My school reunion last night was a very casual but very fun affair. Our graduating class had about 180+ students in it but there were only about 50 there last night, and it’s only been today that I’ve been thinking where was so-and-so or I wonder where he or she was.
Some people had barely changed in the 19 years since we finished, others had well and truly outgrown their old waistline and a fair few of the guys had outgrown their hair. It’s amazing that after so long you can just easily slip back into conversation with some people.
I arrived with a couple of the girls I’m still in touch with and we ran straight into a group of guys that I recognised, said hi and shook all their hands. One of them I just had no idea who it was until I walked away and turned around for another look. Apparently half of them couldn’t remember who I was either, but the one guy I hadn’t recognised at all, and who hadn’t recognised me turned out to be a guy I’d gone through ALL my school years with and grew up in the same street about 8 houses away. We had a good laugh about that.
Some people were socially awkward and odd back in school and at least one of them was still well and truly awkward last night. That was a brief and stilted conversation. All in all I had a fantastic night catching up with old friends. I also liked that by now, most people had seen on facebook or heard on the grapevine that I’m gay and even the “tough” guys that I wasn’t that friendly with back then, really didn’t show any signs that they had a problem with it last night. It’s nice to know we all do finally grow up.
I had my 25 year reunion on the june long weekend I didnt go and it was at the local bowling club which is only a ten minute walk from my house but there was only 15 people who turned up anyway
Shortly after the first time I went to a school reunion, there was a short essay in the newspaper about doing that. I’ve always liked the last line – “When did all my friends get to be so much older than I am?”