Reconnecting with Friends in 2015

1979 at the H.S. Holiday Party

When I was in SF this last weekend, instead of going to take more dance classes on Saturday, I wanted to connect and reconnect with friends. I got to meet two DNA cousins, in person. Yay! As luck would have it, I was also able to reconnect with my friend, Jim. There was a bit of confusion about where to meet, in the City or East Bay, but we got it all sorted out.

It was nice to catch up with Jim. Not thinking about it until we met up, we have been friends since 11^th grade. Though both our families were involved in WHCC, Jim didn’t join the youth group until high school. We remained good friends throughout the years. He went off to Saint John’s College in Santa Fe. After a one year stint in L.A., I ended up at San Francisco State. During holidays and summer breaks, we always reconnected.

Then our lives took off. At some point in there, we had lost touch and he admitted he had lived a summer in Marin County, and never got in touch. Gasp! Yeah, still won’t let him forget. But, throughout the years, we have stayed in touch. I was at Jim’s wedding. Jim was at my wedding. Then for many years I'd be in Berkeley, visiting Aubry, Bob’s son, and never drop by to say “ hi.” So, I guess I am just as guilty.

No matter, it so much fun reconnecting with friends from my youth. It is my WHCC friendships that have been the strongest in my life. We have followed each other around…. I am thankful for our time together. Recently, Jim was down for the WHCC music reunion. (We really do need to work on getting more of our PF pals to join us—3 years [2018] and counting.)

Jim and I were trying to figure out when he took a car load of girls (we were girls back then) to the beach. (I wonder how he explained that one to his parents.) It was Senior Ditch Day! I wasn’t sure if it was Spring Break or Senior Ditch Day. (I’m not sure how I pulled that off because my parents never let me miss school.) I’m still not quite sure how we were able to pull anything off without cell phones, still scratching my head.

For some reason John A.'s name came up. Today, of course, I remember, we went back packing with YAF one summer in the Eastern Sierras. (I think there are pictures somewhere.) I remember getting horrible blisters on my feet. Quite a few of us did, actually. And, Jim, John A., and I, got to sleep out under the stars. I remember that. We were on the ground. (You couldn’t get me to do that today, I know what crawls on the ground in the night.) I also remember swimming in the lake and hanging out on a log.

Lately I’ve been referring to the guy I was with from 1980 to 1989 as a loser. Nice, huh?!!! Yet, I wouldn’t change those years because they have lead me to today. I guess nobody wants to be “that” person. I know, I don’t want to be that one girlfriend that was a loser. So, I need to be gentle with my words. Ha! ha! Anyway, I explained to Jim that there’s this huge gap in all my photos. I need to go in and scan those years. It will take time. (I definitely feel a blog post coming.)  Jim mentioned he got some old slides from his dad. He started converting them to digital. He said that photos with people in them are more interesting. I guess, for me, being in the moment and capturing a sunrise or cloud, just fulfills me for some reason. (And, sometimes, people are not cooperative.)

Thanks, Jim, for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I’m looking forward to more visits in our future. Thanks for the ride to the airport!!!