This June I was lucky enough to be included in a reunion of my home towns graduation class of 1958. Although I left to join the Army at the end of grade ten in 1956, myself and others who had left earlier were included. I think it was my first short story that I said, “you should never go back” – this statement is so very true about innate objects, but when people are involved, it is a fantastic experience. Over the years I have been to Army Unit Reunions (every 5 years for the last 40 years) and because we would have seen each other just five years previous, you grew ‘with’ the others. In this instance, 55 years between visits was a long time! But my ‘best’ childhood friend, although balding slightly (hard to tell as he still wears a ball cap just like when going to school), limping badly from his abused knees (being a mechanic in a cold climate all his life), was immediately the same person as he was when I left home – maybe a little grouchier! It was a small gathering, about 30 who grew up together plus some of their spouses – we had a meet and greet, went to the school (still standing, but the last year it was to be used) had a great catered meal, talked into the night, then a pancake breakfast the next morning – before everyone once again, packed up and left our little town! The most memorable part of my visit was going to the Cemetary with three of the ‘girls’ that I was good friends with, and the guy with the ‘bad knees’. In a small town, you can relive your history just looking at the names on the headstones. ‘remember the great halloween treats that lady made’ – ‘hey here is Mr. so and so, he always wore that funny looking hat! And on and on!!! But then, I went to a part of the cemetery, with one of the ‘girls’, and she stopped in front of a grave – it took me a minute to realize the head stone was that of a two month old baby that had died decades ago, and it was hers. We never said a word, but we stood there with my arm around her, until she had finished her ‘cry’ and then continued on. That is when I realized that – we are indeed no longer the kids of yesteryear… but older people with so many memories … many happy, but also so many sad. When we rejoined the others, I then went with another of the ‘girls’ and stood in front of the grave of a son she had lost at the age of 5 months to the Asiatic Flu. Again, tears were shed, unspoken thoughts, and another reminder to me of how lucky I have been as all my children, grands, etc. are still with me. My ‘friends’ were not so lucky, and I felt and feel so much compassion for them. Anyway, back to the dinner – everyone had great visits with each other – and it seemed that my favorite teacher was also special with everyone else that had the pleasure of being in his classes. I played a few songs on the piano, and was amazed when one of the guys told me how jealous he was of me in school. I could not believe my ears – and told him, how could you, I was a geek – and he said, no – you could play the piano, and you left school and joined the Army, and he said he knew I would be getting paid for doing that. He continued on that he, lived on a farm, worked hard all the time and never ever got paid for it, did not have the chance to take music lessons, etc. Who would have thought that anyone could have felt jealous of me – I was such a dork! The comment he made about never being paid, I had never thought of that before, as I worked on many farms in my younger teens, but always got paid for it as it was a job, but with him – it was his family’s and it was just expected – like I have said in previous blogs, “if you could you did”. The organizers of this event did so much work and I am so happy they did! In ending this, I have to talk about a certain ‘girl’ who I started grade one with spent every grade together up to grade ten. The ‘girl’ that I would always try to get a better mark than, in any subject. The sister of my ‘best friend’ and I realize now, she was also my ‘best friend’! Don’t laugh, but I remember only one time that I bested her – it was on a Health and Physical Development test. The question was, what is the best type of towel to dry your body with? Hehehe.. yup , that was the question!!!! I got it RIGHT – a rough towel. And SHE..she got it WRONG – WRONG – WRONG… she said a smooth towel. So there ‘little girl’, take that – and I am so terribly, terribly sorry you lost your little boy to the Asiatic Flu when he was so young.
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| WRONG - WRONG - WRONG the correct answer A ROUGH TOWEL! |
