Reunion

Cripes, I’m feeling ancient now; back at the end of March I went and attended my high school TEN YEAR reunion!

When CAPS (Canterbury Association of Past Students) first set up the reunion dates on its Facebook page, I told mother, “Ooh, I wanna go!” only she was like, “Well, I’m not taking you.” Huh, dunno what was with her, but so I just decided, “That’s fine; I’ll just ask on Facebook and see if anyone can take me there and back.”

Only her next ultimatum was, “I’m not letting anyone take you unless I know them or it’s a teacher.”

Cripes, that was a bit more disturbing; what was even more startling was that it appeared nobody would be going! I tried asking Jess Rankin (nee Schoemaker) and she was like, “Try asking Mrs. Perkins or Mr. Hall.”

Well, Perky (dunno how she got that nickname, but it stuck, okay? And I’m very careful never to call her that in front of others! XD) has Facebook (Mr. Hall refuses to get it, saying it’s not for people of his generation :P) so I tried asking her first, and bless her soul, she said she could take me there and back! Problem solved, then~

On that night, the parents dropped me off at Perky’s house; Bill was there too! I gave him a big hug~ Dunno why I expected he’d come along also, but obviously he didn’t coz he’s not a teacher! Although from memory he did help around a bit with the school grounds and such.

So Perky tootled us off to whatever hotel in/near Woollongabba (sp? I can never remember how many pairs of double letters that word has XD) our reunion would be held at, stopping once to ask some random for directions. But we got there okay! Turns out Perky had more trouble opening Sparkless 2 (my manual wheelchair) for me. XD

Entering the Chalk Hotel (ha, I suddenly remembered the name!) we bumped into some of my classmates who were also entering; to my immense relief, I remembered their names! (Originally, I had feared I’d not recognise anyone XD) Entering further into the hotel, we were met with very loud music and more of my classmates; amazingly, I still remembered everyone’s name! I got out my camera out and started taking photos with my classmates; I realised flash wasn’t on, but thought, “Oh well, I hope it won’t be too dark to see everyone later.” Personally, I’d thought ‘twas already rather clever of me that I’d found out how to reverse the camera lens so I could take selfies with my former classmates. XD

Jordan Foote (our school vice-captain), drinking a beer, came and asked would I like a drink. I replied, “Yes, but I don’t drink fizzy drinks, so no beers for me, thanks.  Could you please get me an orange juice?” Jordan got me one, and then we just chatted. He’s become a pilot with QANTAS link! He said that he only flies domestic right now, which led me to joke and ask him, “How come you didn’t fly me down to Tasmania this year? I went down there at the end of January/early February!” Jordy laughed, and replied, “Sorry, I’m only flying Queensland right now. Go to Cairns or Townsville for your next holiday, and I’ll fly you there!” XD

For some reason, I had expected we’d be having a meal; dad had already stressed several times that I was only to order an entrée. “Great,” I had grumbled at him, “so after I eat my entrée, guess I’ll just haveta sit there and sip water while everyone eats their mains!” only coz our reunion was at some bar and not a restaurant, we were only served platters of finger food! I gobbled down some oily deep fried stuff, presuming I’d be covered with pimples the next morning. XD There was also some sushi; I munched down several slices of that also.

Many other classmates wandered over for a chat, like Tessa Lao (nee Imelfort, who teaches violin @ the Con, I think) and Ty Riley (our school captain, who’s become a graphics designer!) Everyone I chatted with was very diplomatic; after I’d enquired as to how they’d spent their past decade, they’d look at Sparkless2 and ask meaningfully, “And how about you? What have you been doing for the last ten years?” To everyone, I gave more or less the same answer, “Alas, nothing much, really. After graduating Canterbury, I did my first two years of an arts/law degree at the University of Queensland, but at the beginning of 2007 collapsed suddenly one day, was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a brain tumour. Operations, complications and more operations followed; basically the surgeons told my parents I’d never walk again and to send me to some nursing home, lemme rot and die. (Well, the hospital didn’t say the ‘rot and die’ part, but I’m sure you get my point, yeah? :P) Luckily, being an only child, my parents didn’t wanna abandon me; they took me home instead. I’ve been back home just over six years now, and contrary to what the doctors say, I can walk/stagger/hobble/limp/you choose a verb :P short distances, with very close supervision. So don’t mind me if I don’t get up and walk around like everyone else.”

Jordan had been drinking a beer, and after I’d told him what had befallen me, he was like, “Hey, can I get you a drink or anything?” I was like, “Um, how about an orange juice? Coz I don’t drink soft drinks, sorry.” Jordy had returned with an icy cold one for me, which I’d happily slurped down. Only then, it all went straight to my bladder and nature started calling like crazy! Nothing for it then to wheel myself over to where Perky was chatting with somebody and ask her please to help me once to the loo. So Perky and I went wheeling out of the area where everyone had congregated and asked a waiter/bartender/someone where the disabled toilets were. We found one okay, but then, where was the light switch? I used Tim (my mobile; Joey gave me this awesome Despicable Me minion sticker of some minion wearing Amish (is that pronounced ‘ay-mish’ or ‘arm-ish’, does anyone know?) with the name Tim printed along the top XD) torchlight to flash around the walls of the locked bathroom, but goodness gracious; we couldn’t see any light switch! “Oh, don’t worry,” said Perky. “Just leave the light open and go; I’ll turn away.” After I’d done my business, Perky went too, while I went to wash and dry my right hand.

Back outside, I continued mingling with former classmates and teachers alike. One teacher I bumped into was Mrs. Ten Bohmer (formerly Miss Reid), who confessed that before coming she’d found an old year book and reminded herself of all our names. I asked, “Tell me the truth: did you remember me, or did you have to find my name in the yearbook?” She shot back immediately, “Oh, I remember you! You were the one who was always bringing me covers from Mr. Hall!” Which begs the question: would you rather be totally forgotten, or hatefully remembered? XD I also reminded her how she’d been my graphics teacher for six months in grade eight, and only got a D+, with a comment in my report card that read something along the lines of like, “Emily tries very hard, but has absolutely no talent whatsoever in the subject of graphics.” XD I only chatted briefly with Ms. Gyte, my grade nine English teacher, but to be honest, I really missed not seeing Mrs. Mac, my year twelve English teacher! I’d really hoped that she would attend and I could ask her had she grown out of her infatuation with Mr. Darcy yet! XD See, at the beginning of that term when we were studying Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice, she’d announced that she loved Mr. Darcy and was determined that by the end of the term we’d all love him too. So come exam time, I’d written an absolutely SCATHING essay on her beloved, totally trashing him for being an upright, arrogant bastard! (okay, in my defence, I’m sure I used more diplomatically correct words. XD) Mrs. Mac graded me with an A-, saying, “If only you’d been a bit nicer to poor Mr. Darcy, I’d have given you an A!” Afterwards, though, she told me that I’d honestly deserved an A-; it wasn’t that I really deserved an A but she’d spitefully marked me down because I’d been so mean to her favourite character. XD

There was a bar at one end of the room where there were bar facilities; after seeing many students chug down beers I decided I wanted something alcoholic too! Jordan had asked me earlier could he get me a drink; I’d already sculled an orange juice. This time I asked him, “Do you know if they have any vodka chocolate mudslides (chocolate milk with vodka) or vodka pineapples (pineapple juice with vodka)? Jordy went to ask for me, and came back with the reply, “Sorry, they have neither, but they do have vodka orange; would you like me to get you one to try?” I sure would! When he returned with my drink, I took it with thanks, then joked, “I’m already in a wheelchair, even if I get drunk and fall unconscious I should be fine.” Only afterwards, did I realise that wasn’t entirely true, because didn’t mother say that back when I was first admitted to the insane asylum (my pet nickname for the Brain Injuries Rehab Ward of the Princess Alexandra hospital, on account that I was imprisoned there for so long XD), I needed to be tied to my manual wheelchair lest I slip from it entirely? O_o Well, let’s just say I enjoyed the drink very much! Whatsapping Julz the day after, I noted that the vodka pineapple seemed slightly stronger, to which julz replied somewhere along the lines that vodka pineapple contains some kinda enzyme that digests and dissolves your intestines while you’re drinking! O_o Well, not to that extent, but that ‘twas a good reminder to be careful with how much you drank. XD

I’m trying to remember which other teachers attended our reunion … Ms. Gyte was there, as was Mr. Hall, whom Perky actually got to gimme a lift home!

We left fairly early (but not the earliest; Daniel Cocker had brought his fiancée along! She’s a lovely Asian lady, Vietnamese, maybe? The pair left first) When we were wheeling out, I called goodbye, good night and “cya all at our next reunion!” to everyone, then Perky and I wheeled me out. We stopped a short way outside the building. “Greg’s just gone to get his car.” Said Perky. While we waited for him, we just chatted about which students and teachers we’d bumped into. Only Mr. Hall took forever to come back … when Perky left to look for him, I fished out Tim and tried ringing his mobile, only to get redirected to his voicemall box. “Hey Mr. Hall, it’s Em here,” I spoke the recorded message. “Where have you gone? Perky’s gone looking for you!” Only just then, she returned, exclaiming, “I found him!” so after I’d gotten into his car, they’d put Sparkless2 into Mr. Hall’s boot and I’d said good night and thanks to Perky for taking me, I told Mr. Hall, “Oh, if you check your mobile voicemail box anytime soon, you’ll find a message from me. Just delete it, Perky and I were just looking for you.” XD

Mr. Hall tootled me home, unloaded Sparkless2 back into our garage and I let myself be immediately be booted off to bed. The next day, mother browsed through the photos I’d taken at the reunion, and growled at me, “You forgot to turn flash on; all the photos are too dark.” Umm, oops! XD

Anyways, I just wanted to say I had a great time catching up with everyone! Again, a bazillion thanks to Perky for taking me; I had the most awesome time seeing all my old schoolmates! :D

Next post here … umm, probably a movie review, coz the last movie I  saw was  the new X-Men movie!

Anyways, until then~

Cheers,

Em. ^^