Last weekend, my wife and I attended my 50th high school reunion. I had great time. The organizing committee did a great job but I couldn’t figure out why they invited all those old people. No matter. In anticipation of the event, I bought a book to read up on what to do prior to a reunion.
I gained seven pounds.
I met my wife right after college, so she was not familiar with the school, my years as a teen, or even that area of the country. I must admit, even I was apprehensive about seeing my former classmates again. I hadn’t been to a reunion since graduation, so it was going to be like meeting a bunch of strangers. The only difference was, these strangers had incriminating stories about me. Not true, mind you, but incriminating nonetheless.
"This is a picture of Big Al and me right after we stole Boss Hogg's squad car."
I was surprised at how easy it was to slip back into causal conversation with my old schoolmates. Apparently, I wasn’t quite the dweeb they thought I was back then. Years have a way of distorting the past don’t they? Good for the years.
My yearbook picture. And people said I was a dweeb. What were they thinking?
At the final dinner, statistics were read about the demographics of the class. But I wanted to delve a little deeper. I wanted to know if any of the predictions made in the yearbook came true. You know, what student was most likely to succeed, most likely to become an astronaut, etc. So I did a little research. I thought you might like to see a few of the winners and what they look like now.
Student most likely to never give up teenage fashion.
Student most likely to become a soldier of fortune.
Student most likely to donate his body to Aborigine art.
Student most likely to establish a successful beverage company.
Student most likely to defy the embargo on Cuban cigars.
And of course there were also the predictions for the inseparable couples that you just knew were going to marry right out of high school.
Couple most likely to lead Wall Street protests.
Couple most likely to get caught skinny dipping.
And last but not least:
Couple most likely to skip 50th reunion.
OK, I guess in all fairness, after putting you on about this affair and to uphold the truth-in- blogging credo, I should reveal the actual before and after pictures as a gesture of good will.
As for 50th reunions: it’s a good thing they only come along every half century. A guy could start to feel old!
The Cvillean 
Love it, Al š
See, it got you didn’t it? By the way, I have an interesting story very much relating to your “naked people” blog. I’ll go back there and tell you about it.
I went to my 25th reunion a few years back, it really blew me away. It was scary how many of my classmates had grey hair!! There were loads of people I didn’t recognise for ages.
The other weird thing was that I had my children quite young (I had my first at 25 & my second at 27). I didn’t think it was young at all at the time, but at the reunion loads of people were just starting families while my girls were already big teenagers!
The idea of having a new baby at 40 sent shivers down my spine, but there were only 2 of us there with teenage children, the rest were pregnant or had toddlers (it was a girls only school)
My youngest had gone through a month of not sleeping and waking me in the middle of the night. It had utterly wrecked me! How 40 year olds cope with broken nights and work I have no idea! I was very relieved to be out the other end & still have my natural hair! š
I don’t know how you women cope with pregnancy, childbirth and child-rearing at any age! I was very involved with raising our children, but due to my work and travel it fell mostly on Patty. She didn’t work but it was still intense. She was able to start her career as they got a little older.
She was such a good mother and still is!
Pregnancy was easy for me, childbirth not so much….
I am glad your wife didn’t meet you with the bangs in the hair – she would probably never have become Mrs Al. š
I wonder every day how I got so lucky!
Well big Al, I’m glad you lost the ‘bangs’, they certainly didn’t do you justice.
I went to my 29th class reunion (I know, odd) and I hadn’t been since the 5th year. It was funny as I didn’t recognize most of the people. There were a few women who hadn’t changed one bit but for the most part, I was thinking “I went to school with you?”
I was glad to put that behind me.
I know what you mean. I was sort of dreading this one but we had a good time, the weather was beautiful, talked with some old friends. Probably the oddest moment was when I realized a guy I knew fairly well in school was now a woman. I give her/him credit for showing up and showing the courage of her/his convictions.
That should last me a while.
WOW!
Gosh, my 50th was a few years back, and I never wore my hair like that. You looked like a dweeb. How did you trick that lovely lady into marrying you? Dianne
That, my friend, is the question for the ages. I lied a lot about my youth.
I’m so glad you’re back. Your posts always make me laugh louder and louder as I scroll down. That’s not to say that YOUR picture was the one I laughed the most at… š
No one has a sense of humor like yours, Al! š
It’s OK. I was taught that a good writer always saves the best laugh for last….hence my picture. In fact, I’m thinking of putting it at the end of every post.
I’m glad you get me, many don’t.
You look like the same, sweet dweeb as your high school picture. Except handsome, distinguished and non-dweeby.
I’ll bet you say that to all the dweebs.
I DID say that to all the dweebs. At least I thought it – I always went for the shy, sweet guys. But none of them ever asked me out. Year’s later a friend told me about a guy who said he had a crush on me in high school – I was floored! I guess it never occured to me that guys were as nervous and shy about dating as girls were.
Can’t speak for all of them, but I was a mess. The first time I asked a girl out was in 8th grade, she turned me down. Didn’t try again until I was a senior. I went to parties and events, but always stag.
wow, you were and are sooooo cute. my sister is a lucky gal.
I think the picture of the skinny dippers is me & my love. but keep it a secret.
Sorry I outed you.
Al! Such a handsome boy! What happened?
Heeheeheehee š
50 years, Tilly Bud, 50 years.
I’ve never been to a re union and can’t imagine what it would be like. Were any of the people you were close to at school there, or just some other people who were at school at the same time as you. I would quite like to go to one Full marks , once more, to your wife for going along with you
Yes, I give her great credit too. I enjoyed showing her off and she was proof that I had at least done one thing well in my life.
I loved all of the pictures, especially the last two š
My wife loves the yearbook picture, I hate it. That kid hadn’t come out of his shell yet. Thanks anyway for the compliment.
I’ve been waiting forever for your reunion blog. Well worth the wait! You actually got handsomer with age~
Thanks. I think getting rid of the pony tails bangs helped a lot.