The past couple days I have been on a walk through my memory. The memories revolve around my high school experience, which are wonderful, funny and sad. I went to two different high school s. The first school was in Avondale, AZ, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, the year was 1982. My freshman year was on the Freshman Campus for Agua Fria Union High and sophomore year was at the main campus, someone thought freshman needed more adjustment time or something so we had our on campus, I don’t get it but whatever. In 1984, my family moved to RAF Alconbury, outside of Huntingdon, England. This is where I finished my high school career at Alconbury High School. It was a small campus on the military base for dependents. My graduating class consisted of 61 delighted students.Major relocation is not that big of a drama for our family. I was raised as a military brat, my father was in the Air Force, and typically we moved every three years. Moving in the middle of your high school career is more of a challenge.
These are the years that you make your friendships that may last a life time. This is the people that you bond with over heart aches, hangovers and acne. This is the time when it may take a year or more to find your place in the pecking order. Don’t get me wrong, how many of my classmates were going to be living outside of London, England – just me. Thank you very much.
What I didn’t realize at the time I was sacrificing a proper high school experience by being overseas - limited to no driving and all that in tales, no homecoming parades/floats, school dances were not the same, no skipping class to hit the mall (so I did skip a lot of class but the accommodations were not nearly as entertaining), dating was a strategic nightmare in England. We were scattered all over the area.
Twenty five years later, shhhhh, don’t remind me, I realize how much I have gained with my vagabond life. I know that I can adapt to most anything thrown at me. I may not do it gracefully but I will survive.
With the help of the internet, my UK classmates stay in wonderful contact, especially in the past 8 years. I love getting on facebook to see what the latest with everyone. We are global, most are spread around the US, some are in the UK, some in Japan, some in Iraq (be safe), I am in China.
Yesterday, I started finding the classmates from AZ. Charlie was on facebook, he lived down the road at Luke AFB. I then got a memo from Steve, a classmate that I don’t really remember but his photo is familiar, to register on an alumni site. From there it has been a snowball effect. Yesterday, I found Kaki, Liz and Laura. Today, I found Famie; I wish to find Rodi but no luck yet. Yes, I know: Kaki, Rodi, Famie and Tressie – what did we do to piss our parents off….really that is our names. I am not making it up. Liz was the model. She was all school spirit, I envied her beyond measure. She had a wonderful heart and was like everyone’s personal cheerleader. Kaki was the strongest woman I knew. She was just fearless. I know she had some inner demons but I was just in awe of her presence. Rodi was the momma. She handled everything. I never had to worry about making a decision, see wrong decision, you just let Rodi take over and don’t worry. Famie was our comedian. That woman could crack me up. Her family was great too. I hated to be at my house due to other issues, Famie house and Kaki’s were my hideouts.
Laura, I remember when we first met; standing at the bus stop at the entrance to base housing, her momma would drop her off in that big old caddie
. Out would jump little Laura, she was like sunshine but such the drama queen. I decided immediately this was someone that I was going to be around. She was my introduction to the teen wars, all the hurt, tears and laughter. I think I spent more Fridays at her house then my own. Friday Night Videos and sipping her sisters wine.
So it has been a great couple of days and I look forward to hearing their stories. I hate that I have all these great pictures of all of these women and many more not discussed but alas the photos sit in a storage unit in KY. Hopefully, all the stars will align and the winds will blow from the east and we will all be able to sit at one table and share a bottle of wine.
