Holy Cow!!! 55th high school reunion

[Greyman50]

What a night is all I can say. Saw old friends had not seen in 30 some years. Most looked very different but some looked almost the same as in 1970. Unfortunately 99% of the girls were Way over weight and completely unrecognizable. Had to get real close to tell who they were but without wife it was a chore. Even the girls I dated were hard to recognize, really tough time. Had forgotten some guys that I hunted with but felt like the good old days after a while. Several friends have kept in touch and we see each other every few months. One best friend did not come and he lives on the Outer Banks just down the coast. Got his phone number and will call him later today, the times we had. Left reunion before 9 as didn't want to drive when really dark. Went down a few roads used to travel all the time and its crazy how everything has changed. Houses, apartments and town houses everywhere, saw few building and houses I recognized.
Now the roads and traffic around here are some of the worst I’ve seen. Everybody said they don’t drive much except for the basics and can see why. Think I’d take traffic in Chicago over this . Will come back to see Grandson and his wife and friends that live close but dag gone sure not going back to Norfolk.

 

[Smithboomer]

My 55th is this summer also.
I will be working out of state so I'll miss it this year.
I've driven by the school recently and can hardly recognize the neighborhood.

 

[robertrwalsh]

My old high school was only actually there for 24 years, built for boomers. It is now a shopping mall, though they did keep the recreation field for the city park department. We have a web site and there are open-to-all-years mini-reunions every couple of months put on by one class or another. I have yet to manage to get to one, but it is only an hour and a half drive so eventually I will make it. I am only in touch with two or three classmates, and that only rarely.

 

[sjmjax]

I’m glad that you had the experience.

I was looking forward to my 50th reunion. Hadn’t attended some earlier milestone reunions.

Unfortunately, our 50th occurred during the peak of the COVID fiasco and was cancelled.

 

[lihpster]

I went to my 10 year. Everybody was still the same shallow idiots I didn't want to associate with in school, much less when I had a choice. I ain"t been to another. And even though I live in the house I grew up in and the landline hasn't changed, I don't get invites any more.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

The only constant.......Is change.

 

[Neumann]

My high school (and college) stop 5 year reunions after 50. I can now attend any fall reunion. Presumably the college will provide life support

 

[eb07]

What a night is all I can say. Saw old friends had not seen in 30 some years. Most looked very different but some looked almost the same as in 1970. Unfortunately 99% of the girls were Way over weight and completely unrecognizable. Had to get real close to tell who they were but without wife it was a chore. Even the girls I dated were hard to recognize, really tough time. Had forgotten some guys that I hunted with but felt like the good old days after a while. Several friends have kept in touch and we see each other every few months. One best friend did not come and he lives on the Outer Banks just down the coast. Got his phone number and will call him later today, the times we had. Left reunion before 9 as didn't want to drive when really dark. Went down a few roads used to travel all the time and its crazy how everything has changed. Houses, apartments and town houses everywhere, saw few building and houses I recognized.
Now the roads and traffic around here are some of the worst I’ve seen. Everybody said they don’t drive much except for the basics and can see why. Think I’d take traffic in Chicago over this . Will come back to see Grandson and his wife and friends that live close but dag gone sure not going back to Norfolk.

Ocean view isn't what it used to be and neither is little creek. Va beach encroached right up to the bridge.

I spent every childhood summer I can remember on 20th Bay Street. That house and all of the houses are long gone replaced with mcmansions.

This is the 80s but I miss it all the same.

I sure hope I'm fortunate enough to enjoy my 55th reunion and beyond.

 

[SMSgt]

Glad you enjoyed your reunion. My 55th is coming up in October, but I'm considering taking a pass on it. I joined the service a few months after graduating, and other than visiting my parents, I never really went back. I keep in occasional touch with a across-the-street buddy--pals since kindergarten--but really no one else I knew. Most of them stayed local, so I feel like a fifth wheel when I attend a reunion.

 

[max503]

Never been to one. 50th was a couple years ago. I figure, with the internet, if anyone wanted to get in touch they would. I've rattled a few cages but got little to no response so I don't try anymore.

If you ask me, those things are for the cheerleaders and the homecoming-court types.

 

[Rustyt1953]

My 50th is next August. I have been to the reunions when I was in town or available.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself at all of them as I saw everyone through the eyes of my youth and I never made enemies while in school.

 

[DWalt]

The first HS reunion I attended was my 40th. After that I decided it would also be my last. It became obvious that due to differences in our life experiences, I no longer had anything in common to discuss with my former classmates who were there, and all of the formerly hot girls of my class who attended had turned into aging versions of Mama Cass Elliot (if anyone remembers her). https://blogger.googleusercontent.c...cV86gd0wjK0UX4M/s797/cass-elliot-1960s-22.jpg

 

[lihpster]

Well, I was middle class in a wealthy town. I went to school with very entitled and judgmental people. A sample conversation from my 10 year went like this:
I was approached by a former classmate. Parents were both doctors 3 story house had 2, yes 2, 1963 Corvettes under cover and on dollies in the garage. Just to give you an idea.
Classmate: What do you do? (Seriously. Those were the first words he had spoken to me since graduation.)
Me: I drive a forklift for a glass company.
Classmate: Oh. I own a used car lot in Arizona.
Then he turned and walked away.
I find I am a much happier person the farther I stay away from people like that. Missing the reunions? Small price to pay and worth every penny.

 

[David1958]

Days change, seasons change......most people don't change much.
Older, balder, heavier and more cynical perhaps.
Good folks remain good folks, knuckleheads are still knuckleheads.
I'm in regular contact with (1) person from high school. Friends since we were six in 1964.
A message here or there from one or two others. That's it.
50th is next year. While it "might" be an interesting few hours of small talk & catch-up, I am usually late for the door at most social events with larger groups. Still running a business, so free time is precious and I talk to people all day, all week.
Guess that makes me the cynical one in the crowd...

 

[Greyman50]

One guy is in politics and very conservative, my other friends and hung around him for 30+ minutes. Another long time friend is the elevator guru that’s worked on elevators all over the world, even ones in the World Trade Center. He writes code for a major mfg now and will retire next year. Has a small ranch in Texas and I plan on going out there again, do lots of shooting. We talked about hunting tree rats on the farm and hanging out at Shoney’s on Va Beach blvd on Friday and Saturday nights. Sat with my friend and his wife, he’s a retired Va State Trooper. We had lots to catch up on and he’s not in good health, really worried about him. The “ Momma Cass” comment is perfect. All in all not a bad night.

 

[kmyers]

My 40th was 3 years ago. Better Half here charmed 'em and they all said you did marry up, I do not disagree. She asked how was I really back in the late 70s and early 80s and heard he was more than a bit of a weirdo. She just claimed so not much has changed since then. LOL

 

[pharmer]

Went to my 25th back in 1997. It was a hoot although the folks I hung with didn't make it. That hot girls got dumpy, the plain girls got hot. No interest after that, we're all geriatrics/ dead at this point. Joe

 

[grover99]

Some one just had to bring this up. By counting on my fingers the one coming up will the 61th. It is only 56 mies away but some how I feel that you can never go back and really how many of my class mates are left?

 

[DWalt]

I am not sure if my HS class had a 50th, if so, I received no invitation. There may not be enough of my classmates still alive to warrant having any more reunions. I do know that over the last five years, my three closest high school friends and several high school sweethearts have taken up residence under the sod. I still have occasional contact with two long ago high school friends who I know remain among the living.

 

[fatcat3]

Never been, have no intentions of ever going. Didn't like you SOBs 45 years ago; don't suspect I'll like you anymore now.