Slight Detour: Class Action Begins

Gary's honk had a little more pep to it this morning.

I was walking in the woods with Bridie when I heard it.

Gary often honks when he drives by, either headed to town for his coffee group or on his way home to his farm just up the road.

So, I hear him most of the time and smile, knowing that Gary is saying "Hi" from his pickup.

Today I could sense a more enthusiastic message from the honk: it's reunion day, and we're going to have some fun.

Gary and I were born in Sandpoint. We went to school here and even graduated from the University of Idaho.

Gary started first grade at Colburn School while I attended Lincoln.

For the past 19 years, we Sandpoint High classmates have lived near enough to each other that I like to joke that Gary, a local attorney, lives close enough that I could spit at him.

No worries.

I never have spit on my friend, but we do keep close touch with our roadside conversations----some mornings to the point that I have abruptly stop the conversation to run back to the house and rescue the Jimmy Dean sausage I left cooking on the stove.

Several of our morning visits this year have involved our Sandpoint High Class of 1965 reunion.

Gary never serves on the reunion committee, but he rounds up people to come to our gatherings every ten years.

This time he convinced Bobbie McGhee to come. She lives down in Arizona, and she's always been a horse lover. Her dad Floyd bought and sold livestock.

I haven't seen Bobbie for about 30 years, so it will be fun to reconnect---just as it's going to be with all the others coming tonight to the Elks and tomorrow night to Western Pleasure Guest Ranch.

Over the past weeks, I've been handing over documents with reunion information to Gary and asking him to share the details with his group of reunion recruits.

About ten of us classmates have been working for almost a year planning this weekend's events. Our goal, knowing we're not quite as energetic as we used to be, has been to keep it simple, fun and nostalgic.

And, so far, we've succeeded. Tonight and tomorrow night will be the test, but ya know what, we're so old that we don't really care what grade we get for Reunion No. 60.

We just want to have fun and spend quality time reconnecting with friends like Gary who teamed up with us so long ago during our respective starts to navigating the world around us.

There will be Colburn School memories, along with Lincoln and Hope and Northside and Kootenai and Washington and Farmin and Sagle and Southside.

Have I forgotten any grade schools?

And, there will be classic memories from our junior high when some of the grade school kids blended in with the town kids and later when, as ninth graders, even more joined us for our official start to high school.

There will also be stories from those who joined us after moving to Sandpoint during our school years.

We'll talk about teachers, sports, clubs, pranks and each other as we walk back into our glorious past, living in and loving Sandpoint.

I was really happy to hear that neighborly honk this morning while walking in the woods. I know Gary is excited, and so am I.

~Alma Mater~

To Sandpoint High we sing to thee.

You're worthy of our praise.

We proudly wear your colors fair.

To thee our voices raise.

The memories are cherished

That you have given me.

So, Alma Mater, Sandpoint High,

We pledge our loyalty.