Recently it seems there has been a rush for reunions. Now as far as I'm concerned high school reunions are a waste of time. The last one I went to I was in the bathroom and overheard two women talking and one said, "I don't know why I came...that witch...I hated her then and hate her even more now." Then at a table near where I sat I heard one guy state..".don't tell me what your husband does and how rich you are...tell me what YOU have been doing."
After that, I look at the notices that arrive from time to time, both for my Husband and myself about reunions and I can say without a second glance they land in the trash...immediately.
My only dear friend remaining from my high school days has lived in Italy with the handsome foreign exchange student she met in the 60's...Lois Heckman, who became Lois Merlotti and I have vowed if we ever go to a high school reunionl...we will go together...and since for several years now she has only come to visit around Christmas time I doubt that trip will ever occur! Most of the reunions are in the summer. We have remained friends for many reasons even though the miles separate us.
First and foremost we have always been honest and supportive of each other...through high school, during college and after. I can truly say I love and adore her even though many years and several wrinkles have caught us, which we both seem to be able to ignore without comment. Second her two kids are the same age as my first two...Our husbands are great friends and enjoy our Christmas bar-b-Q dinners almost as much as Lois and I do...imagine that! We were in each other's wedding, and as far as I know we two are the only ones of our gang (except for Al Fridley who lives in Austrailia and is a Vet), who have kept in touch since we were in the first graduating class from Grant High School
...And then the last rather amazing fact is at the same time her daughter went to Pepperdine University to college, and I became her back-up mom, (since her mom was so far away) my son was a missionary in Milan Italy and she became his back up mom and support, but most of all Renzo, (who is very Catholic), was a cheerleader for our son Patrick in his Mormon missionary efforts. Interesting as for us anyway we have no choice of where our kids serve missions. And Chiarra, an Italian talented artist, and beauty as well as a very lovely girl chose to attend Pepperdine in Malibu California out of all the Universities she could attend.
Getting together with them each year has been the extent of my reunion fever...so when we attended a church reunion of a priest group from the North Hollywood third ward it was a shock, to say the least, when we had such a great time we almost had to be swept out of the building at 11:00. The event was to end at 9:00 and all were having such a wonderful time playing remember when....no one wanted to leave.
One of the families who where there many members strong were the Mason's, Tommy, Gary...and an older brother who married LaRee Gibb and then connected those families forever. LaRee's brother Ron Gibb is a photographer and I have seen him throughout the years as he does a lot of the photos for the Hart District where I served as a Board Member for 16 years. It was such a rush to see them all.
Especially Tom for me as he was the quiet kid who mowed our lawn and raked our leaves, most of the time getting the leaves in a heap and then getting one of our little kids to lay in the pile with him and look at the clouds. Tom was one I remember working with as he was so scared to give a church talk and I was supposed to be helping tutor those who were to give talks in church. He was so scared his voice shook, the papers on the pulpit shook and his face was beet red. I remember he did a great job, and I was so proud...but years later when he was put in as a Bishop in some Utah ward, he called me the night before he was to be sustained to thank me for helping him and being such a support. Even to this day I get a lump in my throat thinking about that call. I have seen him a few times since he got married and moved away, but every time I see him I can't see the grown handsome man he has become. It's weird, he will always be the awkward little kid who was so sweet, obedient and scared to get in front of the congregation to say a few words.
That night it was so fun to see so many old friends....to be continued.
No comments:
Post a Comment