Sunday, October 16, 2011

20 Year Class Reunion of Rochedale State High

Last night, I went out to the Beach House Bar & Grill at Mount Gravatt for my 20 year class reunion.  It was a great night.  However, before it all began, Brisbane was attacked by a massive storm for about an hour.  The blue/black clouds descended upon us and poured rain, hail and wind rattled around us.  It was a freaky storm to start the evening.  However, before long, it was finished; and I readied myself to go out.
Dad picked me up and dropped me at the place and I found I was about half an hour early; but I wasn't the only one.  There were others who were sitting around watching either the footy or the horse races on the televisions around the place while they had something to drink or eat.  But, then, people began to arrive and I climbed the stairs to find about ten people already there.
We were handed our name tags and a beer cooler when we entered the place.  It was nice to have something to take home and to remember the night by.  I put mine in my bag straight away so I didn't lose it and then began to try to take photos.  However, not that many people wanted to be in them; pity, as I really did want to get into the spirit of the night and grab as many photos as possible before too many people left.  





The place became packed - and loud - and the band (Theory) played a few sets before Kylie Lovejoy made an appearance at the door with her guitar.  She put her equipment at the stage and went around to everyone and then got herself a drink and sat down.  It was very cool she attended; and better still that she decided to play a set with the band. 
I found that a lot of people there still hung out in the groups they did when they were at school; it was really strange.  I tried to talk to them - without letting those years take me back to those times - but it was them who did that, not me.  The snobs were still snobs, the clicky groups were still the clicky groups and the quiet groups were still the quiet groups.  So, it was an amazing kind of experiment where physically we all changed, but mentally, we gravitated toward our old social groups as though nothing had changed; when really it had.
I found out that one of our classmates had died over the last year or so.  Brendon Jones - one of the funny guys from my Care Group - went out on a deep sea fishing trip and never came back.  I was told that by one of the people I ran into, and it's completely shocked me as I thought he was one of the nicer people I knew then.  What a waste to somebody who was so funny at school.
Well, the night was really great otherwise.  Most of the people I talked to were married, were in relationships or had partners.  I was about the only single person there who had never married or had children.  But a lot of people did tell me that I hadn't change a single bit since high school.  One woman - Nicole - came up and told me that I didn't have a single wrinkle (except laugh lines) and my hair was exactly the same colour as it was in high school; and she was amazed that I haven't changed in anyway.  I thought that was really lovely and sweet.  Then, Kylie Lovejoy said that she and I were the only two who hadn't physically changed all that much in the last 20 years; she found that amazing.  I said that she hadn't changed at all; and she said the same thing right back smiling.  It's so great when people you haven't seen in so long say that about you; and then you see somebody who's exactly the same as you and you can say the same thing about them.

Well, there was a lot of food - more than enough - and we were all given two tickets to have free drinks at the bar during the night.  Our $25 covered the drinks, food and a band for the night; until around 11:30pm.  This was a great deal; and a great evening.  I totally enjoyed myself.  The greatest thing was that I wasn't the only one who didn't remember everybody; there were others who barely knew anyone else.  But I guess that's what reunions are about, getting back in touch with people who you've lost touch with; and kick starting the memory of them again.  

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