Al Izzo

20th High School Reunion

In July of 2000, I returned to Watertown, New York for my 20th High School Reunion.
I hadn't been to Watertown in about 10 years, and hadn't seen my classmates in a longer time than that.

On Friday night, we had a casual party at the Sackets Harbor (we used to call it 'scratch-it harder') Playhouse, a comedy club. 

This opening event is the part where everyone wanders around like dogs in a park, sniffing each other (metaphorically, of course) to see if they should remember each other or not.

We all wore badges with our yearbook photos on them, so you could identify some folks (more importantly, it was the first time most of us were ever allowed to stare at the cheerleaders breasts without getting hit).

All the girls said, "Glenn, you look the same. That's great". 

Randy Blevins and Wife

Sandy Savoy and April Taylor

It was a lie - and a nice one - but all the same, it's not actually good news.
I tell them, "But you guys wouldn't date me in high school, so I don't really want to look the same".
They laugh.

Then I say, "This is the part where you're supposed to jump in and tell me how you secretly had a crush on me back then".
They laugh.

Which is why I dated girls from younger classes.

Most of the night was a battle with memory. Sometimes the memories won, sometimes they lost.
I woke up the next morning, however, and found that all the memory 'seeds' that had been planted the night before were now flowering with a vengeance. 
I remembered everyone and everything. Sometimes, too vividly.

I got together with C.J., Chris, and Oscar each day and we discussed how time had treated everyone by building our 'fab' and 'flab' list.

Oscar and C.J. at the Crystal Restaurant

Larry Myers and Wife

In fact, the gathering looked more like a weight-watchers meeting than a reunion (though, what could look more like a weight-watchers meeting than a reunion?).
My post-graduation 30 pounds ensured that I made the 'flab' list.

Anyway, the Saturday night dance was fun, since I could now recognize everyone. And it was relatively safe, since a few people there knew CPR.

Stories were told, hugs were hugged, pictures were taken, and finally, the only question left was, When do we do this again?