|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There is an old saying that goes…
"Once you leave home, you can never go back…"
Anyone who believes this has never attended a Widefield High School Class Reunion or met a Widefield Gladiator!
You could feel the anticipation in the air! This feeling, for me, began weeks before any of us ever arrived. I don't know when it first began or when I actually noticed it but by the time Friday night arrived I could not ignore it! It was a feeling of excitement flavored with a touch of nervousness. I wasn't the only one who felt it either. You could see it in the eyes of each Alumnus as they entered Bell Bottoms that night for the Mixer. No one quite knowing what to expect, but at the same time sensing that this weekend was to be a memorable one. Each of us bursting with anticipation at seeing old friends after all these years but at the same time a little nervous that people may not recognize or even remember us. In the back of my mind I began to realize that I have felt this oddity before, long ago, but I couldn't place when or where I had experienced it. Little did I know that this curious feeling from the past would haunt me for the rest of the Reunion until I could solve the mystery of it's origin.
Slowly, one by one, my classmates from thirty years ago began to arrive. As they entered and came down the stairs I found myself staring at each of these strangers after so many years and saying to myself "God! She looks familiar!" and " I know that guy!" A quick glance around at everyone else in the room told me instantly that they were doing and feeling same thing! Again, that touch of nervousness surfaced, wondering if I too had really changed that much in the eyes of my old friends. It was at this moment that an interesting change occurred. A transformation began to take place, as each of us started to approach one another and put our noses within 6 inches of each others nametag ( we didn't want to have to put on those stupid bi-focals that the Doctor said we had to wear) Cries of excitement would erupt at the sudden recognition of who it was standing in front of us and the nervousness began to pass. Again, that feeling that I have been here before surfaced for a moment and then vanished as I began to relive old times. As I stood there revelling in that moment of recognition, I would spot another vaguely familiar face and even though I would have been content to stay there the rest of the night with this newly reunited friend of 30 years, I felt an urgent need to approach this new face to see who was hiding behind it!
This was the way the first evening went, going from person to person, table by table, each of us barely able to control our excitement and savoring the adventure of rediscovering each other after all these years. It was about this time that the transformation began in earnest. It was as if our glasses were filled something other than what we ordered. A magic elixir. Something. ..The years began to melt away and the costumes of old age that we had been wearing when we first arrived seemed to disappear and we were 18 again with all the privileges and stamina of youth at our beckoning call. The dancing and the fun lasted well into the night and even though, during the evening, we were joined by younger people on the dance floor and I came to realize that I had underwear older than some of them, they couldn't hold a candle to the grace and style that our dance moves still possessed after all these years.
At the end of the evening we retired for a quick 3 or 4 hours sleep and a change of clothes and anticipation of what the next day would have in store for us. On the way home I again noticed that feeling lurking in the back of my mind teasing and taunting me. Challenging me to remember why this all felt so familiar. This was starting to feel like a "who done it " mystery novel and the Author, in a moment of sadistic cruelty, had intentionally left out a critical bit information that would allow the reader to solve the case!
Saturday night, the transformation to the past continued at the Doubletree hotel with the joining of new Alumnus to our ranks that were unable to attend Friday night. The dinner was excellent, second only to the company present. Memories were traveling through the room in every direction as fast as we could talk. Almost every other sentence started with " Do you remember when…." Or "What ever happened to…" and ended with, " I still can't believe we did that!" We didn't stop at recanting our tales about our "days of glory" but continued with the stories of our lives after graduation. Each of us anxious to know every detail of what the other had been up to for the last 30 years and then relenting our tale of adventures in reply.
As young as we all were feeling, some of us attempted to slip even further back in time. Our wonderful Student Council President, Tony Cross, was one of these rare individuals! Dawning a bright red Kwick Inn baseball cap, and with the help of the Committee members, since he couldn't read the tickets or nametags with out a magnifying glass, Tony spent two nonstop hours calling out door prize numbers one after another until he had talked himself horse and had given out well over 60 gifts. At times he would have the alumni roaring with laughter with his antics and gentle teasing. I don't know who was having more fun, Tony and the Reunion Committee or the Alumni. In the end I would have to call it a draw. Again, I found myself going from table to table wanting to capture every word that every classmate had to say. What amazed me and peaked my interest the most, were the stories that were told about the little things that had happened in school with details that seemed to have escaped the ravages of time and had survived intact with perfect clarity. It was as if they all had just happened the day before. Everyone danced a little, drank a little and reminisced a lot!
Reluctantly, we finally made our way home, with the echoes of laughter of our fellow classmates still ringing in our ears and their stories still racing through our minds. Again, this strange feeling of familiarity that I had experienced this all before, but I still could not put my finger on it. I finally convinced myself that it would eventually come to me. What ever the reunion and this elusive event in my past had in common would finally come together and reveal itself in it's own good time. With that last thought I turned out the light and began looking forward to the next day.
Sunday found us enjoying the Fountain Creek Regional Park facilities. Many of us had brought some or all of our family with us to show off to our fellow Alumnus. Tim Lyda brought his Ferrari Testarossa much to the delight of the kids both young and old. Dan Kerr was thoughtful enough to have his son-in-law bring out and set up his stereo entertainment equipment and Karaoke screen for everyone's enjoyment. We played Volleyball and Badminton and enjoyed each other's company. Every child that attended was introduced to the Alumni and given a fishing rod or stuffed animal for coming. We ate and continued to reminisce, but as the day wore on I became aware of a bitter-sweet sadness beginning to make its
presences felt. Again, why was this feeling so familiar?
Finally, the re-transformations began…
Slowly, one by one, amid the hugging, kissing, shaking of hands and tears, vows were made not to let another 30 years pass before we came together again. Then, we each began our journey back to the present, got into our cars and departed for home. As I stood there and watched as the last car drove away and the dust in the parking lot began to settle, a new, but again, hauntingly familiar feeling came over me. A feeling of emptiness, and disappointment mixed with a feeling of warmth, satisfaction and well-being. I finally surrendered to these feelings and chalked it all up to having something to do with Graduation 30 years ago. Again, little did I know, that I still had not solved the origins of these mysterious feelings that had been with me all weekend, and what they had in common with the Reunion.
That night as I lay in bed, unable to sleep, with the thoughts and memories of the last three days racing through my head like a movie on fast forward. It finally came to me in a single word!
It finally made sense why these feelings throughout the reunion seemed so familiar and what the Reunion had in common with my past!
CHRISTMAS! Over 40 years ago! That was what I was Feeling!
Christmas as a child! The slow build up of anticipation as
Christmas approached…
Just like the days leading up to the Reunion!
The Excitement I felt coming down the stairs on Christmas morning. seeing all the unopened gifts and feeling a little nervous, wondering if Santa had gotten my letter. Wondering if he was going to overlook those one or two little indiscretions I had made during the year, spoiling an otherwise perfect record of being good…
Just like the first night of the Reunion as I had looked into the eyes of my friends who were now strangers after 30 years!
The opening of the presents one by one. Happy to stop and play with that toy for the rest of the day but unable to resist the rest of the unopened gifts, teasing me to open them to reveal their hidden treasures…
The Classmates I hadn't seen or talked to in 30 Years!
And finally, Christmas night when I realized that Christmas had come and gone in a heartbeat. The disappointment I had felt knowing that I would have to wait forever until the next Christmas to experience that thrill again. And at the age of 8, a year is forever. At the same time I felt content and happy, as I looked at all the gifts I had received that day and was sure I would treasure and enjoy each and everyone of them for the rest of my life.
It was then the last piece of the puzzle clicked into place…
Of Course! The last day of the reunion, as everyone departed for home!
...And 30 years had been a lifetime!
Finally!
I lay there relieved... knowing that I had at last made the connection!
As I rolled over and drifted off to sleep, my last thought was… would I have to wait another lifetime before I could re-capture that feeling again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|