MONDAY MADNESS: Old Buckaroos

/ The Coastal Crone

Those in the class of 1963 have turned 70 years old or soon will.

There were only about 36 graduates that year in the small south Texas town of Freer.

Many of us had started first grade together and everybody knew everybody.

Graduation would scatter us like dust in the brush country where we grew up.

We would journey into the 1960s with hopes and dreams of the young

and then emerge in a new millennium where all the dreams may not have come true.

The memories linger sweetly.

32 thoughts on “MONDAY MADNESS: Old Buckaroos”

  3. How extremely marvelous that you gathered together! WOW…….I be the stories were interesting! Everybody looks great……….but you are the cutest in the bunch! I have never had the courage to attend any reunions………..perhaps, if given the chance, I might consider it for the next one. I am exactly ten years behind you and you are looking good sister.

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    • You are too kind, Tin Man! I was never the homecoming queen or anything like that. Me? The class chaplain and worked on the newspaper. I have become less religious and my classmates more religious. Going to class reunions can be a challenge but I know you would be a great success and still look great.

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  4. How lovely; I only ever attended one school reunion but it was tremendously revealing in terms of how the various character’s lives had developed, or not! That was around 25 years after we were last together in class and so lots of us were able to attend. It may be rather more sparsely attended nowadays! Best wishes, Hariod.

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  7. We seem to appreciate the friendships more as we get older. And Facebook has brought many of us back together. My sister and brother-in-law still live in Freer. How nice to have you visit and comment! Try to stay cool!

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  12. Concerned that we might miss your reunion photo Jo Nell the darling Tin Man forwarded the photo. We definite all agree – you are looking mighty fine. Reunions can be wonderful and scary at the same time. Somehow I managed to avoid all of mine – I was too busy, I wasn’t thin enough, the weather was too hot, no one would remember me. Now I am sorry that I didn’t attend at least one. By the by Miss Jo Nell. We want you to know that you were very much present when the Tin Man and Augustine visited us. We had a glorious time. It was difficult to part. XX OO Virginia

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    • Oh, the Tin Man was kind enough to post photos on Facebook so I did feel that I shared the visit a bit. He is very special as are you! You look marvelous and seem to be recovering well in your beautiful area. I loved the photos at the beach!

      Yes, reunions can be wonderfully scary – I have skipped a few also as the times/appearances were not just right. I remember reading a piece by John Updike years ago about a class reunion and I always think about it when I attend one. Peace and love to you, Virginia!

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      • We had such a wonderful time with The Tin Man and Augustine. Now I find myself thinking … “Oh wish I had talked to Tinny about that .. or asked him this”. But we all lived in the moment and it was glorious. XX Virginia

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  13. I went to a bigger school, didn’t graduate with my class. Didn’t like most of those I went to school with. Yet still they send me invitations to reunions (I left an impression). The fortieth is coming up next week, I once again declined. Politely, really.

    I love you all still get together.

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    • We have some like you that never attend. I do OK as long as we don’t talk politics or religion as I am far too left of most of them! It is easier for us since it was a small town. I hope your summer is going well. August heat straight ahead!

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  14. Well, I have to confess. You are the prettiest one in the photo!! Don’t you think so too? And do not be modest! Change your Gravatar to that photo of you. That’s an order. 😉 I laughed when I saw who liked the ” Propofol” poem. I predicted you and Michael Housewright. I didn’t know about the others, but I should have guessed Carissa. I am going to die this summer, I swear. The heat is going to kill me! It started raining when I went to Mickey D’s for iced coffee tonight and I rolled down the window and lit it rain on me! That’s how desperately I’ve wanted cool and rain. When it gets cooler, I am coming to Corpus to stay in a hotel and walk on the beach late. Tell me where to stay. 🙂 Of course, I will see you, I hope. Thanks for always being so kind, Jo Nell. 🙂

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    • Oh, George, I think the photographer made us all look pretty good but thank you! The others were the cheerleaders, majorettes and homecoming queens. I was the class chaplain and worked on the newspaper. Yes, the heat seems to bother me more as I get older. Maybe we will get a shower this weekend. You must come to CC and walk on the beach! I am always reminded of Eliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” You could stay at one of the larger hotels downtown but I think you would enjoy staying on North Beach. There is a nice Radison and a Best Western there. A simple sidewalk is available almost the length of the beach. One of the restaurants has a Ferris wheel. In the fall the moon over the bay is lovely. There is the Lexington and Texas State Aquarium and a water taxi to take you across to one of the T-heads. Yes, I would love to see you! Take care, my friend!

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  16. When my dad’s class turned 70, they started having informal reunions, just a chat over lunch for whomever could make it, every 3 months. He usually goes, and really enjoys the connection. There is nothing in the world like friends who knew us way back when….

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    • Perhaps we treasure those who knew us back when we were young because it confirms that we were young once.That doesn’t make much sense and I can’t find the right words somehow this afternoon. But sometimes we wonder where that young person went. That is a great idea to get together informally every few months! Thanks ever so much for the visit. You are fortunate to still have your father.

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