Reunion -- All I Ever Wanted

So my friend Kenny and I were talking the other day, and he reminded me that our 40th high school reunion was only 2.5 years away.  He wants to go, and asked me to go along, too, although at our age, making plans 2.5 years in advance is no sure thing.  I keep reminding Wifey to only buy ripe bananas...

I flew to NY for my 10th reunion, in 1987.  I went alone, and had a great time.  I think the 10th is the best -- you and your classmates go from kids to grown ups, in some cases, and it's nice to trade tales of college and new jobs, and marriages, and kids.

My friend Mark attended with me, as did his wife Rita.  They started dating in high school.  Mark was a very good looking guy -- had long blonde hair, and reminded everyone of the then very huge Peter Frampton.  By 28, Mark had gone completely bald.  We were chatting at the bar, and a classmate named Tracy came up to me, saying "Dave -- I have to admit.  I had a HUGE crush on your friend Mark in school. Do you keep in touch with him?"  I started laughing, and motioned to my left.  "Hey Tracy," said Mark.  Tracy turned red and walked away.  Being guys, we laughed some more.

I was already a lawyer and married and had a baby daughter.  Many of my classmates never attended college -- in blue collar Levittown, I guess about 60% of us did.  One fellow named Stu came up to me, with his classic NY accent, and said the following: "So Dave -- I hear you're a big shot lawyer down in Miami.  Guess what?  I won the NY Lotto -- $5 million!  So while youse was busting your ass to go to college and law school, I was drinking beer at Mulcahy's (a local tavern, still there, I think) and now I'm freakin' RICHER than you!"  Again, I laughed.  He was dead on -- sometimes luck trumps hard work and effort.  Although I'd bet his money is long gone...

For the 20th, Wifey and I traveled to LI with Kenny and Joelle.  We made a weekend of it -- staying at a B and B in the Hamptons, and then attending the party.  It was awful for me.  First, two drunk classmates knocked on our door, admitting a past crush on me, and wanting, maybe, to finally consummate their feelings.  I pointed to Wifey, who was gracious but rolled her eyes in a world class way.

Later, I found the conversations with everyone stilted and boring.  It occurred to me that those folks I wish to keep as friends, I do, and just because I happened to sit next to someone in a post WW II building in Levittown, LI doesn't make me wish to keep in contact.

So I skipped the subsequent get togethers, to the dismay of some FaceBook (tm) friends, who made a big deal out of them.

Kenny, though, really wants to go.  He was not popular in high school, brilliant but socially very awkward.  He bloomed quite well -- retired from the US Navy as a full captain, respected pediatric sub specialist, father of two college aged boys, and husband to a law professor.

So I'll go along -- maybe we'll make another weekend of it.  One of the two girls who wanted to hang with me is dead, I think, of old age, and the other, judging by FaceBook (tm), well, to say it kindly, the years have not been her friend.

But I guess it'll be cool to mark the passing of time.  I guess at 58 we'll all have the faces and personalities we deserve.

Hope I'm around to go, ripe bananas and all.