HIGH SCHOOL REUNION - DON’T MISS IT

Apparently I just earned a few points toward the “coolest wife ever” award.

My one-armed husband and I just got back from his 20 year HS reunion for the Belleville (Illinois) West HS Class of 88.       

     Instead of finding excuses to skip it (like most reasonable spouses who don’t know any of their husband’s long-lost classmates) I practically FORCED him to accept the invitation. 

 

 

 ”You can’t NOT go to something like this,” I insisted.  “We’re going. You won’t regret it.”  So we called in some grandparent reinforcements to man the house and kids, packed up his portable ice cooler/arm sling rig, and headed toward greater St. Louis.

    

 

And guess what - we both had a great time.  For Ian, it was a chance to see people he literally hadn’t seen or heard from at all in 20 years.  Former basketball teammates, close high school buddies, even a few ex-crushes (he had pretty good taste, I’ll admit) 

TRISH PLAYS REPORTER  

 For me, a nosy journalist by nature, it’s a fascinating social situation to witness.  I had amazing conversations with total strangers who seemed incredibly willing to dish detailed information about their lives, their choices, their families, their struggles and joys.  It was a smorgasboard of stories, and I’ll never be able to resist an opportunity like that.

    

 WORKING MOMS BOND

 I had a GREAT talk with one of his former classmates, Lynne (left with Ian) who’s also a working mom - a physician with twins! 

     I was almost on the floor laughing at her descriptions of the ridiculous overachiever extremes she went to in juggling the professional demands of her career with perfectionist parenting…before finally getting real.  Ian said it looked like we were long lost best friends. 

What I had trouble getting was any DIRT on Ian - it seems he was very well liked and at least publicly, well-behaved. Back then.

 OH..LOOK GUYS, THOSE AWFUL METAL DOORS!!

 We went on the tour of the aging school. I kept thinking how incredulous these kids would have been at age 18, if you would’ve told them that 20 years from now they’d be looking at mundane things like chalkboards, lockers,  and the cafeteria tray shelf, getting all nostalgic.  One gal on the tour actually stopped to take a photo in front of the ugly metal doors to the cafeteria, because they brought back so many memories.

   It was one huge chorus of “Oh, remember this….remember when we…. I remember!….” 

 

 

 

 IAN’S MEMORY?

Ian tried opening his old locker and ALMOST remembered the combination. Maybe after a dozen more tries…

 

 

 

 

HOOPS, ANYONE?

He and a very cool former basketball teammate, Brian, who was also class president, stood in amazement staring at the old hoops in their gym. (Good thing there was no ball around - I’m sure my one-armed man would’ve given it a try to see if he still had the stuff.) Brian, if you happen to read this, great job organizing a fun weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

INDY CONNECTION

I even met someone with family here in Indy - Beth took a photo with me to see if her relatives would recognize one of their news gals.  (If not, maybe I’ll recruit them to RTV!)

  

 

 

     In the end, it was awesome to see Ian re-living some fun memories, and to see how many people had such wonderful things to say about him.   Someone told me, “Ian is one of those guys who you always wondered what happened to, and I’m so glad to see he’s doing so well, still playing music, and has ended up with someone so cool.”    Quite the compliment. I can’t wait till the tables turn - 4 more years till my 20th!

Feel free to share reunion stories if you have a good one. Thanks for reading-

Trisha