Reunion

After attending my 20th high school reunion, I promised myself I would no longer go to these things. I confirmed that just because I sat next to someone in Social Studies class, it didn't mean I needed to see him anymore, and those people from my various life stages I chose to keep up with, well, there was a reason for that. Still, nostalgia pulls strongly, and last month I got an invitation to attend a reunion of "former student leaders" at the U. I knew Dr. Eric and Dana would get the invite as well, as Eric was big in the student government back in the day, and the organizer of the event, the now Dean of Students, was Dana's old college friend. I emailed them and asked if they were going, and they said yes, so I responded that Wifey and I would attend as well. Well, Wifey bowed out, as we've been caring for a sick D1, who returned from Mexico with a nasty bout of Monteczuma's revenge. She's been staying with us since Monday, and her docs are trying to figure out the correct antibiotics for her bug. But one thing is for sure -- Mexico is OFF the list for any future travel -- it seems everyone we talk to has a bad story to tell of similar bouts. Anyway, I drove to the U, where I often go for walks and coffee, and headed to the new student union. I had a beer and waited for the get together to get going. It did, and I chatted with some friends I see at Canes games, as well as a few folks from way back when. One fellow, who I'll call Clayton, since that's his name, recognized me as the former president of a student group we were in, and we had a nice talk about some of our old professors. He didn't know about the spectacular fall of our old Honors Dean, and was fascinated and saddened to hear. Clayton now manages IT for a big Broward law firm -- I told him it was much better to do work for lawyers than to actually be one. He laughed and agreed. A young woman named Robin approached me -- recognizing me right away. I drew a total blank. I faked my way, and when she turned to talk with someone else, Eric reminded me. Her grandparents were friends of my Mom, in Delray, and I used to drive Robin up for weekend stays -- back to Coral Gables on Sunday nights. A glimmer or memory surfaced, and as we talked, got a little clearer. Robin returned to Connecticut after college, married a tax lawyer, and had two kids. Her daughter, who attended the meeting, is a senior at Emory, and her son, a high school senior, is jonesing heavily about coming to UM. We joked about how back in our time, getting into UM was no big deal. Now, this young man with fine academic credentials, is worried. We left the Union and headed to watch the parade, and the later scheduled boat burning, an old tradition where they paint the opposing football team from the upcoming game's logo on the boat, burn it, and watch it sink in Lake Osceola. A rain storm had passed, and in the low 80s temperature, it was miserable to walk outside -- the humidity must have been about 150%. Eric got called to see a patient at Delray, and it was a good excuse for me to leave, too. I skipped the parade and boat burning, returning home to a happily improved D1, watching taped shows with Wifey. So it was a reaffirmation that I'm over the reunion thing. I see the people I like as often as I like, and to get together to talk about the old days, -- well, I prefer doing that at tailgate parties where we all drink more heavily. The stories get better that way. There is value in the networking, though. I told several people about D1's new Dietetics practice, and two said they'd look her up and become clients. So that was worthwhile. But the U belongs to the students, and the occasional creepy older guy who enjoys walking there and drinking coffee on his way home. As for the organized events, though, well, that ain't me.