Reunion Weekend -- The Beginning

If I had a nickel for every one of Dan's classmates who told me they would never had recognized him if they had seen him on the street before meeting him again this weekend -- 20 years after their graduation -- I'd only be able to buy a small package of gum... but that is more a consequence of the size of his graduating class and less an indication that there was any disagreement on the matter or any reluctance to talk about it. I suppose his bright yellow and green "Ben Lippen Falcons" shirt (vintage 1987 and still the right size, if a bit more snug than before) helped to remove any confusion as to his identity, but they would have me believe Dan has changed quite a lot in 20 years.

Really, when it comes to *his* High School reunion, I'd like to think that Dan would share his own impressions for posterity, but since I am about as sure that he won't post about it himself as some of his classmates are sure that he's a changed man, I figure I will offer a wife's-eye-view. The weekend itself was short -- just Friday night through Sunday night, but there seems to be plenty to talk about, so I will make a few different posts to try to keep my own thoughts in some order and to break the weekend into manageable chunks.

Even though I am camera queen, I didn't bring it out much in the first few days, so while I have things to say about much of our time, I don't have a photographic record of much of it. For any of Dan's classmates who may have the misfortune to stumble across my musings, the photographs won't be necessary anyhow; they'll have filed the events away more perfectly as memories. Just know that as I write I have the love theme from "St. Elmo's Fire" (See below) running through my head as I type, thanks to a mention of the song by one of Dan's classmates on Saturday night. My guess is that it was sung by two of the girls at or near graduation, much like it was sung at my junior high graduation in 1988. What better way to put this late-80s class into its context? Okay, there are several better ways... but if you don't like mine you will have to come up with your own.



We laughed
Until we had to cry
And we loved
Right down to our last goodbye
We were the best
I think we'll ever be
Just you and me
For just a moment

We chased
That dream we never found
And sometimes
We let one another down
But the love we made
Made everything alright
We shone so bright
For just a moment

Time goes on
People touch and then they're gone
And you and I
Will never love again
Like we did then

Someday, when we both reminisce
We'll both say
There wasn't too much we missed
And through the tears
We'll smile when we recall
We had it all
For just a moment

Time goes on
People touch and then they're gone
But you and I
Will never really end
We'll never love again
Like we did then

We laughed until we had to cry
And we loved right down to our last goodbye


Though the movie most certainly had objectionable content, I can only assume that this song passed the music committee. What exactly were you thinking, Dan?