Saturday, May 17, 2008

OLD FRIENDS AND TIMES PAST

Three weeks ago I took a boat to Annapolis for my class reunion. I June of 1963 there were 896 men who graduated and went out to the fleet and for the last time the Air Force and Army. We know that about 120 have passed away, but we still managed to get about 400 to at least one of the events.

Of the 36 men in my company, we know that 6 have died. We have lost contact with three and of the rest 22 showed up for at least part of the weekend. That is a remarkable turn out. Most of my friends are still married to the women they dated at the Academy. It was a happy time but also a melancholy time. My friends and their wives were also friends of Ellen and we had gotten together several times over the years.

Nonetheless, we spent the weekend telling lies and sea stories, which are probably the same thing and promised to meet again in 5 years for our 50th reunion. I hope that we will all be above ground and vertical still. A lot of the conversation involved our assorted medications, procedures and illnesses. One can only try to keep on keeping on.

For me, the highlight of the trip was that I traveled to Annapolis by boat. I took a Carefree Boat Club boat on the 120 mile trip to the reunion and then slept aboard for the week. The hotel savings were largely eaten up by the current cost of gasoline, but I wouldn't have missed it. We were delayed by fog and rough weather but it was quite an adventure.

One of the interesting things was that when I woke up one morning after one of the parties, it took me about a minute to realize that this time it really was the room that was moving.

The Adventure continues.

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