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August 04, 2004
The Class of '84 Reunion
It sounds like a bad sequel to an already terrible movie, starring Timothy Van Patten. But it's here and it's real!
I went to three high schools. Four if you count my month in the ninth grade at Mark Twain school for the emotionally handicapped in Rockville, Maryland, before my mother moved us to South Carolina. Ninth grade found me at Airport High School in West Columbia. I got their notice for twenty-year reunion early this year. I can't even remember anyone with whom I went to school there. Much of twelfth grade found me (after another of mother's moves) at Batesburg-Leesville High School, graduating class of 1984 numbered in the double digits and were primarily hick-towners. I got their notice last year, but I blocked that year of my life out, so I didn't go to that one either.
Most of my high school time, however, was spent at Brookland-Cayce High School in Cayce, South Carolina. This was the high school I remember. These were the people about whom I wanted to find. These were the people in front of whom I wanted to show off how wonderful I am today. But there was no reunion notice last year. No reunion notice this winter. No reunion this spring.
Thank heavens that I registered at classmates.com many moons ago. Yesterday, I receive an email, subject line, “Brookland-Cayce High School Class of 1984 Reunion” from a woman whose name I did not know. I found out her maiden name and realized that she was the girl that wound up sitting behind me in several classes because her name started “B-A-U.” I was delighted! I changed my Thanksgiving plans to spend with my family because the reunion is taking place October 23.
I know it's strange, but I've waited my entire life to attend a high school reunion. I remember how excited my mother used to get about them while we were growing up; that is, now that I am no longer resentful about her moving me from high school to high school and possibly having denied me the same opportunity. But here it is, Brookland-Cayce 1984's twentieth reunion, and I'll be in attendance. Never mind that I didn't ultimately graduate from there, these people will remember me as much as I remember them.
I've been projecting like crazy. I want to get my teeth done. I want to work out like crazy. I want to bust Michael out of prison and take him with me. I want to be out and proud and kick anyone's ass that has a problem with it.
And the timing couldn't be better. I'm traveling to the middle of South Carolina only ten days before the presidential election. I have to remember one thing: South Carolina is not a swing state. I'm not going to make a dent in the vote there.
This entire topic is bound to influence my life for the next couple months, so be sure to check in from time to time for updates.
Posted by Bastique at August 4, 2004 05:55 PM