The Voice

First thing Saturday morning TLE suggests we get outside the hotel....I hadn't been outside since Thursday night around 9 pm.....not that I wanted to be outside on Friday....it was 105 degrees.  We decided to walk 1.6 miles over to the local Starbucks for some ice coffee (for TLE) and a mocha frappuccino for me.  As I expected it was quite humid, and getting warm fast.  Nevertheless it was a pleasant walk as we dodged from one side of the street to the other in constant pursuit of shade....it wasn't too bad in the shade, but in the direct sun light it was very, very intense.   Just after we had arrived, and were sitting down to consume our orders TLE got a text message from one of her sisters, Laureen, wanting to know if we were up yet.....she replied that "yes" we were up, and had walked over to the Starbucks.  Within a few minutes she joined us, and we sat talking for close to an hour.  By that time it had gotten a lot hotter and we accepted her gracious offer to give us a lift back to the Marriott.  

I had planned to go back upstairs and take a shower, but was waylaid, in the best sense of the word, by some friends who had just arrived for the reunion.  I think it was about 10 am by this time.  The next time I looked at my watch it was 2 pm, and I hadn't had a shower yet, so I, with great difficulty, extricated myself from the hospitality room and headed upstairs for a shower.  I was back downstairs within the hour, and the conversations continued until close to 5 pm when I decided I needed a break, and time to get ready for the banquet that evening, which started at 7.

The one and only downside to arriving early this year for the reunion is that my voice is not cut out for talking 12-14 hours a day.  A little before midnight Saturday night I was getting hoarse.  All that being said, Saturday was the highlight of the reunion for me.  Many of the local folks who were just coming for the main event Saturday began arriving, and, of course, we talked and talked, and talked, and talked.  We arrived in the banquet hall around 6:50 and quickly found a table with long time friends Alan and Carole Ann.  Alan and I had flown together from Southern California to start college.  I've know Alan since the 7th grade, and Carole Ann since summer camp back in the late 60's.  Within a few minutes Carole Ann's sister, Milly, and her husband had joined us and then my brother and sister-in-law, Glenn and Laureen joined us.  Our last friend to join us was John.  We sat talking about old times,  in some cases sharing things about our youth we had never revealed before.  It was a delightful evening of giggling and out right laughter, and to boot, the food was very good.

After we finished eating the DJ began to play 60's music, and TLE and I walked around finding more friends who had just arrived.  I talked with Connie and Jim (I've known Connie since the early 60's) about their 3 month motorhome trip up into the Pacific Northwest, into Canada, and down through Colorado back to East Texas.  We'll be back in Texas after the first of the year, and made plans to get together with them.  I had no idea they even had a Class A motorhome, and now there is the possibility we may cross paths on the road.  I found out that another long time friend, Gina, has been living in a beautiful 38' 5th wheel with four slides for a few years now.

(As I sit here composing this blog entry I am sipping hot coffee and feeling the soothing effect of it on my tired throat, as I bask in the pleasant memories.)  

TLE had already headed upstairs an hour, or so earlier, so I began my exit from the hospitality room, but not before one more conversation with my friend Carl, who had been trying to pull me aside most of the evening.  I found out that he had been following our adventures and wanted to let me know he had worked most every year at the INDY 500 since some time in the 90's EXCEPT for this year.   And the world gets smaller!  We talked for a few minutes about our mutual experiences, and people we knew there.  I arrived back upstairs around 12:15 and just lay down and closed my eyes for a while....TLE was in bed reading.....I was just trying to let all of the conversations sink in.....I felt like I was on sensory overload.

One more day, Sunday, of saying "until next time", but I know, and our friends know we may not see some of these people again in this life.....just since the last reunion 2 years ago a number of people have passed on, so in some cases the "until next time" may transition into "goodbye".  I don't like thinking of it in those terms, but that is the reality of being almost 64 years old now....you don't know when your number is up, and we are in that part of our life where we get those unexpected, and heart breaking e-mails, or phone calls announcing the passing of another friend.  Frankly, the expenses associated with making this trip put a little strain on our budget, but we knew we needed to come this year for this very reason.....this may be the last time we get to see some of these people again, so we made it work, and are so glad we came.  For all I know I may be one of those who is not around next year.....I feel fine, and have no medical issues, but that is no guaranty.  I guess what I'm trying to convey is that if you get an opportunity like this don't hesitate too long.....go for it....don't think "I'll go to the next one"....there may not be a next for you, or for someone you wished you could have seen and talked to one more time.

Thanks for stopping by!