Driving down on Saturday evening, I wondered back in time. Seems like only yesterday!
Growing up in the fifties, life was easy and laid back.
But, how did we survive? No remote, cell phone, DVD, computer, fax, instant messaging, Palm Pilot or e-mail! Instead we ‘cruised-the-drag’ from the north end to the south with out meeting-place-turn-around at the three maples, owned and operated by Bobby Hall’s ‘53’ mom and dad. [Do yourself a favor. See American Graffiti again]
Where are those long ago kids of summers past, I puzzled, as I drove.
Just after tables had been cleared, I slipped into the back of the banquet room completely unrecognized. The room was astir with happy strangers getting reacquainted. But, where were the graduates of ‘54’? Who were these people?
Why were they crashing our special evening of ‘remember-when-nostalgia’? — And most important what have they done with our classmates of the DHS Class of 1954?
The pre-announced M.C. was to be Jo Anne (Sheets) Harshaw — but where was she? Maybe she was ill. Instead, there was the strange lady, who would call graduates’ names and then, in each case, a complete stranger would stand up and talk about what my friend had been doing the last half century. How did they know all those details? How did they know any of that? It was bizarre!
The first name the strange lady called was Doyle Pollock. He had been a gifted athlete in all sports. So now, where was he? Certainly not this man who was speaking for him.
With 50 years to mellow, I now remembered al the guys in that class as being B+ bright trim and fun-loving. And I remembered all the girls of the class of ‘54’ as being even brighter, more vivacious and certainly more attractive.
One by one, as the impersonator stand-in for Jo Anne called a name, a stranger would stand and speak very knowledgeably about my old friend.
Someone spoke for James Acord, pretty Mary
(Krodinger) Baisch, our prom queen, Carol Lynn (Rowe)
Baxter and June (Coleman)
On down the list of familiar names and I became
increasingly confused (dejected) when I heard the name Warren Bergman, I
studied the man. Was there something familiar? The smile?
But, no. This man was even bigger than
I came out of my daze, again when the name Charlie Johnson came up. I had not seen Charlie since graduation day. Charlie Johnson was a natural leader and seemed to excel at everything. And this stand-in, this older gentleman, was still trim with the same ruggedly handsome features...but...I don’t know I wonder if he could sing “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” and bring the house down — like Charlie did so many years ago?
I’m just not sure what’s going on here?
Who ARE these frauds? What have they done with my classmates? I became so confused in that surreal room I had entered, that I slipped into the men’s room for a splash of cold water reality. When I raised my head to look into the mirror, I saw another one — another pretender.
“This old guy must have followed me in here...wonder what he wants?” I mumbled to myself.
Quickly sneaking glimpses at his craggily face and receding hairline, I noticed he wasn’t quite as tall as I, but the brown eyes and quick, easy smile were the same. When he washed his hands, I noticed the tremor and felt an instant pity, which he immediately caught in my eyes. Speaking for the first time and in a vaguely familiar voice, he said, cheerfully, “No matter! I’ve already moved off watercolors toward digital photography. It’s all fine arts,” he shrugged, nonchalantly. I had forgotten that this one was artistic. What had I forgotten about he unique gifts of each of the others?
So I vowed mentally to return to the banquet room to rediscover the best that was in each of them — whoever they were, starting with this quaint old codger who had followed me in.
“Who are you?” I suddenly turned and demanded.
But he had vanished.
I can not explain it but everything happened just this way:
The next morning a re-union breakfast was planned at
the Old Arlington Hotel. Just before
Then, our beloved class mentor, Joe House, came in wearing a grin, just ahead of some of our other teachers; Miss Mary Rose Clyde, Coach Leonard Cox, Byron Munson and Sally McKemy.
They must have heard the rousing tribute schoolmate Warren Bergman gave them the night before.
Over coffee, scrambleds, Danish and tea, everyone was, again, just as they had been our last morning in May 1954. White and grey heads appeared blond, full and sandy once again. I saw no wrinkled faces, stooped figures or pain-filled expressions. I looked into clear eyes and listened to revitalized open hearts. In warm fellowship, everyone was just as I had remembered them from fifty years earlier — only more so; more charming, more interesting — renewed.
On this sparkling, recent morning, we wre more together than we had ever been — this close-knit band; this green/white gathering of brothers and sisters, momentarily frozen in the perpetual summer of youth in the 50’s. And it was ours for that moment. Thanks for the memories.
So here’s to you my beloved — The exceptional Class of 1954. May Our God continue to bless you and keep you.
Thank you for the sharing of yourself. It has been a good ride and I know we will meet again.
Come grow old
along with me
The best is yet to be
The last
for which the first was made
Our times
Are in HIS hand.
—Robert Browning
PS.
OK, class.
You can tell me now, after all these years —
Just what was that whole Tom Thumb Wedding thing all about, anyway?
Don Agers Bertha
Harry Chapman Jarry
David Haverstick Patricia Henry
Mick McAllister Thomas Mallery
Donald Parmeley Shirley Smith
Maureen Sullivan Fred Taylor
Joe House
ACCORD, James BROD,
Baish, Mary Baxter, Carol Lynn
KRODINGER ROWE
BERGMAN,
STEWART
Boyd, Bernardine BOYER, Murrell
WILLIAMS
BROD,
Cooper, June DICKENS, Allen
EDWARDS, Robert EICHELBERGER, Albert
Foster, Ruth Gainer, Glenda
MEYER HUSKEY
GANNINGER, Mary Hare, Mary
WORLEY
HARNESS, Billy Harshaw, Jo Ann
SHEETS
HAWKINS, Marvil HIGDON, Larry
Hoffman, Carol Ann Hubka, Gloria
COOK CHRISTOPHER
Huskey, Dorothy Huskey, Sylvia
WORLEY LUCAS
JACKSON, Ronnie JINKERSON, Charles
Kreh, Dorothy Leon, June
BURGESS COLEMAN
McCurdy, Joan Melendez, Wilma
BEQUETTE DIERKING
MICKE, Albert Oker, Glenda
WILEY
Parmeley, Margaret POLLACK, Doyle
MAHN
Reando, Shirley Renner, Joy
PINSON WHITEHEAD
RICHARDSON, Perry Bud RITCHIE, Jerry
SCHRAMPFER, Willis SCHUTTE, John
SLOAN, James Sloan, Mary Lou
SCHLETT
SLOAN, Norman Smith, Nancy
BARKER
SOLOMON, Earl Speanburg, Carolyn
UDE
BAKER PEEPLES
Thompson, Delores VIVRETT, Bill
WHALEY, Orville
