Class Reunion 3.0
8/9/2016
(Written Sunday, sent to a few classmates for vetting that evening, posting to our class (Liberty Bell High-Class of 86!) FB group early Monday.)
I will try to keep this reasonably short but a favorite writer of mine once told me she had to write about something in order to figure out how she really felt about it. So, my confusion is your...uh...…. gain(?)
First and foremost, in answer to a hotly discussed question from Saturday night, Al Bosco (or “Bosco” as he known to his legions of fans) is the singer for the band Magic Carpet Ride. Here is the URL:
http://magiccarpetrideinc.com/?page_id=34
It was very bittersweet as we left W/R's last night. Both Friday and Saturday were delightful; even more so than Reunion 2.0.
It's.... amazing that Wendi and I can talk for hours with people we literally
haven't seen in a decade or two (or even three). This may shock you all but we are actually quite quiet people. Tested and found to be way over on the introvert scale. (My Beloved is a therapist after all.)
What brought us out of our shells? Of course the first answer is all the stories. How did I miss PH flying feet first down the hall? Of more importance, how did R end up with soooooo many tales involving me doing really dumb things? Memory being a fickle b***h, I tended to view my years at MVMS and LBH as the story of a “Plucky Young Fellow overcoming adversity in order to Get The Girl and Ride Off Into the Sunset.”
Sadly, it seems to be more a tale of God Has a Soft Spot for Dumb Asses.
(Shrug)
I can live with that. Probably best to be reminded of such things at least every decade or so.
Another reason we were so hesitant to leave Saturday night, despite the great fondness mosquitos have for Wendi, is that it was a delightful reminder of where we come from. Our roots. We are coming up on two decades living in Silverdale; well over twice the years spent as a Valley resident but we aren't really “from” Kitsap County; we just live there. Does Silverdale even have mayor? Not a clue but I can tell you what was on the agenda at the last Twisp City Council Meeting. Where we grew up will always be our spiritual home town and you all helped renew this bond.
Our son will graduate in five years with several hundred classmates; most of whom he probably will feel very little connection with. To my mind, that negates any advantages a big school can offer.
Nostalgia isn’t the worst of vices and I suspect its hold on us will only strengthen as the years go by.
The final reason for not wanting to leave? Maybe it's just me but sometimes I will put off going to bed because that's a bit like hitting the "fast forward" button. My head hits the pillow and the day is over and it's on to something else. Leaving felt a bit like that. We knew that once we left for home, we wouldn’t see most of you till 2026.
And, this crazy thing called life being what it is, Saturday would most likely be the final time we saw at least a few of you. Just because that's the way life works doesn't mean we couldn't attempt to stop the world, if only for a little bit. A few bug bites (on Wendi) were a small price to pay for just one more story, one more memory, with so excellent a group guys and gals.
Final regret we had. To those few classmates we didn’t get to speak with, we'll try to do better in '26. No doubt, we'll be sporting Facebook brain implants, Google Glasses (version 11.5) and jet packs so that will hopefully make it easier. Everything will be better with jet packs.
Though, even they will pale in comparison to T's awesome Mustang. You take care of that car young man, you hear?
In fact, you all take care of yourselves, okay? You won’t want to miss "Sappy Essay 4.0" now would you?
Thank you.
Even More Appreciative of Good Friends/Good Times, (and to be honest, my hair),
President Brian
Of Brian and Wendi Fame.
