Class of 1981, 25th Year Reunion

Saturday night I went to my Class of 1981 high school reunion, celebrating 25 years since our graduation. I'll admit I was ambivalent. Back in August or whenever I first got the invitation, I thought it was a great idea. After I sent the check, I pretty much changed my mind at least once a week about wanting to go. Saturday I was convinced it was a mistake.

I went with a couple of classmates that are still among my *tribe* - I see them regularly, one of them was my matron of honor. We left the husbands at home, why torture them? I figured at least I'd have them to hang out with.

I graduated from an all-girl Catholic high school, my graduating class was about 150 girls. How is it possible that there were people I don't remember ever seeing in high school? I swear, I felt really bad, there were a couple of the girls who made a point of saying hello to me that, as far as I'm concerned I'd never seen before. Even after surreptitously glancing at their name tag - nothing!

The event was held at a trendy tapas restaurant, open bar, "heavy appetizers", door prizes, etc. Among the items on display were our old school uniform, a god-awful polyester monstrosity. The material was magically excruciatingly hot when it was warm, and ice cold when it was chilly. They also had our PE uniforms on display - basically bright blue full body bloomers - it was just SO wrong! I've decided the nuns made us wear them to build character. there is no way anyone could have looked at those and said - those are nice, let's have those be the school's uniforms. Thankfully - albeit unfairly - they've since changed the uniforms to more humane Lacoste-type shirts and pants. Of course these new girls with their tolerable uniforms won't have nearly as much character as we do.

As it turned out I wound up seeing a lot of really cool women and having fun after all. I re-met a really nice girl with whom I was sort of friends in school - nuns have a compulsion to seat you in alphabetical order and this girl sat if front of me in many classes. We had a great conversation during which she told me that she too had married an "americano" - she's Cuban-American like me - from out of town. And also like me she has no children. I made a point of giving her my card and I plan to get together, this time with our husbands. I'd like to rekindle that friendship.

So, in addition to a bottle of wine door prize, a goodie bag with all kinds of stuff, a video of class of 1981 memories, I may have made a new old friend! All in all, a good night!