When has ANYbody ever known me to be quiet?

     Okay, here's a thought.  Many times different people would sit down by me to talk...  They have been reading my thoughts & feelings for 5 years now on our RHS_60sgrads list.  A lot have encouraged me to write because they liked the way I put words together.  But hardly any of these folks have written much of their own feelings & thoughts so I dont really know them anymore. 

     I still like them, love some of them, but here they all came to say hi, sitting down expecting brilliant discourse.  It was nice, really great they wanted a piece of me, but I found myself (much to my shock & dismay) blank, empty...  I didnt really know what to say (to many of these now strangers) that I hadn't written to them already. 

     Of course with the others that I have been personally emailing with back & forth, I had plenty to talk about.  It was just wierd to find myself sitting around people I really liked with nothing to say.  Totally odd.  And kinda embarrassing because they all expected me to be articulatingly brilliant & also to be Really Funny! 

     Well I was just nothing.  Might as well have been invisable, because my regular 'Felicia Flight Attendant' persona was gone, taking a break somewhere in the parking lot outside, I guess.  I dont know...  It sort of spooked me, this just never happens & I'm not sure I understand why it did.  Perhaps I was just overwhelmed by SO MUCH that was going on everywhere around us at all times! 

     At any rate, this is definately NOT one of the memories I recorded in my written journal they printed on the main website.  If I did, they could have written under it, "The brightly amusing Kathy Brodrick was a mute dork!" 

Oh, damn.  They found me out!  >.grin.<

An Introduction

MY Introduction:  by KMae

     Written for The Lesbian Lifestyle

     I was born in May of  '47 in Buffalo, NY & adopted in Cleveland, Ohio 3 months later.  I was raised in Dallas & Richardson, Texas...  Then moved with  my Brother & Parents to Los Angelos, California (after getting kicked out of college my Jr. year for dancing with a black student at a school dance.  It was 1968, but Texas still didnt recognize the Civil Rights Movement.  They should have been glad it was a boy! ) 

     That fall I became a Stewardess for a major airline to get to NYC to study dancing (I was born to dance!) with Luigi on Broadway, which I did until I got involved in Sex, Drugs &  Rock & Roll.  Or more like Rythmn & Blues, Soul & Disco.  Suffice it to say I blew my dancing career (which is the biggest disappointment of my life, addictions - Drugs, booze, SEX, food etc. - can seriously ruin & abort any future professional talent &  success,) but kept flying in order to support myself without having to get married. 

     In the early 70's myself & some other women started "Stewardesses For Women's Rights!"  Betty Freidan & Gloria Steinam helped us & we grew Big with women from All companies!  We changed a lot of things in the sexist airlines, but you can just never change enough.  I burned out, but many of those women went on to be our union leaders. I went on to find my true love, & it was a long search. 

     We are Flight Attendants now & I have just started my 38th year with the company, having cleaned up all drugs & booze 25 years ago.  I'm 58yrs & counting & feel it is a miracle I've survived thus far!  God, Goddess, Universe has blessed me with Doris, my beautiful partner of 24yrs whom I cherish more than anything, a little house for us to live in, a job to pay the bills & great people to fly with.  I am very happy.  

     I'd loved & lived with many men before finally coming out in my early 30's.  Imade bad choices with men & I made bad choices with women.  Not that I think being Gay is a choice.  Trying to be straight was more of a decision because it was easier in some ways, particularly back in those days.  Until I just couldn't stand it any longer, that is.  It was always like sleeping with the enemy.  Male entitlement is such a bore. 

     I have already written my "Coming Out" Chronicles, Searching for "The One" in 4 parts here, for The Lesbian Lifestyle.  It was wonderful to have the opportunity & female space in which to do so, & I don't want to repeat all that now, but it's in the archives! 

     I wish there had been something like this when I was young, but we didnt even have computers then.  I am grateful to Kelly (Ms. Goldstar Dyke) for creating such a great vehicle for us to write, share & enlighten each other.  And I appreciate all you bright Lesbians who take the time to send in your thoughts & stories.  You women rock! 

Love, Light & Peace to each of you.

KMae

 

Why I Love Reunions

 Why I Love Reunions

To the RHS Class of 65:

    Well, I fianlly had a minor epiphany this morning in church while thinking of you all & wondering why the heck I get so into these reunions.  Now don't go falling off your chairs at the mention of me going to church, heh heh!  It just so happens that my partner is a great gospel singer & I go to an all Black (CME) church & am even allowed to sing in the choir!  (Luckily they all sing way over me so that even if I bellow at the top of my lungs, nobody can really hear me in the cracks!) 

     Now I'm not preaching that anyone should go to church, in fact often times I'd just as soon stay in bed & sleep longer.  I fully believe that God, Goddess, Universe is everywhere & available to all.  Spirituality is a personal path & clearly there are many directions.  I have never found an organized religion that covers all I believe, but there is something to be said with the energy of sharing whether in a building or in an AA meeting, or in nature- my personal favorite.

   Anyway, I was thinking about what a survivor so many of us have become in life.   That is what I find most intriguing.  We are all miracles to have each gone thru our private storms, personal hells & ended up on our feet! 

    Even though many of us grew up white, privileged, pampered, entitled &/or spoiled,  [& so many others had to survive so much more, like say slavery & predjudice,]  we have still had our share of problems & pitfalls.  I find it exciting to see those I shared my childhood with (whether we really knew each other is beside the point, we were all there together one way or another.)   So when we go to our reunions I feel so glad to see how everyone is not only surviving, but flourishing & maintaining!  It is exciting & makes me happy. 

     So we are all MIRACLES & are surviving life's lessons thathave come our way!  I was wondering if anyone would care to write a few sentences, a paragraph or even more, whatever might come to you about this? 

What was one of the lowest points in your life?

What was one of the best parts of your life so far?

What was the hardest lesson to learn?

What was the best lesson you learned?

       or Anything that pops into your mind.

Thanks,

Kathy

 

Withdrawal

     I still seem to be in withdrawal from the Reunion.  I dont know why, it's been 5 days.  Maybe it's the constant rain outside, it IS rather depressing.  Summer is gone, Fall is definately here in the East & Winter is a'commin'.  Or maybe I'm just odd, I really enjoy stuff like that. 

     Mainly it was really cool to hook up (well not in the carnal sense, haha) with all the new email friends I've made thru the past 5 yrs, thanks to the RHS_60sgrads elist.  Of course it was super to see all the old kids I went to school with (& at this point we ARE ALL really OLD,) even some that weren't so kind to me in the past.

     I recognized a 'coming of full circle' at one point the last evening when I was seated next to memories of past childhood pain, & it just didn't seem to matter anymore.  Altho' it will always be part of who we Were, it now is incidental along the paths of growth that brought us to where we Are today. It had seemed personally shattering (& treacherously tragic) in my sweet, fragile 11th year of life & was always under the surface of my oozing, pubescent Jr.High/High School angst. Of course, in adulthood at 58 & 59 there is no drama & it seemed rather nice to have shared a short bygone & enjoy the moment.  Pleasant & neutral - though fleeting, the 'full circle' moment did not pass without my notice and a feeling of peace.   Growing up & old isn't all bad, bonds of harmony can be greatly calming. 

     All that blurbeled out, I'd like my point to be that my favorite times were learning more about people I never knew that well in school, & about those I email back & forth with.  It is good to share feelings without trying to impress each other & naturally find common interest &/or enlightenment. 

     Other than that, who WERE all those old farts I found myself surrounded with?  And who the HELL is that old lady staring back at me in our photos?  Yipes!  Life goes on.

920 Beechwood Dr. Richardson, Texas

     Oh my gosh!  I drove by my beautiful old house today & a "For Sale" sign was up in the front yard.  I went up the front steps & rang the bell.  Sam & Frances Crook generously let me in to look around.  Of course when I heard the sale price I knew I could never afford to buy it back.  As I began to walk thru the front hall I suddenly felt like crying.  That living room.  I used to practice the piano day in & day out there.  And we had our big birthday dinners in the dining room behind it.  Memories started flooding back.

     The den was next!  Oh my God!  Why did they paint over all that beautiful paneling & take the golden wire doors off the built in book cases?  It is now a pinkish beige den with light tan carpet.  They even painted the fireplace.  WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?  The best room in the house, & forget about it.  It's someone else's den.  And it's ruined.  BOO.

     The kitchen no longer has pink formica counters & bar.  It is brown.  Dark brown.  Now that just doesn't make sense.  The Brown den is pink & the Pink kitchen is brown.  The kitchen floor now has big, square light stone tiles.  That is nice.

     The garage is a playroom.  The back yard is quite lovely, there is a pretty pool, a carport, workshop, & the same great raised patio & built in BBQ ! 

     Now to go thru the bedrooms...  First there is still that squeak in the floor when you walk by the guest powder room.  Alan's room is white.  My room is white, AND is now an office.  WHAT??  Preposterous!  It used to be pink with beautiful pink wall paper on one side.  And it used to be so much bigger, or so I thought.  I guess because I was so much smaller 40 years ago.  Instead of carpet, there are cold, beige 2 inch tiles on both bedroom floors.  Go figure.  The bathroom separating our rooms is still that yucky green tub, toilet & tile, but now it oddly looks rather mint green & retro!  How many hours did I spend staring into the mirror over my sink praying to someday become beautiful when I would get my braces off. 

     Mother & Daddy's room now has a sliding glass door out to the pool!  That's the good news.  However, the tops of Daddy's long built in desk & the vanity in Mother's dressing room are no longer tourquoise formica.  They've been painted brown.  yuc.  Their bathroom... The exact same beige/brown tile combo, the exact same corner shower stall.  Wierd...  It felt haunted.

     As I walked around the property I was amazed at how beautiful the huge trees are!  It was all so vaguely familiar, but definately not the same.  I felt a twinge of saddness & sorrow.  I had always fantasized about buying our old house & living in it to make it a happy home, the way it should have been when we were around.  Although the outside is so much more fabulous, exquisite even - the inside is just no longer as beautiful.  Maybe that's because we're no longer there!!!  One thing for sure.  You can never really go home again.

      I'll be happy to get back to NJ, Doris & our humble, tiny abode.  That is MY home.  How could I even think otherwise?

My 40th High School Reunion Pt.3 DAY TWO

       My 40th High School Reunion  Pt. 3  

                           DAY TWO

     I was really tired the next day when I pulled myself out of bed to get to the luncheon planned at Chucks.  I was good to see Ann Love there, & Dena Merril too.  I would have really missed visiting with Ann so Im glad I went.  Kaye Dempsey Davis (she just never ages,) Margaret Steenson Filingeri (what is she, a size 4??!)  Bill & Margaret (so nice!) Stallworth Olderog (Bill is still so handsome & sweet for all you ladies that didnt make the reunion,)  Carol & Dave Frederick Covin (love them!) Dena Merril Harrison (she & her husband Michael have a big Kareoki busness going in Tx,) Ann (love her, a true sensitive soul)  & Alice Marie & John Wright Payn were all assembled & snackin' down.  It gave me a good opportunity to catch up with Alice & John & look at their wedding & honeymoon pictures!  Love is always so wonderous, better than anything else in the world!  I am so happy for them, they compliment each other perfectly!

     I'd been told that many were meeting in Bonnie's room to watch the Texas/OU game & have a few laughs.  I also heard that some of that group managed to set the alarm in Ann Upchurch Clark's room at 0645 the next day!!...  Very devious, haha!!  It wasn't me, Ann. (Ann, btw is still just exquisite!)  I know I missed a ton of Fun darn it, but I had other plans.

     Instead, I went to drive thru the old neighborhood again, I just can't seem to stay away.  The house I grew up in is 'For Sale' & I approached the front steps & boldly rang the bell!  How many times had I gone in & out of that door on dates & stood & kissed goodnight on that front porch?!  A kindly old man (he was probably a few years older than me) answered the door & let me in to look around!  I spent the next two hours in yesteryear as hiswife took me thru their home.  I have much to say about this & will send it out in a separate email.  I left truly feeling you cant go home again.  I proceeded to Dallas to check out the house I lived in thru the 5th grade.  It is so grande & Beautiful!  But most of the houses there on Glendora Ave in the Hillcrest district have been torn down & mansions have been built in their place.  Definately not My old neighborhood.  Once again it was confirmed; you can't go home again, & seriously why would I want to?

     Okay, so much for my little drive down my personal memory lane, I had to get back to dress for our Big Reunion Dinner!  I stopped by to see if I could help with the decorations but everybody had it covered & they were just finishing up!  The place looked great!  There was a board with messages from some who couldn't attend.  (This was a wonderful idea, & if any of you defer coming to the Next reunion I HIGHLY suggest you send a message for us.  It IS the least you could do!)  Better yet, be there or be square.  There were many boards with many pictures.  There was the L O N G, huge  mural of most everyone from our class.  Purple, white, & gold balloons were on the greeting table where Ann Richardson Rankin was handing out RHS65 baseball hats, a computer dvd with all of us on it, & a list of attendee's along with those wonderful yearbook picture nametags to wear! 

     I went up to change clothes.  What to wear, what to wear...  I'd brought 3 different (black shroud!) outfits & tried each one on.  Nothing really worked.  I put on a girdle to try to hold in my big gut & butt, but I pulled it off at the last moment.  Phuck that shit, love me as my bigger ole' self or just walk away, Renee'.  I settled on a sheer, beaded long tuxedo blouse & silk trousers.  To hell with it all.  I didn't have time to curl my long hair, so I pulled it back in a tight ponytale once again & told myself I looked chic.  My fingernails had broken off on my last flight, so I went with stumps, but then my nail polished bubbled up & there was no time to change that.  Who cares, I was over it by now. Enough time wasted on trying to get it together, I took my satin antique purse, walked out & slammed the door behind me.  It was my last night in town & I couldn't wait to get back to our class!

      The party was great!!  Everyone had arrived!  They all looked magnificantly beautiful!  It was so exciting!  Gwen Myer(fabulous, of course!  She now goes by Johnnye) & her handsome hubby Phil Summerson, Joe Bush (my Prince Charming from our 6th grade 'Snow White' show,) Marianna Butler Krystinik, Stan & Mary Ann Green, Lee Halford, Steve Higgins, Jim & Shan Fincher, Charles Major, Sam A. Martin, Sonny & Vickie Newsome, Judy & Jim Lawton Albert, Bob Shepard, Rick Sparks, Scotty & Lee Twitchell, Kathy & Don Warner Pederson, Barbie & George Bender Derby, Gail Thompson Peters, Ray & Sheila Zajicek, Mary Wise Thgompson, Connie & Bob Dent Rietschel, Glen Mims & Leticia, Ronnie Penix, Rosemary McCasslin Thayer, Patty & Stephen London Bonney, Carl Sherrin, (my 6th grade boyfriend) the Stringer cousins, Candy (sparkling) & Suzanne (exquisite) Linda Sims Michaels came back to us, Jim McConnell, Patricia & Frank Morris McGee, Richard & Lisa Bejcek, David & Sandy Cecil, Phil Cutts (looking so dapper, Im sure it was hard for him without Kaecie, It was hard for the rest of us too) Marilu & David Dooley Meredith & her Mom (Marilu looked resplendent!) the extremely talented & joyfull Carrell Lee Grigsby & her hubby Steve Etter, Doug Phelps (Lindyhopps online to our emailers) Linda Lisherness Hardy (just beautiful!) our Wonderful Wendall Housley, the infamously halarious Linda Chambers Rodgers & her adorable mom, Mary & James Wolff Franklin (still lookin' good after all these years,) Rosie & Sam Peterson Kartalis (damn, they look great, Rosie looks extrodinary!) Coach Broom & wife, Mr Passmore & wife, Gloria Snyder, & last but certainly not least, Leonards BEAUTIFUL mother & her friend.  God, who have I left out??  Im going blank.  Im sorry whomever I havent mentioned, & this page is only those I hadn't spoken of in my part two writing.  I was so happy to finally get to know Barbara Light Lacy (so cool!) & her adorable husband SalDe Jesus!  Barbie I miss the directory book you did last time!

     I tried to talk to as many as possible, but I didnt succeed very well.  The dinner buffet was excellent, I was starving after that crummy salad at Chucks.  After we all chowed down, visited, & yucked it up the real fun started.  First James Foos (looking really good) introduced Coach Broom telling a story about when he & friends papered Mr. Broom's house.  Then Linda Foos (she is beautiful!) introduced Mr Passmore speaking about being a school principle herself now.  But THEN Mr. Passmore got up (with a 4 inch goatee-beard looking more like a surviving beatnik/hippie than our illustrious principle) & began a hilarious monologue, going on & on, one zinger after the other, totally jubilant & visibly exultant that man Cracked us up, we were all on the floor laughing hysterically!!!  Now, did you EVER hear him make even a peep in school??  I didn't.  As John Roberts said shaking his head, he wasn't wasting it on us, he Definately wasn't wasting all that on us back then!   Wow, who knew??  Ole' Schecky Passmore was brilliant, a regular Milton Berle!  Now that was a true TREAT!!!

     After that Carrell Grigsby (Ms. Professional Photographer Johnson) directed us out into the atrium area & proceeded to take group pictures of us all, one after the other, to make a new long mural like the old one up on the wall.  Im thinking she'll put some up on our website too, maybe.  She was amazing, did all that so fast!!  No wonder she's so successful! 

      It was all so wonderful visiting with so many, if only for short increments at a time.  Slowly folks started dwindling out the door & before you knew it the clock struck midnight & workers came in & started tearing down the diningroom set ups.  Oh no, not yet!  Dena had brought her own printer & was giving out pictures she had taken of us all as souveniers, something I thought was exceptionally creative!  Crazy Ass LEOnard hung in there with me to the bitter end, till he too had to leave & hitch a ride home with Charles.  I just didnt want it to end, I just didnt want ANYone to go.  Kaye Dempsey Davis & I then migrated to the bar to join the last few straggling hold-outs:  John Roberts, Carol & Dave Covin, Patty & Stephen Bonney, Sam Martin & Doug Phelps.  Finally, they kicked us out of the frickin' BAR (oh yeah, it's Texas) so we all meandered out to the Lobby & sat there.  We just wanted the night to go on & on.  Eventually Kaye & I hugged everyone goodbye & forced ourselves into the elevator & up we went. 

     So there I was, back in my room #1509 looking at that slamming, panoramic view of the lights of Richardson in a trance.  It was finished, the party was over & I was deeply saddened.  It would have been easy to plunge into sorrow, & I began to feverishly review the happiness of the reunion so as to keep my spirits high.  So dreadful to think that we have to wait 5 more years till we're all together again.  I hope the leaders, the wonderful group that worked so hard to put this extravaganza together for us aren't suffering from post partem party depression today!   I could see how it might happened.  I began to slowly pack up my suitcases while I ran a hot, steamy bath.  I sat down & began to write what I remembered. Soon the sun would come up & I'd have to check out.  I didnt want the night to end, even sitting there alone.   Time for sleep, I'd need my wits to sit standby for a flight home on this holiday (Columbus) weekend. 

      With regret, I pulled out of the hotel & onto the Central Expressway the next afternoon.  As luck would have it, I knew the crew working my 300pm flight home & thankfully got on with a window seat, even!  The bad news:  We were delayed on the tarmac for 2 hrs before even getting in line to take off!  Not to worry, tho.  I had a whole big tablet of Richardson Hotel Paper & I would continue to work on this major epistle for my blog - as if anyone would ever want to read it.

      It was just a wonderful fun experience.  Thank you all, whomever put out all that energy to make this happen for us!! And thanks to all you grads who came.  We showed up for each other!  You are all just so swell, even the ones I might have forgotten to mention. Take care, may God watch over each one of us...  Until we meet again! 

My 40th High School Reunion pt2.

      My 40th High School Reunion,  Pt. 2 

                            DAY ONE   

     Who would have thought I'd have so much fun riding in the RHS Homecoming parade with Bonnie Wheat Chrisman on the back of a white '65 Mustang convertible?!  The rest of our classmates walked along behind,  Boy, was I ever the lucky one not having to straggle & trounce thru that little hike!  Margaret Steenson Filingeri (totally lean, high energy!) had no problem, being the champion runner that she is, but it was turning into a huff-a-thon for many of the others trying to keep up with Marilyn Tipton's (who looked great, is still so sweet & as beautiful as she ever was!  Thanks for giving up your car seat to me, M!) husband Bob Halpin driving us in his Mustang.  First Leonard ("Crazy Ass") Hough tried jumping on the back of the trunk to get a ride, but he kept sliding off with that narrow little tale of his!  haha!  Then poor Sherry Vaughn Faulkner (still so pretty & petite) got a blister & soon jumped in beside us. After that Selena Correll Cornwall leaped in with us (it was probably like another 3hr flight sprint in the back of a Super80 from DFW to LGA for her! - still one of AAL's finest!)  It was really hilarious to see the reaction of all those kids watching our class of '65 hobble along with our RHS 65 baseball caps on & altho' they were cracking up, I do think they were genuinely impressed.  As for Bonnie (who had a tiara on top of her RHS cap - is there ANYone funnier?? She is so much FUN!) & I, as well as Becky Brown Sebastian (another laugh riot!) riding shotgun - we couldnt stop laughing.  The 3 of us were quite the comedians, throwing out wisecracks about the situation like rounds from a machine gun.  We were hysterical!  Man, that was a gas!!!!

     After the parade we had a good BBQ buffet awaiting us at Linda Eppright (dang, she's still beautiful & refined!) & James Foo's church across the street from RHS, which has now been builtup AND out to look like a college campus.  Many more grads poured in as we all ran to greet each other!  Thank goodness for all those name tags with our '65 yearbook picture hanging around our necks, we would have never recognized half of those who came.  I finally got to meet many of you that I've emailed with, but had not known well in school.  It was exhilerating!  I really love you guys. 

     From there a bunch of us went across the street to the RHS Homecoming game.  The stadium was almost filled to capacity but we found about 5 empty bleachers at the very end of the "home side," enough for about 30 of us to fit in.  I couldnt believe we were sitting in our old stadium & looking at the very field many of us used to run or march on!  It was really kind of cool.  All those 'baby' Eagles down on the yard lines were hustling with all their might under those BRIGHT, beaming arena flood lights & the roaring crowds were deafening.  I watched all the kids in the stands, running back & forth, up & down, shouting to each other as they passed, looking for friends & hugging.  They were SO adorable.  Were we ever that young? 

     And my gosh, remember those mums with the purple & gold ribbon streamers we used to wear so proudly?  Thru the decades they've morphed into these gigantic creations with 3 inch white or purple stuffed little bears attatched to the big mums from which a gillion different Metalic streamers hang made of gold metal stars, metal hearts, metal letters spelling out names, jingling & jangling as the kids ran past along with really, really long ribbons flying behind all that clanging metal decoration (which as awesome as it was reminded me of those long beer can tab chains some of us used to make in college...)  (certainly not ME!! - hah!)

     The game itself seemed exciting (what do I know from football?) & I found myself jumping up & down, screaming as loud as anyone while tooting the little horn Bill Olderog gave me for the parade.  Bonnie's eardrums may never be the same.  I really couldnt believe it, I was having so much fun for someone who hates sports & was way over parades years ago.  When I first got our itenerary I thought to myself, 'what moron thought this crap up??'  Now I was thinking that person was a genious!   Of course Im sure it was the company I was with, all our classmates, still with the school spirit  including Linda Latimer fitting & looking fine in her Eaglette letter jacket! 

     Speaking of Eaglettes, I stayed for halftime (the most important part) to hear the bands & watch the drill teams.  The Eaglettes were adorable, just great, but of course our old fitted, satin uniforms & top hats looked MUCH better than the polyester crap they were wearing, & their bolero hats just looked lame.  Seriously.  Their dance routein was good, but there were only about 30 of them compared to our large drill core of the past.  One thing for sure... I'm glad we didnt have to do all those amazing jump splits they did over & over again.  Now that was impressive!  Well, times have changed:  The majority of us were still virgins back in our day, so jumping up high & landing hard in a split again & again could have easily put an end to all that!  Hah hah hah!  Just kidding. >grin!<

     After halftime I left & joined a party group over at the beautiful home of Ann, Ashley & Ken Richardson Rankin.  That was fun, looking thru annuals & catching up with the Rankins (SO welcoming & hospitable,) Tom & Shirley Prickett (Love their sense of humor,) Cheryl King Grey (what a gorgeous bundle of energy!) & her cute hubby John, & all the rest; my steam was running down by now Im sorry Im not mentioning everyone here.  Ann has decorated her home with great taste & art (esp Ken's!) & it was impecably tidy - a feat that has always escaped me, much to Doris' chagrin.  All my accumulated treasures & clothes makes our tiny house look like the bargain basement of a Salvation Army thrift shop in comparison!  One of these years I'll get around to weeding it all out.  I have to say that all the neighborhoods of Richardson are really beautiful & so nicely landscaped now.  I remember when growing up, all our houses were brand new & we started from scratch with our yards.  That community pride is still obvious there in Richardson & it's a lovely pleasure to drive thru!

     I returned to the Richardson Hotel & stopped to chat with John Roberts in the bar.  What a polite, interesting person!  He has published about 54 mystery novels & other books.  And he has had a variety of interesting past adventures to talk about.  It was great discussing how growing up in Richardson in the 50's & 60's affected us in the past & comparing it to today in the present, for him in New Mexico & for me in New Jersey.  We ran in different circles in high school, so it was good getting to know him now as an adult.  Soon Carol  & Dave Frederick Covin came to the bar & we all moved to a table & enjoyed visiting.    I didnt know Carol that well in school either, & she has turned out to be one of those magnificant late bloomers!  These were some of the smart kids & wow, did they bloom, bourgeon & transform!  I really liked Dave, he was funny & I could just see the mischief he must have gotten into when  he was little kid, he still has that twinkle in his eyes.

     What a neat day!  I didnt want it to end.  I begrudgingly pushed myself into the elevator.  Then I fell into bed exhausted.

      

Going To My 40th High School Reunion

Going To My 40th High School Reunion            by Kathy Brodrick  

     Why is it every time you go back home to a high school reunion you start feeling like a gawky, dorky teenager again?  Tomorrow I will go to my 40th class reunion & it's starting already.  I'm positive I got on the airplane (albeit huffing & puffing thru those wretched security lines) at EWR as a full-grown (yeah, all right I've padded on some poundage since 1965) adult on the brink of near senior citizenship, complete with grey hair & that frightful menopausal gutt.  But here I sit zooming over the clouds thru the sky towards DFW feeling so small & regressing by the hour back to those days of adolescent insecurity.  What shall I wear?  What will they think?  How will I look compared compared to all my schoolmates?  

      Of course I know intellectually that none of this really matters.  Im happier now than I ever was back in Richardson, Texas.  But even still, my inner lost child that teetered on the coveted cusp of coolness in the 60's is raring her teased (dare i say ratted?), sprayed, bleached - blonde flip!  With what used to be big wide, brown eyes blinking with innocence, I now sit squinting thru tri-focals & wonder what I've gotten myself into!   I've come a day early so there is plenty of time to rent a car & find my way thru the maze of highways, expressways, & toll ways that not only weren't here when I left in '68, but are delayed with slow, eeking, bumper to bumper traffic complete with total roadways closed due to construction & detours leading in circles, or at times to nowhere.  Much like parts of my life back then.   The first thing that strikes me is the BIG SKY in Texas, oh WOW!  I forgot how it just goes on forever!  Then there is the air, that sweet, wafting breeze that winds it's way thru my psyche & tugs at my heart strings reminding me that I am HOME...!  I easily find the old neighborhood, the familiar avenues, my old street Beechwood Dr. & there it is!  The house I grew up in!!  What a beautiful sight!  That gorgeous, sprawling rancher with jagged bricks & an Asian grillwork at the front steps.  Those little baby sticks my parents planted are now huge, beautiful, graceful swaying trees!  How is it possible that I only wanted to escape home when growing up here?  I always wanted to be out, going to Deuback's Skating Rink, to the movies, to the Dairy Queen, around the corner at my best friend Tina's - ANYwhere but here!  It was safe to be a kid back then, & it looks as if it is still safe around here now.  But times have changed & so it seems have people.  Or have they?  

                   To be continued tomorrow