50th high school reunion

[Testarossa]

Drove to Chicago for my 50th high school reunion. From a class of about 900 graduates, about 300 returned for this gig, many chaperoned by spouses. I have to say it was better than any party I can remember from high school, including the senior prom – probably because everyone was more relaxed, less anxious, and possibly more liquored. Most of us are still able to dance.

The high school sent the cheerleading squad over to entertain us. The girls fled as soon as they realized we could be their grandparents.
About 15% of the class were present in memoriam, which means only half the class didn’t come in spite of still living. We will track them down and make them sorry.

Among the absent, all the girls I dated. Happily, many of those I lusted after came to the ball – but of course at 17 I lusted after just about everyone in skirts. Gail proved tolerant of the old ladies who told her I’m much cuter now. It’s all relative, of course: most of the guys left their hair at home.

I was amazed at how many couples knew each other in high school but didn’t get married until chance encounters decades later. Maybe a dozen.

As editor of the weekly newspaper I organized a breakfast for staffers, including our brilliant faculty advisor, now 85 and sharper than ever – retirement has been good for him. Absent daily confrontations with irrational adolescents, he’s recovered from PTSD. Only three of the staffers wound up doing journalism. The rest became lawyers, or productive members of society.

Everyone should do this. We’re even talking about a 55th reunion.

[Testarossa]

The point is I'm cuter now. In high school I was a wimpy skinny little nerd.

Revenge is sweet.

[mjptexas]

I'm still about 4 years out on a 50 year reunion.  There were 45 in my class, so I suspect all we'll need is 2 or 3 booths at the local McDonalds for those that show up.

[Lannis]

Had my 40th a couple years ago.   Our class was only 130 at graduation.    25 deceased now, 50 at the event so about half of the available ones.   This being a rural county, and many of the guys and girls work at things like pulpwood logging, farming, and such, past experience showed that if we had it at a country club or something, no one would be comfortable coming, so we had it in the cleared-out shop of a guy who builds drag-racing cars for a living, and everyone was happy and at home!   It was done up very nicely, I must say.

My Fay was by a LONG chalk the best looking girl there (just like she was in high school) so that gave me a bit of status, since my white hair and 60 extra pounds tells against me.    Some folks had had happy lives, some had been rode hard and put away wet many a time, and you could see which was which.   

But everyone was glad to get back together.   We were there about five hours - I spent a lot of time talking to folks I hadn't seen in 40 years and enjoying every minute of it.

Don't know if we'll get any more than we had for the 50th than at this one, but we'll see!

Lannis 

[calfruit]

A few years back, I attended my 45th. A week or two prior, I ran into a fellow classmate, Joe.  In today's educational world Joe would be in special education, however back then it was sink or swim.

Joe ask if I was going, I said yes. He said, me too and slapped his knee and said. Cal, I want to see all the skinny chicks who got fat and the fat chicks who got skinny.

Joe was correct. We had a great time.

[ChuckH]

We are leaving tomorrow for my wife's 59th this weekend.  They wanted to wait until the 60th but too many died recently so they panicked and did it one year earlier.  I prefer going to her reunions rather than my own.  They had a smaller class, only 88 in total, so it is a good group to be with.

I graduated in '51, so my 65th may be coming up soon.  However, I have not heard from anyone in the organizer group.  They may be holding off and waiting for a big number.

[CalVin2007]

"The rest became lawyers, or productive members of society."

     

[travelingbyguzzi]

I went to my 10th,  way back in 1988. I still had all my hair and was still single with an Olds 442 convertible. All the girls I had lusted after back in the day had huge butts and were nothing any more. I am glad that I had kept my %+&* in my pants.

[Arizona Wayne]

Thursday I'm driving to my 55th HS reunion.  Went to my 50th for the 1st time.  Many of my peers have passed.  Meeting a HS buddy who I know because we both didn't get to our HS until our junior year. He & I are both ex sailors and kept in touch some after HS.  His wife has passed.  Figure this will be my last HS reunion as my father didn't live much longer than my current age.   We only meet every 5 years.  Will visit my younger brother who lives in central Calif. after the reunion before driving back home. 

[QuattroValvole]

Just went to my 40th last weekend. Went to all the ones before, too. Similar experiences as above. What amazes me is the people who come from thousands of miles away to be there, and the others who live local and don't show up, especially those that were really involved in school. I've enjoyed every one of them, still basking in the glow of seeing all my old friends.

[Testarossa]

I went to the 20th and 30th, skipped the 40th.

At 20 years, I could see that the kids who matured early (physically) also aged early -- the football players were fat and bald, the cheerleaders just fat. The kids who blossomed late were gorgeous at 37. Everyone was cheery and optimistic.

At 30 years, and age 47, most of us realized we weren't going to get the corner office. The kids who found great success didn't show up, nor did the kids who found little success. That left the Great Mediocres. Much duller party.

At 50 years, age 67, almost everyone who showed up is retired and having fun.

[Gliderjohn]

I tried to go to my 45th a few years ago but when I got there I guess I made a mistake as when I entered all I saw was a bunch of old people. 
GliderJohn

[Rotten Ralph]

60th coming up next year. Hard to believe that I'm the only one in my class who didn't age!!

Hey, I can still do everything that I did in high school - drink beer, swear, ogle at girls. However I did quit smoking, racing motorcycles, and I'm no longer a virgin.

[Testarossa]

I can still do everything I could do at 20. But only once.

[atavar]

Or to tie with the old sayings thread, what I used to do all night now takes me all night to do.   

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I never liked most of my classmates - us "gearhead" types weren't "cool" like the jocks.  On occasion, I see most of the group of guys I did hang out with, so don't feel the need to go to any class reunions.

[atavar]

I am like that too.  If I went to a class reunion it would be with the express intent of punching a couple noses, something I was too nonviolent to do in school.  Needless to say I have not found the motivation to attend.

[Dilliw]

50th?  And I thought I was old attending my 35th this summer 

[kirby1923]

Hope your lucky enough to make it to your 50th.

:-)

[twhitaker]

Went to my 45th last year. We've decided to have them every 2 years now to keep track of who's still alive.

[not-fishing]

40th a number of years ago of a large class of 500.

Funny how mannerisms and speech characteristics hadn't really changed.

I was amazed at how well some of my classmates did with the little, education and intelligence, they had to work with ----- and how poorly others did with the advantages in education / intelligence / family money, they started with.

It did make me feel pretty good because I actually moved a lot better than many of them and that was before I spent so much time riding my Griso. 

Mark

[oldbike54]

 I'm amazed that any of you guys can remember high school  Occasionally I have come across someone claiming we attended HS together , they are always a complete stranger to me

 Dusty

[wavedog]

I don't remember much about high school. Went to one reunion and it was kind of sad. I went to two different schools in two different countries. Maybe I don't remember much about it because I did not spend much time there. I was the long haired bearded 17 year old with a half rack and a sleeping bag strapped on the back of the CB 350 and a baggy of s.e. asias finest in my pocket and enough gas money to ride for three or four days. No wonder I could not get a date. Couldn't be because I was riding a Honda? Every few years I meet up with a few friends from back then and we ride together. Once in a while I see on social media a photo of someone from back in the day that was supposedly hot back then, but now I think "Hoo boy- dodged a bullet with that one."

[Arizona Wayne]

I don't remember much about high school. Went to one reunion and it was kind of sad. I went to two different schools in two different countries. Maybe I don't remember much about it because I did not spend much time there.


My life was similar in that way because my father was an officer in the US Air Force for 20 years and that made me a nomad.  Can't recall ever spending a whole year in the same school.  But I did spend 2 years in 2 different high schools.  As if that made much difference.    When I went to our 50th HS reunion I was reminiscing with classmates who had spent all their grade school thru HS years in the same schools and with each other over the years.  Some had never even moved from their HS location.  That was such a shock to me..........a nomad.     In a way I felt sorry for them.  In my latter years I did manage to stay in 1 house for 19 years, long enough to pay it off.  Now I'm pretty much sedentary.....final ly.

[EldoMike]

Had our 40th a few years ago....graduation class numbered 37....yes 37...8 had passed...18 attended the 40th...

[azguzzirep]

I am like that too.  If I went to a class reunion it would be with the express intent of punching a couple noses, something I was too nonviolent to do in school.  Needless to say I have not found the motivation to attend.

 :1:
I went to a small high school. Half the kids from my grade school also attended this high school so I knew them for 12 years.

Never attended a reunion . I did once go to pre reunion party where a keg of beer was provided by a friend and classmate. The $150 fee for the reunion was a bit much for me to swallow. Plus, I hated school. Love to learn, hate school.

[Rough Edge racing]

 My 50th was last year in another state... I didn't go...I believe there was about 150 out of the 450 who graduated....I looked at some photos available on line and I recognized almost no one...They all got fat and  old...    ...It's sad to read that about 1/4 of the class has passed...

[Testarossa]

Plus, I hated school. Love to learn, hate school.

A couple of the folks I most wanted to see sent word that they wouldn't come because they were unhappy in high school.

This just in: Everyone is unhappy in high school. The nature of adolescence is insecurity, anxiety, peer pressure, casual cruelty, parental pressure, unrequited lust, jealousy, zits, longing to be anywhere else, disastrous encounters with authority, fear, loathing and social gaffes. The best way to view it in retrospect: We suffered hell together and survived.

[kirby1923]

Bravo!
Well said.

[oldbike54]

 Wasn't it Frank Zappa that said "high school is not a place or time , rather a state of mind" ?

 Dusty