk
Yes... I agree... a "measured approach" is good. I'm with you on that one. Happy New Year... ALL year!
Mr. Fowler,
Your thoughts are a breath of fresh air. Thanks.
RAY
Many thanks for sharing your experiences. The article made us feel like we were right there with you.
Thanks again. [beam]
Really bitter sweet. It is indeed a bit of a shocker to see the Memorial table. I hadn't heard anything about my sixtieth anniversary two years back so assume the one you attended will probably be "it'. Also the shocker of seeing the apparent rising stars who ended up struggling and some of the 'geeks' are now buying private islands or something. One other item that struck a chord was that too many ended up busted by medical debt and health issues. That one we might compare ourselves to our foreign brothers in Europe and even in Asia where people don't go broke due to medical expenses. We really need to do better as we spend more per capita the they and cover fewer folks. Not a good conservative value to me. Glad you got to say hello to some of those old time friends as I sure did.
Thanks, Mike
As I mentioned below, the football team captain (a lineman) in my story passed away about two months after the reunion. He had a lot of medical issues. While I cannot say for certain, I'm guessing the costs for the medical services he needed could be folded into those medical issues. Our quarterback graduated from Harvard and later Boalt Hall. It's not likely our QB would have had the same medical costs challenges. You're correct... we need to do better re: how money is spent on health coverage.
Another small item Ray. You're a healthy looking guy. How about a smile next time out? You look like someone just stole you hubcaps or something. Just sayin'
Cheers
Funny you say something... I took that selfie when I sent in a Guest Perspective piece a while ago. My wife doesn't like it. So, I took another selfie, but the DJ crew used the first photo. The next time I send something in... I ask the crew to use the newer photo.
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