Twenty years, or How i finally went back to Sharon, Massachusetts
Yesterday, I went back to the town where I grew up, Sharon, MA, for something related to my school-life. It was a Drama Club reunion (yep, for those that don't know, I was a performing arts geek EVEN back then ;-). It was hosted by everyones favorite Music teacher from back then, Mr John Ford. He was THE music teacher in Junior High, that everyone loved, whether or not you liked music. On a personal note, it was the "trifecta" of Mrs Hall (elementary school), Mr. Ford (Junior High), and Mrs Hughes (High School), that always made music fun for me & encouraged what ever musical path I took. The sad thing is that, just a few years after I graduated High school, due to budget cuts, he and a number of other good teachers were let go. But I am happy to say that he stayed in Sharon, changed careers, and is now one of the most respected police officers in the town.
But to get back to my original "story":
For some time now, I've been considering what to do about my upcoming twenty year high school reunion.
When I left Sharon High in 1989, I hated (strong word, but that is how I felt), the school, and MOST of my classmates. The town itself was(and probably still is) a very snobby Jewish town, which my family had moved into when I was 8. To this day, I'd like to think/hope that I didn't pickup on those "snobbish" traits. I was never in the popular crowds, because even by second grade, when I came into the town the "cliques" had already been formed. We were moderately "well off" but we weren't rich. On top of that, admittedly, I was the over emotional kid, that got picked on by most of the other kids. That being said, over time I did find/create a small collection of friends. The one area, that I did enjoy, was the music, and arts programs. So I did get to know a few people, both in my grade, and others, that were in some ways, kindred spirits. But I didn't interact much even with them, because I still needed to grow up/find myself. Something I didn't REALLY do until college. So I left High School, vowing never to come back. I had no interest, care or desire to see the majority of these people EVER again. Turn the page..
(insert black screen with Title: TWENTY YEARS LATER )
Back in October, I joined Facebook, on a whim, and I start getting "friended" by people from high school, most I remembered, some I didn't. Shortly thereafter, talk started regarding our 20 year reunion, and all the old feelings start coming back. Thoughts that I had long since pushed into the past. But quickly my childhood came back to remind me: "Why the hell would I want to go back to Sharon and see all those people that I didn't care for back then, just for the VERY SMALL percentage of those that I would want to see?" It is planned for this upcoming November, so I still have time to think about that. Then, about a month ago, a Sharon Drama Club group popped up, and immediatetly talk of a gathering started. It was all planned by other people, but I was invited, and still I'm thinking, "Do I really want to go back and see these people?" Even up until Friday, the day before, I hadn't confirmed my RSVP. Finally, curiousity got the better of me, and these WERE people that I at least had some good interaction with way back when... I would go, yes, I would go.
Off I went, still battling twenty year old "demons" in the car. In fact I can recall saying to myself, even as I turned onto the street where I was going: " I still have time to change my mind". Pushing through that, I got out of the car , walked up to the house, and was greeted by a small gathering of approximately 15 drama club members & of course Mr Ford (now with most of us somewhat awkwardly, just calling him "John"). At first I swear that I was seeing caricatures of the people that I had known 20 years earlier. Some with less hair, others thinner, others not, amusingly enough ALL the guys had goatees (myself included). We all did the "catch up" talk, to see where everyone was in their life. Mostly laughs were had by all, not a lot of super serious conversations went on, even the yearbooks came out! It wasn't painful, Everyone was decent, and anxious to hear about everyone else. Again on a personal note, I was able to personally thank Mr. Ford.... um... John, for being one of the strongest musical influences in my life, and that I am still singing today, due to him and Mrs Hall, Mrs Hughes.
So, I did go back to Sharon, Massachusetts, It wasn't painful, It wasn't horrendous. Although this was a Mini-reunion, I can see that it won't be so bad, in November. If this was just a sampling of what I will see come November, I see that we've all grown up. Maybe all those old feelings that have flooded back, will be washed away, when I see what has become of the rest of my class. So in November, I will go, yes, I will go.
In the end, I refused to live in fear of twenty year old memories and I'm VERY glad that I went.
:-)
But to get back to my original "story":
For some time now, I've been considering what to do about my upcoming twenty year high school reunion.
When I left Sharon High in 1989, I hated (strong word, but that is how I felt), the school, and MOST of my classmates. The town itself was(and probably still is) a very snobby Jewish town, which my family had moved into when I was 8. To this day, I'd like to think/hope that I didn't pickup on those "snobbish" traits. I was never in the popular crowds, because even by second grade, when I came into the town the "cliques" had already been formed. We were moderately "well off" but we weren't rich. On top of that, admittedly, I was the over emotional kid, that got picked on by most of the other kids. That being said, over time I did find/create a small collection of friends. The one area, that I did enjoy, was the music, and arts programs. So I did get to know a few people, both in my grade, and others, that were in some ways, kindred spirits. But I didn't interact much even with them, because I still needed to grow up/find myself. Something I didn't REALLY do until college. So I left High School, vowing never to come back. I had no interest, care or desire to see the majority of these people EVER again. Turn the page..
(insert black screen with Title: TWENTY YEARS LATER )
Back in October, I joined Facebook, on a whim, and I start getting "friended" by people from high school, most I remembered, some I didn't. Shortly thereafter, talk started regarding our 20 year reunion, and all the old feelings start coming back. Thoughts that I had long since pushed into the past. But quickly my childhood came back to remind me: "Why the hell would I want to go back to Sharon and see all those people that I didn't care for back then, just for the VERY SMALL percentage of those that I would want to see?" It is planned for this upcoming November, so I still have time to think about that. Then, about a month ago, a Sharon Drama Club group popped up, and immediatetly talk of a gathering started. It was all planned by other people, but I was invited, and still I'm thinking, "Do I really want to go back and see these people?" Even up until Friday, the day before, I hadn't confirmed my RSVP. Finally, curiousity got the better of me, and these WERE people that I at least had some good interaction with way back when... I would go, yes, I would go.
Off I went, still battling twenty year old "demons" in the car. In fact I can recall saying to myself, even as I turned onto the street where I was going: " I still have time to change my mind". Pushing through that, I got out of the car , walked up to the house, and was greeted by a small gathering of approximately 15 drama club members & of course Mr Ford (now with most of us somewhat awkwardly, just calling him "John"). At first I swear that I was seeing caricatures of the people that I had known 20 years earlier. Some with less hair, others thinner, others not, amusingly enough ALL the guys had goatees (myself included). We all did the "catch up" talk, to see where everyone was in their life. Mostly laughs were had by all, not a lot of super serious conversations went on, even the yearbooks came out! It wasn't painful, Everyone was decent, and anxious to hear about everyone else. Again on a personal note, I was able to personally thank Mr. Ford.... um... John, for being one of the strongest musical influences in my life, and that I am still singing today, due to him and Mrs Hall, Mrs Hughes.
So, I did go back to Sharon, Massachusetts, It wasn't painful, It wasn't horrendous. Although this was a Mini-reunion, I can see that it won't be so bad, in November. If this was just a sampling of what I will see come November, I see that we've all grown up. Maybe all those old feelings that have flooded back, will be washed away, when I see what has become of the rest of my class. So in November, I will go, yes, I will go.
In the end, I refused to live in fear of twenty year old memories and I'm VERY glad that I went.
:-)