Well it happened and it all ended way too quickly!
When you attend one of these school reunions, you go with a sense of reluctance wondering what will this be like. I had some great relationships with folks in high school but I’m different now (and hopefully better after 40 years – geez!) than I was back then and I figured they probably were too. So how will that all workout and can we even converse and mesh for 3 or so hours? The answer is a solid – YES! It happened this past Saturday night and it was joyous!
What really became evident to me as I reacquainted with so many of these folks I shared life with in high school was that it was really so much more than a high school reunion. Some of those I graduated with in 1971 were in the first grade with me in 1959 and the second grade AND the third grade and on up the grade ladder! We had a career in school together and I think over these many years, that blew right past me. When I looked at the displays of pictures and memorabilia at the reunion, I saw faces on those pictures from 1959-1960 in the first grade and they were there in the same room with me that night! Talk about ‘time warp’! I think I experienced the true definition of that. How incredible that we made it all 52 years together and we could chat about it during such a festive event as this 40th Reunion.
There was Gwen Smith, one of my first girlfriends in elementary school. Oddly enough, Gwen and her great husband Jim today live in Nashville as we do and I have seen her occasionally through the years at the grocery store or concerts and we have had the privilege of keeping up with each others’ families along the way. But then there is David Mitchell, now known as Barney Fife to many (see the Sheriff’s picture in the collage below). This guy started elementary school with me in 1959 and really hasn’t changed one bit. Or elementary school buddies Iris Jones, Donna Singleton, Judy Wills, Kathy Tunstill, Linda Lowery, Richard Waddell, Ricky Coggins, Steve Osborn, Terry Lee, Tim Goins, Betty Ray, Hal Miner, Steve Legg, Rodney Camp, Jennie Harden or Rex Tolbert. These guys were at the reunion and we’re all still living life and blessed to be doing so. Go figure!
Then later years into junior high (yes we called it that instead of middle school) and on into high school, special relationships were created with Debbie Woods, Becky Shuttlesworth, Johnny Dean, Patty Radcliff, Dennis Stephens, Rocky Hicks and others. These were core folks to me that put up with this guy during those high school years and I still got to spend time with them at the reunion. What a blessing! And of course, those last two, Dennis and Rocky, continued a great relationship in music after high school for more than 5 years in a contemporary Christian music quartet known as The Blenders. Yep – that was the name and we were proud of it then! I think we question it now (I know my kids sure do!) but still grateful for the time we shared making Christian music for many throughout the southeast. Dennis and Rocky are solid buds who I will always love and appreciate how we went through so much and came out great friends as we have. And of course they dated during those Blenders years and later married, Melissa and Dee. They are great ladies who are so very dear to me too!
It was also great for my wife, Martha, to meet so many Saturday. She had heard about many of these folks but never knew this segment of my life which was such a big part of the molding of who I am today. I was glad my school friends could meet her too. Of course, every single one of them proclaimed I certainly married UP when I married Martha. That’s what I expected to hear from those smart-alecks but they were right! 🙂
A sobering part of this entire experience was seeing a list of those in my class who have died in these last several years. Talk about a wake up call! Susan, my 6th grade girlfriend was on that list along with Rhonda who was always a joy to be around and several others. Also, there was Doug, Frankie and Janice – all great friends during those years and now gone! Somehow, you just don’t think folks will pre-decease you when you live life day to day. But when I saw those names on that list that wouldn’t be with us at the reunion party, it truly stopped me in my tracks and brought me closer to reality.
Last but not least, the Reunion committee asked me to contact my most special teacher during my high school life, Mr. Garner. He was the choral teacher/instructor at Gardendale High during our years there. I reached him a day or two before to “pressure invite” him to be there because it wouldn’t be as great if he didn’t attend. He quickly got excited and began making plans not to miss it. You see, Mr. Garner was and still is a choral director’s director. Everything I ever learned about quality choral singing came from him. I had 4 gold plated years under his tutelage and I soaked it up like a sponge. He took me under his wing, had patience with my talents or lack thereof and gave me a basis from which to spring to more choral work that I began to do even during high school. From there I went on to direct choirs in 5 different churches as Interim Minister of Music, directed musicals at the Opry House here in Nashville (110 voices with a 40 piece Symphony orchestra) and spent 30 years of my life leading choral/worship music in a variety of ways. It all started with Jim Garner and I really was trained by no one else. He’s been a mentor and a great friend and to have a few priceless minutes with him on that phone call on Friday and face time with him Saturday night, surely made the trip so much more valuable to me. I owe that choral master director so much!
It took a core group of people to make this reunion happen. I am so grateful to Iris, Rocky, Ronnie, Johnny, Jennie and the rest of the team that gave over 6 months of their time to bring us this party. It was first class and so well organized! I continued to think what a gift those folks gave the rest of us who couldn’t help because of obligations or distance that prohibited our participation. I did my best to thank each of them because I know pulling this off wasn’t an easy task.
I missed the 10, 20 and 30 year reunions for one reason or the other. I was determined not to miss this one if at all possible. It was such a treat and now, when they talk about a possible 45th year reunion, I’ll do my best to make it because reacquainting with these fellow classmates that helped me “grow up” is worth the time and effort for sure.
Thanks gang! You made me proud to be a Rocket who just so happened to Rendezvous through the Gardendale school system for 12 years of my life. You put up with a lot to get me through those growing pains but in the end, you’re responsible for wonderful memories and you taught me what long term friendships are about. I’m still very grateful that you and those friendships exist!
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