I had my 30-year school reunion last night
(I’m 47 – it’ll save you doing the maths!). It was a really interesting night. There
really isn’t anyone who I see a lot of and in fact, there were many who I’d
not seen since the 20 or 10-year reunions – and some I’d not seen for the full
30 years.
Thank god they provided the promised
name-tags. There were some familiar faces that in other circumstances I’d never
be able to place and others that were an absolute blank. There
were matched faces and names that had I not been at a school reunion, I’d never
have connected that we’d actually attended the same school in the same year.
There were a brief few words at the start
congratulating us that of the 180 or so in our year, about 113 were there. It
was predominantly a boarding school so we were literally living together – in
classes, at meals, at church, at sport and weekend dances and movies. And yet,
there were still people I was like, “Really??” Perhaps because I was only at
that school for the last four years of high school and only two of those at the
main campus.
We were also reminded how out numbered the
girls were; of the boarders, perhaps only 45 or so. So of course the discussion
of whether the girls or the guys had aged better was a perennial topic. Naturally I was batting for the girls, but in truth, it was patchy on both sides.
I was extremely happy when one guy
commented that he still remembered the dress I wore to the 10-year reunion –
and with surprising detail! He said he liked that I "wore it like I meant it",
whatever that means, but I was flattered none the less.
“So have you still got it?” he asked
“Um, I don’t know…. I guess you’d be the
judge of that,” I faltered, feeling somewhat deflated.
“I meant the dress!” he laughed.
“Of course,” I said,
desperately trying to recover.
Anyway, it was a really fun night. I spoke
to some really lovely people I didn’t have much to do with while I was at
school, and didn’t even get to speak to some who I did. I guess I’ll just have to
wait for the 40-year reunion.
