Trip down memory lane

Last year I attended my 40th high school class reunion. Yes, I did say 40th. For as much as I can’t believe that 40 years has come and gone, it still seems like yesterday. Yes, I am a 1971 graduate of Blackshear High School in Blackshear, Ga. Boy, where did those fast years go?

I made the trip home (my southern home) to attend the reunion. There was a lot of planning to do before the actual trip. First I had to secure those days off from work. I had to buy a plane ticket (which wasn’t cheap, but are plane tickets really cheap these days). I had to contact the relatives to pick me up from the airport (which is about one hour away from where I was finally going). I had to pay for the reunion. I had to buy an outfit so that I would look my best (really how good can you look after 40 years). And I had to connect with some long lost friends to get directions and information. Some of these people I hadn’t seen or talked to in 40 years.

Everything fell into place and I was on my way. I made it to the airport. I got on the plane. I headed for Georgia. My relatives were there to pick me up (they were a few minutes late but hey, that was okay as I was enjoying the southern sunshine). They got lost and were waiting at the wrong terminal. I got the perfect outfit. I found the place of the reunion and mapped out how I would get there. I got ready to attend the reunion. I was on my trip down memory lane.

I arrived at the reunion. Got out of the car and started to walk up to the country club entrance. I ran into two couples. I recognized both of them instantly. They were different than they were when in high school but I knew who they were. They had a little more gray in their hair, a few more pounds around the middle section and a few wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. I nodded hello and continued to walk along. One of the guys stopped me and said, “who are you?” “Did you graduate with me? You don’t look familiar at all? Who are you?” He asked again, but this time with more force. He finally turned to his wife and said, “do you know her?” She said, “no.” The other couple stood there and said the same thing. “We don’t know her. She doesn’t look familiar to us?”

Did I have a great laugh. After looking at me for a few minutes, finally the wife said, Oh, my God, now I know. She was in our homeroom. You know her, just look at her eyes and you will be able to tell.” Here again no recognition of me. Now I gained a few pounds. Yes, my hair is white. But I still sound the same I believe. So I played along just to see if they knew me and how long it would take for them to guess.

Finally I said, “Okay, Leon (the man’s name), you know me. Guess again.” He finally said. “Oh, my God, it’s you Angie. After these years.” We swapped hugs all around. Still Leon was saying, “Oh. my God, Angie, I didn’t recognize you at all” as we chatted while walking into the building.

Once again inside the building, nobody knew me. It started again with the guessing and everyone was asking who was the girl that just walked into the room. I was the mystery girl all night. Some dear friends from high school didn’t even recognize me and when I had to tell them they were so surprised. We all had a good laugh about it. Not that I looked that different, I think it was that they had not seen me in so long and really didn’t put a face with a name.

It was fun to go back down memory lane. I saw some old friends that I played sports with. I saw some girlfriends that I haven’t seen in about 40 years. I saw some other guys that I went to church with. I even saw a classmate that I had taught his son and he was quick to remind me how old that son is today.

Who says you can’t go back down memory lane? I did for a evening. It was well worth it. It made my day. I enjoyed every minute of it. I would do it all over again if given the chance. If you get the chance, go to your class reunion. See those old friends. Connect with your past. You may find that you too will be the mystery classmate that no one knows. I was and boy, did I have fun with that.

See if you can find me in the class reunion photo. I’ll bet you can’t.