The
Class Reunions
The
30th
We all knew the 30th would come eventually, especially when we received the pinkish postcard in July of 2003. Despite some opposition from his family and possibly his conscience (at least that is my impression), Mark M. announced from the heart that he would chair the class reunion in 2003. This time he had support from an older crowd, one being a co-chair from the last reunion. A website was setup for the class and notes were passed along via the bulletin board type site created by Andy A. It would be the predecessor to this current site. Thinking to myself, I wondered if the committee would be able to pull this off in time. The planning for the last reunion 10 years ago was started almost a year and a half before the reunion. Here we were in July and the invitations weren't even sent out. The reunion was to be on the 11th of October somewhere in San Francisco.
I received the invitation a month and a half after receiving the announcement of the reunion during the week of Labor Day. The location was to be in the heart of downtown San Francisco during the Fleet Week/Columbus Day weekend. The Hotel Nikko, a few blocks from Union Square on Mason Street, would be the place where the 72/73 alums would converge. More could be found on the website including a questionnaire to allow updating one's info. My only complaint was the availability or lack of reasonably priced parking and the sticker shock price of $100/$120. The parking was fine....I could find creative alternatives. The price however was another story. But as mentioned in a note by committee member Paul R. on the class website,
"Certain people are "reunion" people and will come regardless of the cost, others wouldn't come if it were free. What I'm not sure of is the price sensitivity of the people "on the fence." Would dropping the price really attract that many more people?"
I was one of those folks "on the fence". Keeping the price at the original $125 per person might have swayed me from maybe attending to not attending. I really had to justify spending $100 on myself for just a few hours while the family stayed home (my spouse never attends reunions). Actually she worked the night (midnight to 8am the next morning) of the 20th reunion and was scheduled to work the night (same schedule) of the 30th. Like the recall election in 2003 (we were deciding whether or not to recall the governor), I was eager to get it over with. I decided to send in my $100 and filled out the questionnaire way before the October 1st deadline.
* * * * *
It came and went in a matter of hours. But I will say I felt young again seeing and reliving some good times at Lowell thru the magic of the reunion. The reunion committee pulled it off. I didn't hear any complaints as I snuck around the reunion floor. My heartfelt thanks to all the members of the reunion committee. I don't normally get a chance to mingle with peers, so I really (yes really) had a great time. Like the last reunion, we got the badges so we could remember who we were and realize how much (or little) we had changed. Many hadn't changed much and were recognized instantly. Some had changed, but had become more radiant since the 20th. There were those of us who actually showed some signs of aging (NO, really?). As for me, I had a short haircut done just before the reunion which probably highlighted my grey (er...white hairs).
The thing about reunions is that you rediscover old friends and make new ones even after 30 years. I connected with a few classmates I never had in the past, with a few from the last reunions and of course with some of the old gang from 30 years back. Sometimes there wasn't much to say except what we were doing now or what had we been up to since the last one or the last time we were together. Some talked about jobs or job history. Some talked about kids and spouses who didn't attend. But then isn't that the purpose of these reunions? To check up on what we've done and accomplished since high school? Well there was a lot of that going around, and I was there.
What I found memorable and have a need to mention was the food. I don't go out to fancy restaurants a whole lot these days, so I did enjoy the meal. Even ten years ago I would have just pigged out at the food there. Don't normally have lamb or the nice deserts at home, so it was a treat. After I had finished my meal and the folks at the table I was sitting had all left, I passed the buffet line. There appeared to be more food added - a fresh tray of lamb! Ten years ago I would have had a substantial second helping. But as I'm getting on in age (as we all are), the extra helping would not have been prudent, especially since I'm on Zorcor, the miracle cholesterol pill.
Getting back to the reunion, there was a DJ there who had all the cool tunes. The one request I made was from the heart, but I'm not sure if it had the same impact it had on me as it did to any other class member. The song I requested was "For The Longest Time". I thought it was appropriate and it left me elated for the rest of the evening. Every relived memory, every classmate (even the ones I didn't get a chance to say hi to) and every second I was there became imprinted in my heart. I guess what I'm trying to say is that writing this piece right after the reunion reveals my innermost emotions of the event more so than if it had been written ten or more years later.
One of the memories I will keep forever was when I got a chance to talk to Mr. Bob Jow. I had taken a civics class which dealt with the Asian Americans living in the US during the senior year. How progressive was that back in the 70's eh? Apparently Mr. Jow had been making references to a piece I had written 30 years ago in his classes for the last 30 years. I was honored, and now he knows who wrote the piece. It was something I will never forget since I got a lot of flack for it 30 years ago. For all who took that class, remember the essay about the lemon vice banana?
I didn't get a chance or the chance just didn't make itself available for me to hobnob with all of the folks there, but for the money, for the time and for questions I'm sure I'll get for a long time, it was all worth it and I'll do it again. Maybe in five, maybe in ten, but I will be there. I couldn't wait a couple of weeks to write this cause I was still wide awake at three in the morning. Like Eliza Doolittle (even tho I didn't at the reunion)......I could have danced all night.
The picnic however is yet another story. Apparently there was yet another Sunday reunion picnic again this time around. I just couldn't tear away from family responsibilities. Since the family had no memories of Lowell and was definitely not interested in spending their Sunday with dad and his classmates, maybe next time.
For pictures of both the picnic and of the reunion, click HERE for the official digital memory book...with thanks to Andy and Mark.