Peruvian Nights and Jamaican Days

REUNION

Howdy..here goes...

Last week was my high school reunion. Overall, a good time. The turnout was lackluster, at best. Of course, I was not present for the tomfoolery at Gibb's, nor was I present at the new high school tour, nor the Bar-B-Q. So it goes. I hope I didn't miss any Fairbury brand hot dogs.

I did attend the dinner Saturday night in the Primavera Room at Valentino's. Andy M, who used to work at Valentino's, added even more to the ambiance of that classy joint when he pointed toward the restroom in the corner and said, "that's where I used to take dumps." The food was decent, but NOT worth $18 per plate. Oh well. I won the award for Most Interesting Job, or something like that. Only because Lindsey C. nominated me, because I had told her before that I was working on a NASCAR pit crew, or farming rutabagas, or something. For some reason, when they announced my name, I stood up and just started talking and talking like an idiot. Not about my job or anything. Well, I did say that I was an ecologist, and that I count birds. Later, at the bar, people that hadn't been at the dinner told me they heard I was studying dirt in Montana. K. The other classy thing about the Val's dinner was that you had to bring your own wine or beer. Me & moon left and got some Busch Light or something, which made the meal seem all the more classy.

As I alluded to, most folks went to the bar after the dinner. Risky's. It's a bar in the old Kmart. It was actually a decent bar. I sat near where the ladies underpants used to reside. Bennett was there. I talked to quite a few folks. Many of whom I never really talked to in high school. Kendra had after-hours at her parent's house. Weird. It was NOT the same assemblage of people you would have seen hanging out at Kendra's parents house 10 years ago. Not even close. But it was fun, and all got along well. Did I mention I had lots of adult beverages? Beers, martini, whisky. I think I stayed out until 4. I felt tired Sunday. So it goes.

People I didn't get a chance to talk to, but wish I would have: Angela I., Justin J. Dan H., and many others. I talked to Bonahoom, but not as much as I'd have liked to. Same with Moon, and Jeff C. Kendra and I kept getting 5 words into a conversation before someone else hopped in and started talking. So it goes. Tim E. and I fell into a lengthy conversation about Resource Optimization Theories of Dumpster Diving. That guy is smart.

Several people's necks seem to have disappeared. Not that many people got real fat. Or maybe those people just didn't show up. Nobody but me had a beard. A few got a little bald. So it goes.

'Tiska, remind me to send more details & stuff.

This evening I worked more on the stone path in my yard. I've been picking up limestone from the side of the road, or from developments, or wherever, and slowly building a path. OK, very slowly. Rocks are heavy.

Now would be the time for me to reflect on how I've changed, etc. I don't really feel motivated, though. OK, maybe not that much has changed.

Sometimes, I sit down to write, and great stuff happens. Usually, this happens.

So it goes.

-m