Mom's High School Reunion: A Night to Remember!
I went with my mom to her high school reunion. Yes, you read that right - my mother's high school reunion. It was definitely one of the top five decisions I ever made. You might be wondering how I ended up on such an unexpected trip across the country, so allow me to fill you in.
Typically, someone attending their 40th reunion would bring their significant other, right? Well, my dad was born in the Bronx and raised in Queens. He's one of the last people who would willingly attend a social gathering in a tiny town in Ohio, let alone a high school reunion. When I say tiny, I mean the downtown is just a Dairy Queen next to a car wash.
I volunteered to step in for two reasons: first, to save their marriage (I'm kidding); and second, to see where my mom grew up, because how often do you really get to visit a town so small it lacks a single grocery store? A delightful bonus was meeting extended family members I hadn't had the chance to meet. I got to connect with my uncle, half-uncle, great-uncle, and cousin! While I already shared my dad's background, my mom's story is a bit different. She grew up in foster care, which is why I hadn't met much of her family until now, it's complicated!
Despite being the youngest attendee by about 30 years, I had an incredible time. Watching adults revert to their teenage selves was fascinating and I highly recommend it. The reunion was a three-day event that started at a local winery with live music. On that night, I saw my first lightning bug! Have you ever seen one? It can also be called a firefly.
The next day featured a dinner where they played a Jeopardy-style game about their high school years and enjoyed a surprisingly fabulous meal. The most surprising revelation of the night was learning that my mom and her classmates used to "hire" younger students as their personal assistants. What a life!
The final day was capped off with a picnic at a stunning property belonging to one of the reunion attendees. As an Arizonan, I was shocked to see such vibrant color. Listening to their stories from the 80's taught me a lot about how rapidly times change and the differences between generations. It was refreshing to see many of them put old high school squabbles aside and reconnect. My favorite part was seeing my mom reunited with her high school best friend. Despite their differing personalities, they've stayed in touch all these years! It was such a treat to meet her and even convince them to take a celebratory shot together. ;)