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.
5 comments:
Yes - that's what I know you as (in the cyber sense!!)
Did you also find that you can't look at people objectively - even after so much time? There were still boys I was avoiding and girls I still couldn't connect with.
On ageing, there were some people who's personalities, idiosyncrasies and laughs seemed to be trapped in someone's body!!! "Let them out!" I wanted to scream.
MWWx
Well I'll be damned, someone else who went to boarding school. Most people look at me like I'm weird when it comes up in conversation. Then they imagine either one of the extremes of jolly-hockey-sticks-English-country-school (hardly, we're talking regional Queensland here) or tawdry-girl-on-girl-fantasies (I don't think so, as I said we're talking regional Queensland). I have six really close friends from boarding school and we get away for a few days (sans husbands & kids) at least every second year although we would like to do it every year, there is a fair logistical challenge with us scattered about QLD and Melbourne. We have been back for the 10 & 20 year reunions, 30 is in 2013 and we'll be there for it.
On the aging topic, yes, patchy is a good description. The most obvious being the sun-worshippers looked REALLY old. But just to see how everyone has got on in life fasinates me.
Mmmm...not sure what's going on with Google, I'm normally lurking around here as Fashionista.
Yep, country boarding school for me too and we have had our 40 yr reunion, in fact 50 coming up soon. UUUUUUGH how old that makes me feel but at 40 yr I felt I had faired and worn QUITE well!
Well spotted by that bloke MWW - I have always felt that you have worn your clothes like you meant it and may you continbue to do so.Jx
I get that trapped bit - as a school girl I wanted a foot in both camps - out there vs repressed. I gladly joined the " out there group" after 40 years.
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