Reunion

I attended my 50 high school reunion in Hamlin, Texas last weekend. Homecoming reunions in small Texas towns are always wonderfully the same, but unique. First of all, all the men wear hats. The policemen directing traffic in the Homecoming Parade stop and talk to those on the float. People line the parade route in lawn chairs and children hover waiting for treats.

At homecoming, there are certain requisites: the barbeque before the big game in the high school cafeteria with chocolate cake and cafeteria peaches. Then the game where everyone is dressed in school colors (green and white, Hamlin Pied Pipers) even dogs. Since when has it become a thing to bring your small lap dog to a football game? I saw at least 4. The marching band blessedly interrupted the dull game. I noticed that twirlers are out of the picture--now they twirl guns and carry flags. I miss the sequined twirler. Of course the king and queen are crowned and the Coming Home King and Queen are presented. I endured all four quarters of the game chatting with my friend Paige Baize and other classmates.

Our party after the game was rife with cokes, dips and sandwiches and catching-up. There were so many pictures of children and grandchildren, I couldn't get around to seeing them all. We had 42 in our graduating class; 12 have died. Of the remaining 30, 24 showed up. I think that is a phenomenal number. There were two others living in Hamlin that didn't show.

On Saturday we were loaded on a cotton trailer and became part of the parade. There were about 8 floats mostly about God and country, all manner of decorated bicycles and wagons. The Homecoming Royalty rode in the back of a pick-up truck on lawn chairs. As we rode, we threw green and white beads (shades of Mardi Gras) to the dancing children.

A steak dinner rounded out the weekend. What a joy to see friends and trade stories.