Greetings from Newport Beach, California, USA!
Photo taken on Saturday, March 7, 2009.
Occasionally I come across a “time post”, something that reminds me how much time has passed. For example a high school senior graduating in 2009 was born in 1991. That student was not even alive when I graduated in 1989. This came to mind when I received an email about a reunion for my high school. TWENTY years already? I quickly learned that the email was not about a 20-year class reunion but an annual social for all alumni of West Covina and Edgewood High Schools, former cross-town rivals that merged before my final year when the school district had (suspicious) financial problems.
The email prompted memories of my 10-year reunion held at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach. It was mere miles from where I lived then, yet I almost missed it. I was in Atlanta, Georgia, working at my company’s conference until Friday. The reunion was on Saturday and I resisted an offer of a free hotel room for two nights if I left on Sunday as the cheaper plane fare offset the room cost.
I arrived at the airport to find my flight cancelled but was quickly rebooked on an earlier one with no stopover. Great but I had to run across several terminals in an unfamiliar airport to catch it. “Hot-lanta” is HUMID in August and I reached the gate covered in sweat. A flight attendant, unaware of my rebooking, scanned my boarding pass and remarked, “Oh, we were paging you for the last 10 minutes.” In between gasps for air, I replied snidely, “I’ve been running for the last 10 minutes.”
Back home a friend was to pick me up but unaware of my earlier arrival time. Sweaty, still catching my breath and last in line on the boarding ramp, I realized this fact while the woman in front of me turn to see if I was all right. I sputtered my story and she offered her cel phone to call my ride. I accepted the magnanimous offer (cel phones were less common and more expensive in 1999) and learned my friend could not make the new time. I took a taxi home instead.
The next night, I went to the 10-year reunion and came home with about a dozen classmates, spouses and friends. We drank and talked until sunrise. After all my near-misses I had a blast. This dual-school alumni social was also close to home at the Newport Beach Marriott. This week’s photo is that hotel’s fountain. I went but did not recognize a soul, somewhat odd since I run into family, friends and other acquaintances all the time. My 20-year reunion will be later this year. I expect to have as much fun as my 10-year one – and without all the obstacles.
Angelo
