The Big Chill

 That's a quote from my senior yearbook circa 1971. Today, in a little church in Davidsonville, me and the group of ladies I lunch with are gathering to say goodbye to one of us.

She and I went waaaay back. We went to highschool together. She was just a few pages away from me in the yearbook but world's away from me in popularity. She was one of the cool kids. I was not.

That's me trying hard not to look as silly as I felt. Yes, I had Morticia Adams streaked hair. Didn't everyone?

My friend and I didn't just share the same high school, we taught together for 20 plus years at the same school. One year we even taught first grade together.

When I got the call that our friend was gone I had to dig out the yearbook and take a slow stroll down memory lane. It shakes you up when you lose a contemporary. How can someone so alive just a few weeks ago when we met for our last lunch be gone so quickly? She had been ill, we could see that but she chose not to share and we respected that.

The yearbook had little to offer for answers to the age old dilemma of what's it all about.

 1971 was a confusing time to be alive. There was the war. It hung over our heads and weighed heavy on our hearts. We all knew someone who went and didn't come back.

 We were boomer babies who felt the need to rock the boat only we weren't sure what boat we were supposed to be on.

We faced the world we wanted to change without fear as long as we had a cigarette in our hand and a stash hidden where our parents couldn't find it-and I don't mean the kind of stash you're thinking of.

The world was changing but not fast enough for the trail blazers. You have to admire this girl's guts. Nothing was easy back then. There were barriers to be broken everywhere you looked. We had to have a sit-in just to be able to wear pants to school.

Dig those groovy go go boots. I had a pair.

This was one of my best friends but when we went out I had to pick him up and drop him off far from the eyes of anyone who would notice a white girl and a black boy together.  We were just friends who shared a love of art but Daddio would have tanned my hide if he knew. It just wasn't done.

My first kiss. I was a very late bloomer.  He says he wants to join the Hell's Angels in his yearbook quote. I see on Facebook he's retired from Amtrack. Tee hee... I got in my first (and last) fight ever at school defending him from a guy that took exception to his long hair. They sent me home for the day. 

My last big highschool crush. He didn't know I was alive. I tore the pocket off his blazer and slept with it under my pillow. I probably still have it around here somewhere.

My one and only claim to highschool fame was that my Grandmother is also in the yearbook. Who else can say that? She was the Attendance Secretary. You know I couldn't get away with anything. I was in trouble all the time. Having Grandma right down the hall all day was no fun.

Our lunches certainly won't ever be the same again. I was making tons of soap for the one scheduled in July. She loved my soap. I had made some just for her. No, nothing will ever be the same.