Reunion time!

[Hollis]

Good morning all,

There may be a few of you (read: Those that have lost their minds) that might have wondered why I've disappeared from SSO after we waited so long for it to get itself back up and running (great job administrators!) The long and the short of it is that I was sent an invitation to get on board at Facebook by some folks that I graduated from high school with lo those many moons ago. It seems that more than 85 people from a graduating class of more than 1200 have gravitated to The Sunshine State, Florida. We're having a mini reunion in Boca Raton on the 29th of August. I've been contacted by about 30 people so far and I've been sitting here at the PC with my yearbook, and comparing then with now, seeing who has lost the most hair or gained the most weight. I'm fairly safe on both counts so far! There may even be the hint of a blossoming romance on the horizon. I won't bet on anything but a sure thing, but what the hell? Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Our 35th reunion, back in Philly, wasn't really well attended. Maybe 200 out of more than 1200. All the old cliques were in evidence and since I wasn't the cliquish type, I felt a bit like an outsider. This mini-reunion however seems to be boding far better to this point. I'm actually more than a little excited to be going. There are even about a dozen or so people coming that I go all the way back to kindergarten with. Can you say 1958? God, I'm getting old. Does anyone know how to stem the tide or reverse the process? I'd love to hear about your own experiences with reunions, good or bad. I'll bet there are a million stories in the naked city!

All my best,

Hollis

[moira finnie]

This reunion sounds like great fun for you, Hollis.

Sure, time and its inevitable imprint stamps all of us, but one of the joys of seeing people from long ago is that sometimes you discover that the essential person you first knew is still there beneath the grey hair and laugh lines, and that they have become much nicer people as well as more relaxed, which can be a revelation.

Last time I ran into a bunch from the town I grew up in, it was revealed that certain people had a crush on me in high school, of all people! All I could think was: "Great! Where were you when I really needed this in darkest adolescence?" I had no idea, and we were all too shy or distracted by other aspects of life at the time to express much.

I hope that you have a great time. You deserve it.

[Hollis]

Thanks Moira,

Sage words dear lady, sage words indeed. Back in high school, I had a thing for one of my buddy's younger sister. I was 16? making her 14? and i let friends convince me that she was too young for me. Fast forward to about 1984. I'm selling BMW's in NE Philly when in walks one of the most drop dead, gorgeous women I've ever seen. Being the service with a smile salesman that I was, I made a beeline for the potential customer (not paying a second thought to her appearance) and introduced myself and handed her a business card. Did the normal salesman/customer song and dance for about 15 minutes until she said that at that time she was merely collecting literature and prices. I thanked her, walked her to the front door and as I opened it for her, she said "You don't recognize me do you, Hollis?" I had to admit that I didn't, and she said "I'm Barbara, Barry's sister." You could have heard my jaw hit the floor from a mile away! All I did for the rest of that afternoon was to curse the guys that had convinced me not to ask her out! I'll never again trust anyone's judgment but my own in matters of the heart! That way I'll have no one to blame but myself!

As always,

hollis

[movieman1957]

I skipped my 30th high school reunion a couple of years ago as the only person I wanted to see I thought would be too busy for me and thus would spend a good part of the night talking to people I didn't know that well. Monday I got a call from her chewing me out (lovingly) for not being there as she was hoping to spend most of the evening with me.

Luckily, we made a date and her husband and her spent a whole day with my bride and me and had a better time than we could have had at the reunion.

[knitwit45]

H, I've worked on all the reunions we've held, and trust me, it isn't just "hey, gang, lets throw a party next week". Lots of hard work goes into each one, and the last one took 18 months. We didn't have Facebook, but we put up a website and had a great response. (I even had a couple of dates with each of the gorgeous twins afterwards.!! ) I still hear from a lot of people, and they're all beginning to ask about the next one. Long story, but here's the bottom line: GO, and have a ball. Be yourself, there will be a few who still hold on to the pretenses, but most have reached a place in their lives when the pretense isn't viable (loss of hair and weight gain seem to blow holes in bluster). Hope she realizes what a great guy you are.


Nancy