Saturday was my 45th Class Reunion from South High School class of 1972 and I had made kind of a deal out of it to my friend and fellow classmate, Joe Calabro with whom I became acquainted with through his wife, Sue, well after we graduated as I did not know him personally in high school.
Sue and I are nurses and she was in charge of the unit where I spent a few days after my heart attack in 1998. She and I also share a few mutual friends.
So after 45 years, I am not sure what to expect. I was not recognized by any of the class but for one person and that's because we share a common bond in the health field also.
Joe was popular guy and a lot of folks came over to say hello and reminisce. After a bit he started introducing me as part of the class only to be met with blank looks and cursory greetings. No clue. Was I even there? Who was I in high school? I am not sure I want to know.
The deal was, I knew them all. I knew their younger faces and recognized their aging selves. I remember incidents and conversations but apparently I did not make much of an impression, good or bad.
Part of this was my stature in high school. I was a very small fellow and did not have a growth spurt till college. I was young, one of the youngest in the class, and I spent a lot of time silent, observing and avoiding confrontation, keeping the lowest profile possible. Full self preservation mode. Not much of a joiner and was not part of any specific group. I had no particular memorable features or skills. Just an average guy in a class of 600 plus kids.
I was Mr. Cellophane and apparently still am...I was invisible and unrecognized and after 45 years, just no one in particular.
It was unsettling.
This is why I don't go to high school reunions. They are really hard on an emotional level.
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