The 20 Year Reunion, Part 1

I drug Amy to my 20 year high school reunion mixer last night. We met at Jackson’s Bar right across from Coors Field. Tonight we’ll eat dinner at the Aquarium.

Confession 1: I was nervous and a bit anxious about going. In fact, a couple of times I thought about looking at Amy and saying – ‘Hey, let’s go rob a bank instead.”

But we had already paid for the weekend. So we were going.

Confession 2: I graduated with over 550 people in my class. 20 years ago. I hadn’t seen any of them since. Would any of us recognize each other?

Reality 1: There will be people at any reunion that either have super-photographic memories OR they’ve spent the last 3 weeks scouring over the yearbook. I am not one of those people. I had a few people holler my name, hug my neck and I had no idea who they were.

That of course led to the awkward moment of when I had to say – “You know…I gotta tell you, I’m not sure if I know who you are.”

Reality 2: Some of us never grow up – it’s a good thing. Lots of laughs, lots of ‘remember the time’ stories. I think the greatest compliment I got was – “You look exactly the way you did in high school.” The second greatest compliment was upon hearing that I was now a youth pastor. “Oh my gosh!!! That is so YOUUUU.”

Reality 3: Some of us never grow up – it’s a bad thing. There was one guy at the reunion that was really having a good time. Still being barely able to talk coherently after more than a few brews. He’s still funny. He still makes you laugh but in the back of my mind I wonder – is this the highlight for him? There’s got to be more there, right?

Reality 4: You’ll connect with someone at a reunion that you never connected with at high school. And it will be awesome. Met a guy that lives in Parker, loves Jesus now and in high school we might have said two words to each other. It was great. Another gal – actually his sister-in-law – that both of our families hit it off.

Reality 5: There are some friends that you can pick up right where you left off. Mike Greenwood, Paul Velakaneye, and I hung out all time. Mike and Paul roomed together at college while I left the state entirely. (I think Paul never forgave me for that.) Talking with Mike was awesome, still easy-going yet speak what’s on my mind kind of guy.

I’m very glad I went. I’m looking forward to tonight.

Greatest Verbal Exchange of the Evening:
“Grant, didn’t you move into Rangeview in the middle of your junior year?”

“Yeah…but sitting the bench on the basketball team, I actually made a lot of friends.”

“Did you play on the state championship team your senior year?”

“No. I got cut. Then half the team got ineligible. But that time I was doing the ‘thespian’ thing.”

[Long Pause]

“That must have been very rewarding for you.”

I don’t think we stopped laughing for five minutes.