Staples 35th High School Reunion (cont.)

10/10/09: On Saturday I'd volunteered for niece and nephew sitting for my brother. I learned how to play my niece's violin, not knowing that twisting the wrist is a requirement for drawing the bow back across the strings. When the family had again assembled, I headed back to Westport for the tail end of the Frisbee playoffs at the reunion, and then took a tour of the remodeled high school. It was so clear outside, and only slightly cool. The sun was shining on the athletic field and everyone was warm, smiling and cheery. I spotted a few more folks that I remembered, and chatted about my road trip, and having retired from the government. One fellow whom I'd been friends with in elementary school, I realized was next to me. It was a shock to see him after having the only memory of him at 12 years old. It was much more rewarding for me to have these contacts with the people I'd been to elementary school with. These were the people who knew me before I'd strayed so far from the mainstream beginning at adolescence. Seeing these men and women from some 45 years ago gave me an unusual sense of camaraderie. It touched an old innocence. There was a knowing, a peace. Somehow I realized that I was coming full circle. All of the longing for home I'd had in Florida over the years, especially during the 70's, and even the longing for home when I came back to Westport for a visit, it was all satisfied as I spent this time with my childhood friends. More followed before we parted on Sunday morning. There were many more faces that looked the same as they did in high-school, with just a touch of age and maturity. We took the tour arranged by one of our classmates who currently teaches history at the school. He answered many questions and took us through the entire campus. In our day, there were walkways between nine separate buildings. It required that coats be worn and carried throughout the winters. Now, the buildings had all been joined and lockers accommodated the coats. There were laboratories and greenhouses. And there were numerous energy efficiencies. The last portion of the tour took us through the studio. In our day, there was a radio station that broadcast from the school, managed by students. Now, there was a television station with a complete studio for recording and production. Very impressive. The auditorium still held the stage. Seating was still for 2000. The proscenium was the same, even what appeared to be the same flooring and lighting systems. But I'm sure they'd been replaced. I took a look up the ladder that led to a catwalk from which the lighting and other stage equipment was serviced, a great hiding place when skipping classes, and I saw that not much had changed there either. A classmate asked if I was checking out my old hiding places. I think that was the only time I even felt a twinge of shame for having made the choices I did in those high-school days, and a touch of embarrassment. I made a joke and laughed it off knowing no one really cared all that much. As we were leaving, I overheard a group of folks talking, and realized one of them made a reference to an organization I'd also been a part of in recent years. I made note to approach him about it later.
The plan was to go home, rest, and come back for the big reunion dinner that night. As I was pulling out, I heard someone comment about my having brought my canoe, (strapped to the roof of the SUV), to my reunion. It was an amusing moment for me.