Summer of Reunions
I mentioned before about how Facebook has made it incredibly easy to reconnect with people from my past. I’ve managed to reconnect with former classmates at both my Jr High school and my High School. On top of that, I’ve also managed to reconnect with childhood friends as well. Friends that I had when I stayed with my grandmother and friends that I had when I lived on Pasadena St have also been able to reconnect with me. Overall, the whole Facebook experience has just been wonderful.
With that said, I’m really looking forward to the reunions this summer.
I went to Jr High school at Vernon C Haynes. I entered in the Fall of ‘83 and left in the Spring of ‘86. So, in a span of 3 years, I met some really wonderful people. Granted, I had some carry over from my elementary school (Metairie Grammar) but not as many as you would think. In fact, looking back, I really can’t remember which elementary school was responsible for the greater influx of kids that fed into it. It’s really not important either. What’s important is that tomorrow night, I’m going to see a bunch of people that I went to Jr High with.
We’re having a Luau themed reunion. I’ve never worn a Hawaiian shirt before, but there’s a first time for everything. There are some people that I will see for the first time in 15 years. Some I will see for the first time in 20 years, and some I will see for the first time in 23 years. Some will be people that I went to elementary school with (very few) but mostly people that I know only from Haynes.
I’m looking forward into running into the kids from GT that I knew back then. Eddie Carrick is among those, Donna McClary is among them, and Robert Reidenauer is also among them. It’s going to be really neat to see what they’re up to now and also to meet their significant others. Eddie of course I will see at our 20 yr high school reunion as well.
I will miss seeing some people that I really hoped to see. Eddie Painter won’t be there. David Marshall won’t be there, and Richard Howe won’t be there. Most people probably won’t know what to think when they see me without David present, but they’ll deal. I will however get to see Michelle Rigdon (at both reunions). It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it.
Coming up in August will be my 20 year East Jefferson High School class reunion. I went to the 5 year and the 10 year reunions and had a good time. Apparently there was a 15 year reunion, but I never heard about it until after the fact (which puzzles me, but whatever). That should be a good time too. Some of the people that I will see there will be some of the ones I’ll see tomorrow night.
What’s going to be interesting this time around is that I’ll be bringing someone along with me. In reunions past, I’ve always gone solo. I’ve only been married for 3 years, so I’ve been that single guy up to this point. Plus, who wants to bring a date (other than a spouse) to a class reunion anyway?
So, I’m pumped. I’m looking forward to drinking, eating, and having a good time with my former classmates. I hope it goes well tomorrow night because I’m already thinking that stuff like this should happen more often.