Typical High School reunion

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. A lawyer, a business man, and an advertising executive step into a room. Before long they are walking along in step, arms across one another’s shoulders, singing the theme from the Monkees television show, and doing the Monkees walk. Haven’t heard that one? That’s okay, neither had most of the people I graduated with. However, that didn’t stop three former classmates from reenacting this move in a room away from the remainder of their contemporaries at our 30 year class reunion.
While most of the former students of Hattiesburg High School’s graduating class of 1982 danced along with the beat of the music the DJ was dishing out in the main hall, these three were marching to the beat of a different drum. And should we expect anything less? While the athletes, cheerleaders, and partiers of yesteryear all gathered in their groups, the three amigos also picked up where they left off.
The high school reunion of the class of 1982 was a resounding success. As one former classmate of mine said, the only thing wrong with the entire evening was that there wasn’t enough time to get to visit with everyone. As a matter of fact, I often just stood there and watched my peers interact with one another. There were more smiles that night than I can ever remember seeing when we walked the breezeways of Blair Center together three decades earlier.
I did determine two things that weekend. First was the fact that I was further removed from the “cool” crowd than I realized. As talk turned to the party at so-and-so’s house, or the ICH dances of the late 1970’s, I realized (or perhaps remembered) that I was not part of the cool crowd. Instead, I stood in their shadows waiting for them to throw me a bone now and again. The point was driven home when one of the “cool kids” shook my hand when he first got there. I was surrounded by other classmates so I waited to say hello. When it came my turn I decided to reintroduce myself since we all (except for the women of course) had changed somewhat over the ages. He shook my hand and, looking me in the eye, said, “Nice to meet you Kevin.” Nice to meet you Kevin? Like we didn’t have classes together growing up?
The second thing I determined, and the one thing I wish I had realized more 30 years ago, was that I was okay with not being cool. I am secure in who I am and can sit back and enjoy watching people I once idolized, have fun with their own memories. And I am pleased that today I am better friends with some of these athletes, cheerleaders, and partiers than I was in the 80’s. I’m content being me and realizing that I am liked for who I am not who I want to be. I just wish I had realized it sooner.
So, the other two amigos and I are just fine walking in step to our own beat. “Here we come. Walking down the street. Get the funniest looks from… our wives!”

HHS 1982 Reunion

In helping plan the class reunion for the Hattiesburg High School class of 1982, I was sitting with a handful of my classmates a few weeks ago. We reminisced as we began to look through the 1982 yearbook. We talked about class events, teachers, and the things we remembered about our days there. The class of 1982 gave us soldiers and doctors, lawyers and businessmen, blue and white collar workers. Many of our graduates are working in states all over this great country of ours, while others remain loyal to (or stuck in) our hometown. Still others are employed overseas. Some of them, unfortunately, are no longer with us. While some went on to much greater things than we ever imagined, others fell a few yards short of their goals. Hattiesburg High School, in 1982, was a far different school than what you will find on Hutchison Ave. today. In 1982, HHS had several campuses. Only your junior and senior years were spent at Blair Center. There was no air-conditioning to speak of. The classrooms opened to breezeways rather than hallways. The dress code required long pants. This was probably a good thing because it was hard enough for this hot-blooded young American boy to concentrate. Focus would have been lost altogether had the girls been allowed to wear shorts. Especially since the shorts of the 1980’s really were shorts. In the winter the small heaters just below the windows gave out just enough heat to warm one side of your hands. Little time was spent in the breezeways. The coats stayed on inside the classes and many of the girls took notes wearing scarves and gloves. You sharpened your pencil often just because the sharpener was located near the heater. In high school we all have friends that we believe will be our friends forever. Many of these people we couldn’t imagine, at the ripe old age of 17, living without. College and life lead us in different directions and, without the technology we have today, we just lose touch with those we once held so dear. While life does try to replace them with new friends, it’s never quite the same as those we spent our formative years with. Some of the differences that may have polarized us back then have faded away. We no longer see each other as black or white, straight or gay, jock or nerd. Now we just see each other for who we truly are – “well-rounded” men who just want some of the long hair we had in the 80’s and, soccer moms who want to know if there is enough time before the reunion to visit their doctor for some, um, touching up. If you were a member of the HHS Class of 1982, this middle-aged, slightly overweight, bifocal wearing man would love to see you at the reunion. I promise I’ll print the name tags in really big font for us all to be able to see!