This weekend my husband and I attended our 50th high school class reunion. We were in the same class together and were good friends, but we never kissed or anything. We just liked each other. Terry was the emcee at the party and we had 180 class mates and spouses who seemed ready to play and enjoy the night. It was a delightful evening and I had to really reflect the day after, why it was so magical to me. I figured it out!
By the time you get to be my age (actually it starts around 50) you discover you are invisible to the general public. I personally love that aspect of being a senior citizen. It’s like being a fly on the wall only you don’t feel like you’re annoying anyone you’re just not interesting at first glance. But when our class of 1961 got together 18,340 days since our graduation (no wonder we look the way we do), we didn’t see a room full of 68 year olds, we saw those kids we once were. All evening we heard screeches of joy at sweet memories. I wrote a poem I shared with the class and although some of the words won’t make sense to you because you’ve never lived in Vancouver, Washington, I think you will relate to some of it.
Sweet Memories
I wanted to write a cheery poem
To warm your little soul
So I sat with a bunch of happy thoughts
Like Waddles and the Totem Pole
And getting a box from Luepke’s
Or a cone from Dairy Queen
The excitement of going to Kiggins Bowl
Through the woods to watch our team
Slocums, Renfro
Dances at the Trap
Pep assemblies, Tolo
And a Mrs. Barber nap
And then I thought about Mr. Click
I had a crush on him
I loved to watch him write on the board
But my algebra grade was grim
The CC Store intrigued me
It was one of my favorite things
Our money got shoved in little cans
That flew away on strings
I thought about the words we used
That don’t mean the same today.
A duck tail’s not a haircut
And a mouse on your desk’s okay
Don’t tell your grandkids
“Bring your thongs; we’re going to the lake”
Flip flops that’s what my body does
Without a bra for heaven sake
In 1961 we didn’t text
We didn’t tweat
If someone had said,
“I’ll fax you”
I’d have smacked’em on the cheek
We’ve learned so much since high school
That we didn’t know back then
We didn’t know where we were going
But now we know where we have been
We’re older now and wiser
And we’ve learned from our mistakes
We’ve witnessed tragedy and triumph
We’ve had babies and earthquakes
But tonight we’ve come together
To celebrate somehow
That the YOU you were in high school
Is the same You you are now
We were blessed to have a very loving class and we could feel the appreciation for one another for coming together to celebrate this momentous occasion.