HAIL, HAIL THE GANG'S ALL HERE
Feeling a bit nostalgic and somewhat melancholy.
Had dinner with some of my former work buddies tonight. It's a ritual that we started after the company was sold and we were scattered here and there. The regulars include an engineer (P), computer programmer (M), widow (N) of the former Director/Owner (E), son of N & E (J) and me. Tonight we were joined by another former engineer (F) and the former President of the company (S).
I'm very lucky that I worked at the same job from 1982 to 2003. Like Catherine told Grissom way back when, we too formed a family around each other.
S and I worked very closely together for almost 20 years. S's kids are in high school. When I met him, he and his wife weren't even married yet! I babysat for them sometimes.
E sold the company back in 2000 or 2001 but sadly passed away in 2002. E and N's kids are all grown up. The oldest has his Ph.D. in pharmacology, the middle son, injured in an accident back in 1982, continues to go to college and is an active participant in the Special Olympics. Their youngest is serving in the National Guard and is in Kosovo, and he just recently became engaged!
M takes care of my kitty when I travel. I tell her that she takes better care of Harley than I do!
P is the only one that lives out of town, but thankfully, he visits here about every 6 weeks or so.
On the drive home tonight, I was thinking over the conversations we had during dinner and all the stories we had to share with each other, some from reminiscing from the past and others about our new lives. We talked about people that have since passed on from this life, laughed outrageously at one former co-worker who actually appeared on Wife Swap!! (I'm serious!). We rolled our eyes at some of the antics of others we worked with along the way. Just a great catch-up.
I admit I shed a few tears driving home. Some were of sadness at the time that has passed and that we are not working together anymore. Though we're lucky that most of us are still in the oil/gas industry and our paths do cross from time to time.
But you know what? Some of those tears were tears of gratitude, that in spite of being spread out hither and fro, we still make a concerted effort to gather whenever P is in town. At one time or another one of us has had to miss a gathering, but you can bet that unless the world comes to an end, we'll be there at the next one!
Our little group has remained close and our dinners are a time I cherish and thank God for every day.
Also have been back in touch with someone from my past. I've known C since 1991 but had lost touch within the past year or so. I was so glad to get an email from C just after I got back from Vegas. We've reconnected and it seems like no time at all has passed. I'm looking forward to a visit very soon! I'm sooo excited about that!! :-D