But the years passed. I went away to college, came back, moved away. Others moved away as well, some far, some only to the next town or the next county, but through it all I lost touch.
Of course, it’s only in the past few years that I’ve reconnected with some of my family members, some of those aunts and uncles and cousins who for so many years were an integral part of my life.
Back to reconnecting. . .
Facebook has helped. I’ve found several of my high school and college friends though some are still missing. While most of my time on FB is spent playing games, I enjoy reading statuses, finding out what my friends are doing, and commenting to show my interest. I should probably get better at filters, using them to check groups of friends and family. I’m sure I miss quite a bit.
Through Facebook I’ve also reconnected for face-to-face meetings as well. An invitation I received through a FB friend led me to the Brownstone Cafe in Middletown. Yes, I’ve been there before — many times. After all, it’s just down the street from my parents’ house, not to mention that this was the location of my parents’ bank when I was very young.
At any rate, the “Girls of ‘71” meet once every three months for breakfast. In the past almost-two years I’ve only managed to make it twice. I wish I could have joined them other times but it’s a fairly long drive for breakfast, especially if it falls on a weekend when my parents are out of town.
I also finally made it to a high school reunion — our class’s 40th. I almost went to the 35th, but that one was held in Baltimore and I didn’t want to travel from north-central PA for that. The ones before that? Let’s just say that I had a little too much baggage. But the 40th? Food and conversations at Sunset Golf Course.
It was a fun time, but so many missing faces. They read off the list of those who had passed on, those who are no longer with us. Even sadder was to hear that one of my classmates, Janet, was in the final stages of cancer. I went to her wedding, have memories of her throughout high school. I wish that I had reconnected, but that never happened, never will.
Ok, on to less sad topics. . .
Still, the bulk of my contact with high school friends is through Facebook. This past weekend is an example. Lynne Hughes Jacobs. I remember her from 6th grade or so, maybe not until 7th, with plenty of fun memories (some of which are on my list to recount here “some day”). She saw my novelist banner.
This prompted her to ask what I was writing and whether she could read anything. I sent her the link to this blog. Ok, I haven’t added too many entries but she coudl relate to what I had written. We messaged back and forth and she sent me an email including scans of a birthday card sent to her.
Peep, Soot, Vickie. My mom, my dad, and me. Lynne couldn’t have been more than two years old, maybe three, becaue Donnie, my brother, was born when I was two and three-quarters years old and he’s not listed. Neither Lynne nor I know how our parents knew each other — aside from the birthday card that she came across as an adult. We only know our friendship as starting later, sixth grade or so.
As I said before, Lynne and I shared some memories through messages and emails, but then I sent her a photo, a mystery.
The original of the scan is a 1 1/2 x 1 1/2” print. Rea & Derrick’s photo prints (remember, this was before digital!) came with a 4x4” and two of those smaller prints. I have only the small one, so it’s not completely clear. We know who’s in the picture: Steve and Bill, two other long-term friends, are there with Lynne and me. It looks like it was taken in someone’s basement, obviously near Christmastime. But what are we wearing? Paper dresses? And why? What was the occasion? So many lost memories.
But I suppose there’s still hope of recovering some information about this. I’ve posted the photo on Facebook. Maybe one of our other friends will be able to explain it.
And if not, maybe we’ll at least reconnect with some other memories.
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