It was time for my class reunion this weekend – the class of 1963 from Fulton High School! Sounds like a long time ago – and considering I have several dear friends who hadn’t even been thought of at that time – it WAS a long time ago. However, the years melted away quickly as 50 out of the surviving 112 in our class gathered (along with many of our spouses) to reminisce and regale each other with plenty of “you haven’t changed a bit”! I know I have changed plenty but I loved hearing it anyway.
Here I am with my classmate, Bruce, whom I hadn’t seen in over 40 years. He’d never attended a reunion but at the urging of his older brother (also in our class), he and his wife came from Dallas. Bruce and I were great buddies in high school – I don’t recall that we ever really dated but he was my date to Senior Prom and I remember feeling quite lovely in a short yellow strapless dress which naturally featured a puffy skirt and was accessorized with dyed-to-match pumps. We also hung out together on our class trip to Chicago and somone photographed us sleeping side-by-side on the overnight train from St. Louis to Chi-Town – a photo that featured me with strategically placed rollers in my hair. Stunning! When I think of Bruce I remember his dry wit, his intelligence and how much we laughed – all great memories.
This photo shows me with 3 of my childhood girlfriends (L-R: me, Sally, Barbara and Carolyn). I personally think we all look fabulous and as we reflected on all our shared experiences, it was hard to believe that much time had passed since we left FHS and went out into the world. 
Sally was my best friend in high school (along with Long Tall Sally from Hickman High School) but we go back to the hospital nursery since she arrived a mere 4 days prior to me. I remember childhood birthday parties with all 3 of these friends – and Barbara, Carolyn and I also attended pre-school together. Barbara and I didn’t go to the same elementary school but both were members of the First Christian Church where we sang in the choir. But our real bonding occured with the Girl Scouts starting with Camp Pin Oak and culminating in the highlight of G.S. for us – a trip to the 1962 International Roundup in Button Bay, VT.
Carolyn and I started together at West Elementary School before her parents moved to a different district but I have fond memories of us walking to high school together and being lab partners in Chemistry our senior year. Carolyn was our Homecoming Queen – Barbara was our Prom Queen and I was Queen of the Nerds and Geeks! Funny how all that melts away over the years and the memories that remain are the ones that are best – shared experiences, the primary years in school, birthday parties, church activities, scouts – those magical times before we experienced peer pressure and competition.
I hadn’t seen Sally since our 25th reunion and she definitely won the prize for looking the youngest of anyone at the reunion – damn her! She looked great in high school – looks even better now and is still a sweet, funny person and I’m sure if we tried we could still scurry up plenty of chicanery just like we did 45+ years ago, laughing outrageously at anything and everything.
I think the biggest “aha” moments came as I realized how much we all look like our parents (note to Tammy: be afraid, be VERY afraid). Had anyone told me that’s how I’d look when I was 17, I would have vociferously denied that very thought – but it’s true. Although one classmate who knew my sister quite well swears I don’t look like my mom as much as I look like Susie – I’ll take either comparison as a compliment.
We parted ways last evening vowing to stay closer over the next 5 years and Barbara and I are already working on ways to not only locate some of those MIA but also meet annually for a casual gathering. There’s something very soothing in getting back to our roots in small-town Americana.
We got home today in time to use the pool for what was probably the last time for this season. The weather is threatening to turn later tomorrow and I wil be gone until mid-afternoon for a golf tournament and luncheon (there’s that nasty “g” word again – “golf”) and I fear by time I’m done the clouds will be gathering and rain may be falling.
Speaking of golf I’d better go load my clubs in the car and make sure I’m ready to head out at 6:45 in the morning. Wish me luck!
