Saturday, January 13, 2018

High School Reunion Letter from the Class of 1947

June 15, 1972 25th Reunion                                                                                                              Dear Friend of Old. I started to say old friend but I'm beginning to dislike the term "old". Been meaning to write to you since the reunion on the 27th of May. I missed you terribly and everyone asked about you. Today I decided to sit out here on the porch and indulge in some memories, so get your cupa coffee and settle down. It's a balmy day for me, wind chimes ringing on the porch, my 2 cats fat and lazy under the utility trailer on the yard. A 3rd crop of English Sparrow babies are in a nearby tree demanding food. The neighbor's little kids are playing and fighting in the distance and the ever present din of traffic out front which I try to ignore. There were so many people at the reunion that I didn't get to talk to them all. My husband Glenn was on travel, so his best friend was my escort which raised a few eyebrows. I can hear them whispering: " Fat ol Jo out with another guy!" I did see Norma she is very plump now, oozing out of her low cut dress. Marty tells me that Norma is on her 2nd divorce. Doris looked the same, Eddie slightly greying, very distinguished  looking. Bessie is the same and Dolly you would know right away. Jack aged some but the same dear ol Jack. Beverly has lots of kids. Bill is the spitting image of the Man from Glad, snow white full shock of hair and very distinguished looking. He really stood out cause he's so tall too. John (remember the slob) looks like J. Edgar Hoover and was quite pleasant and charming - works for the Gov't and still single. The committee gave me the job of tracking Emory down. So I wrote to his mother and he called me one night. He is married for 5 years now. Owns a lot of stock in Marriot and quite a bit of real estate  in Prince George's County. Thinks everyone is after his money. He lives in a penthouse over looking  the Kennedy Center. Emory sat at my table for the dinner. Hans looks like a very high class physicist. Harve is still acting his movie role "lead star" - slight touch of grey and brassy as ever. He's from the old Cooke School gang, there were 20 or 24 of us there - incredible for this town to have that many still around from grade school. Dee is pleasingly plump like me and very happy with 2nd husband. John is a big wheel in the D. C. Bar Association and they have a huge home in Bethesda and entertain several times a week with maids etc. Mit got real crocked, much to everyone's surprise. Most everyone else behaved and didn't drink as much. Mary is still as beautiful as ever (I hate her!) Ken just gave $5000 for the new Boy Scout camp fund. Ely is just as sweet and demure as ever,still has her interior decorating business. Don't know why Jack is here, he was in the Class of 45. Beverly brought her scrap book and everyone enjoyed it. There were about 200 to 250 people at the Washingtonian. (Lousy food - I cook better!) Frances I think was there - I think she was one I wasn't sure of. Everyone had name tags with their senior pic from the Brecky on them. Henry - how did I let him get away! He graduated from Annapolis and has a high job working in the State Dept. He still has red hair and looks great. Ann looks like hell. Looks like she' been through the mill. Art has married again and has his 24 year old daughter living with them after her 2nd divorce. Art lives just 3 miles up Riggs Rd and we swore to get together for a beer. There was 1 1/2 hours of boozin before dinner at 8, so everyone had taken the edge off the long hard day. Carol said she would come but didn't make it. She's still fat and sassy with 5 or 6 kids and happily married down in Manassas.   Eleanor is more articulate than she was and not as shy and married the Speaker of the House of Delegates  in Wisconsin. She was really neat and fun to chat with (1 reason I didn't see too many people) Doug didn't look a day or minute older. In other news we had a house guest for  a week,a 17 year old Girl Scout from N.J. We attended a National Girl Scout Event at Trinity College and then traved over to for punch and cookies in the White House Rose Garden with Julie Nixon Eisenhower then saw "Misalliance" at the Kennedy Center and Linda Robb was in the audience. There were only 125 Girl Scouts selected from the entire USA for this event. Going on a trip soon for 3 peaceful weeks away from scouts,phones and noisy fire engines.  Well stay in good health and good spirits. Must go get ready for trip Love, the other Jo.