Let's see, last Friday, I spent much of the day tying up loose ends because I was determined, (with the blessing of my loving wife) to make it to the 50th anniversary celebration of the Silver Lake, Indiana High School class of 1960.. The day kept filling and I kept chugging along, dodging rain showers as I went. Having been to Indiana the past 2 weekends, she wasn't up to the trip and we decided she would be able to make it home alone while I was gone. The kids and their wives checked on her by phone. Speaking of the kids; I was "boxed in" on the other end of the weekend because the "middle management" team of the Steve and Georgia Kneller family planned a family get together at our house for Sunday evening. So here we go. I hit the road with WDWS news/talk radio escorting me to near Attica, Indiana where I switched to a CD I threw in named "A rough guide to Zydeco"... which played through twice before I pulled onto Bouse Drive on the west side of Silver lake. The trip from home itself started the memory gusher as I hadn't traveled that route for many years. I arrived at the Friday evening gathering after everyone had eaten, but the joy of seeing all of those old friends replaced any thoughts of food. I took lots of pictures and I had a "first" with this camera.... I found out Saturday that I must have deleted all of the Friday night pictures. So I'm waiting for pictures other people took to enhance the experience. I hadn't seen many of these people for 50 years, but it really seemed like "yesterday". I have decided in this post to not name names to protect.. whatever. So those who know or have known us, will have to match the pictures with names on your own, or ask me by e-mail just who is who. I am convinced that over the years, I have changed in appearance more than any of my classmates. Most are just a slightly wrinkled version of the kid I knew way back then.
To give me a chance to visit I asked my sister if I could "bunk" at their house. Not only did she heartily agree with my request, but Saturday morning she fixed my "favorite" breakfast. (You may have to go back through some of my recent posts to find out what that was.) Her husband was overjoyed.... apparently that great breakfast isn't often made there..... which is a good thing because none of us should be eating that breakfast very often... but
MMMMMM good (like Campbell's soup????) After breakfast and great conversation, I headed back to Kosciusko county. I somehow let my classmates talk me into joining in on the Golf Outing at Rozella Ford course just south of Warsaw. Even the driving trips to and from my sister's house afforded additional memories as I traveled through Whitely and East Kosciusko county on a couple of different routes showing me many things that have changed and some that have stayed the same since I drove those routes years ago. I think there were 10 classmates and spouses attempting to play golf and 1 "rider" divided into 2 teams. They introduced me to a wonderful concoction of rules which saves golfers from being frustrated with us duffers when playing together. I think it was called "best ball"; where the whole team shoots from the spot of the best shot. We found that just like back in high school, none of us were really outstanding, but as a group, we were pretty darn good. It wasn't brought up this weekend, but I think our class motto was; "to make the best better". This weekend, that was so obvious as the support of these people for one another just shined, lifting each other up moment after moment. There were hilarious moments along with those sad and thoughtful times. The "other team" had finished 9 holes and our team 7 when one of the common rainstorms of the weekend came across the course. We "hightailed it" to the clubhouse where we had a late lunch. One of our beloved classmates living in California was not able to make it to Silver Lake this weekend, but believe it or not, while sitting there in the clubhouse, one of us recognized his "baby" brother sitting across the room. She went to acknowledge him and brought him to our table for introductions. What a treat. Then it was time to calculate scores and see which team had played the most stellar golf... If I understand it correctly, we ended up with a tie score which brought another problem. Some of the ladies had put together winner and loser prizes for the outing, so someone had to be declared winners... We flipped a coin and the prizes were handed out accordingly. After that we dispersed to prepare for the Alumni Banquet. I ended up making a surprise visit to one of my cousins living locally where we had a great visit before I used their shower and changed clothes for the banquet.
The banquet; If you attended a small school and have not attended an alumni banquet for several years, get ready.... I was not prepared. I walked in and seeing a table of people considerably older than myself, leaned over and said, "I felt like an old guy til I saw you folks"... Probably not the best way to put it, but it really was meant as a compliment!!! Really!!!... I have to believe I was being guided a bit because the lady to whom I addressed that comment turned out to be our next door neighbor when we moved to Silver Lake in what 1945??? Margaret would have been near graduation from High School at that time (I forgot to check the sign on their table to see what year they graduated.) Yes, I have mentioned a name.... on purpose because the next name is so important and should not be overlooked. She directed me to her husband Denny Conley... My mom's family played nearly every string instrument made and mom loved music. she was involved in some kind of musical performance from her teen years to her death. During the early 60's we had "Hootenannies" made up primarily of local talent. We developed a little group and Denny taught me to play the stand up bass and tenor banjo as part of many evenings of "jammin". At the time I had sort of graduated from the Ukulele to the guitar, but we needed a bass. Denny was one of those people who could play anything.... and play it well. I credit him to what little I was able to pass on to my children and they on to theirs. His legacy grows and grows... even without his knowledge. Back to the banquet.. So I said, "are you still playing"... He affirmed that he gives Ukulele, guitar and bass lessons both in Florida in the winter and Indiana in the summer. . . He's 89 and going strong! WOW! That was just the beginning. Although as probably typical, most of the people who put me in awe were older than I. Each time I would put a name with a face, another group of memories would come racing through. Actually I was emotionally exhausted (in a good way) before I left. To add to the emotional effort, Marilyn who I think has done the most to hold our class together and asked us earlier if we wanted to write something about the meaning of classmates who had become deceased. I wrote something about each one and Marilyn graciously asked me then if I would read it at the banquet... I was honored and thought, "I've been talking in front of groups for the past 40 years, so that should be fine".. The time came and as I moved to the mike I had to walk past the still living father of the first man on my list.... Simply stated, Marilyn had to read that one and a few more because I got so choked up that I couldn't speak.... What a surprise to me. I know I have gotten more "tender" over the years, but my oh my... I felt like a blubbering idiot!.. We got through it. Got our pins for participation in band, chorus, baseball and softball, helped clean up a little and headed out for an "after party" at a local classmates (actually 2 classmates who were married) house. Had more fun wrestling with memories, taking pictures, talking and laughing at ourselves. I didn't break out my camera Saturday night.... sorry. That went on til fairly late and I headed back to my sister's house. Wouldn't you know it, as I was driving into Silver Lake from the north, where I had driven hundreds of times before, I was not paying attention. I turned east onto 14 and saw red and blue flashing lights in my mirror. Pulled off to find that I had apparently been speeding as I came into town. It shocked me because I wasn't in a hurry but was just not paying attention to signage. Fortunately, the officer (Nothing like Lee Moyer) only gave me a warning).. and I was on my way. I got there late and went directly to bed.
Sunday morning I went to church with my sister and her husband, then changed clothes and headed back to Silver Lake for one last segment of our get together. Since this was my first trip along this route in the daylight I took a couple of old shortcuts, one bypassing South Whitley and coming into
Collamer the "back way" along the Eel River which was always one of my favorite little jaunts. Just before you cross the bridge, there is a small man made water fall from a dam of some sorts. Because of the rain, there was really not much of a waterfall. I passed by a barn still standing where some of us had played basketball as teenagers which reminded me of all the barn lofts we in which we used to play basketball. I arrived at the eating establishment just north of Silver Lake at the former sight of the "Igloo" a "dairy queen" sort of place. There is a similar family run shop in Linden, Indiana.... really good. But the Igloo is gone, replaced by Homestead's Backyard Grille. Really tasty food and good service. Since I was not pushing the clock to get home, I was the first one there. Because I am also a fast eater, which I attribute to the fact that over my life, most of my meals have been consumed "on the run" I was also the first to leave. Different classmates were able to attend different segments of the weekend, but it was great to be able to see those who made it as often as I did. Could have stayed a week, but then my life is no longer in Silver Lake.. That little town is still to me "a great place to be from"... but I can see that also it is a great place to live. I passed up the one last planned gathering and headed west. On the way home I discovered a field of peppermint just west of Parr, Indiana. I had to get out and walk through it. Another flood of memories from the early years when we raised peppermint on the farm. We spent our summers crawling up and down those rows of peppermint pulling weeds and swatting bugs and deer flies. This field was what we called "meadow mint" which was no longer in rows.
I arrive at home in yet another rainstorm just in time to help my wife get some stuff together. While we were working on it, we heard the melodic tones of our children arriving for the final "celebration" of the weekend. After they all went home we sat and talked a little bit about the events of the weekend. Georgia related how glad she was that I was able to go for the gatherings, how Silver Lake had given her great times, great friends, and great memories and that she remembered how the people in the class of 1960 were so nice and accepting of her. In her words, "in Silver Lake, the whole town and the whole school was one big family". After basking a bit more in those rich times, I drug off to the bedroom for a night of physical and mental recovery. Today is another day! Yesterday may be gone, but the memories are sweet to savor!
