Class Reunion

 Hi there, Diamond Glamour Girls;

Have you ever attended a class reunion. I had what is today called my 'peeps' in high school. They were certain girls that I hung out with. I loved these girls and they me. The funny thing is as a "Cheerleader" one would think that I was popular. The popularity was irrelevant to me. I was focused on getting to college and learning to be the best I could be.

High school cheerleaders today, go through really intense screening today. They not only have to be able to perform dance, coordination, leadership, they also have to be intelligent. Yes, I said intelligent. Beautiful looks help not a requirement. If you look up the word, look it up in the "GNB", it has a different definition than the "NKJB". Either way it is the importance of knowing the truth.

I attended my class reunion to share Thanks with friends, I had not seen in a while. Well, actually there was one friend I wanted to say thank you to. During my high. My close friends from elementary school were still the same. How fun is that. I attended this one with a friend from Junior High. We both had common things we had both raised two young men who were in college. She married a "Rocker" band guy and I married and educator. She would always find me when she needed to vent about life. The other thing we had in common was our moms. Both her dad and mine had passed away.  I had lots of fun.

While I was in high school three people committed suicide. One jumped off the bleachers. One that my cousins knew, that was sad because I went on one date with, he joined the military, was dishonorably discharged (drug use) married, divorced, wanted to date again. I wasn't interested and my aunt was trying to force me. However, I said no. Later, I found out he took a gun to his head. The one that affected me the most and why I wanted to attend the reunion to say thank you. Was a young man who I walked home from school with. It was several miles from home and most of the time I would catch the bus, however if practice ran late I would miss the bus and walk home.

This young man and his friend that I knew from elementary school must have been walking home as well. The funny thing I don't remember the first time we walk home together. I do know that the friend from elementary school recognized me. I didn't talk to people or strangers on the way home. After about a year of walking home together on and off his friend asked me out. Like usual I hesitated. Turning him down many times. They would come to the house and just talk. Long story short, I went out with him. Broke it off. He invited me to church, it was closed took me to meet his family, no family in the house. Made a usual teenage pass to kiss me. I asked from him to bring me home.  Guess what! He brought me home. I shared the story with my dad.

Later, not sure of the timeline. My dad who was also conservative didn't want me walking to school begin driving me to school. We would talk on the way to school. He would ask questions if the young man was still bothering me. For some reason at a yellow light he said something to me that was unexpected. He told me that I needed to talk with the young man's mother. I looked at him and said about what? It's over.  There was no dating policy established in my mind. This happened my sophomore year.

One evening, my parents were not home and his friend came running over. That the young man I dated was about to commit suicide, because I wouldn't date him. I told the guy he was ridiculous no one does that. Anyway, his parents were home. He needed to tell them not me. It is acceptable to say no. He told me I had to hurry and go to his house, they lived a few blocks away and we could run there together. I said no my parents weren't home and I didn't believe him anyway. (Honestly, I never heard of such a thing.) we had gone out on a couple days and he had escorted me to homecoming princess and the dance. telling me he loved me.) What is love when you are 15 or 16. Definitely, not worth suicide. The young man continued to follow and pursue me. (Today's terms stocking.)

Somewhere in the midst of drill team, homework, staying home, dance club, gymnastics, track, after school employment. The young man took a riffle to his stomach and pulled the trigger. Today, looking back at I wish I would have listened to my dad and talked with his mom. I didn't want to see him again, because of what he tried. However, not knowing his mom made it difficult to go talk with her. (Unfortunately, the young man left a note. Talking about this deep love he had for me and that I wouldn't marry him therefore life wasn't worth living. Talk about a difficult thing to hear from a mother, who blamed me for the love her son felt for me. My thought was  "Lady, we walked home from school together or rode the bus, it wasn't a great love affair. I didn't pull the tiger. Your son wanted to force me to have sex with him (in his brothers house, while he was gone) using attending church as an excuse, so my parents would give me permission to date. (All I could do was cry.) I wasn't allowed to be rude. His mom yelled at me in the emergency room!

His family called my family on the way to emergency and I spent a year of my life visiting him in the hospital. Talking to him on the phone and trying to give this young man a reason to live (outrages phone bills), trying to give this young man a reason to live. I even remember falling asleep holding the telephone I talked for hours about all that is good. My employment went to paying my parents off for the bills this young man caused. Once those were paid I was able to use it for the extra expenses high school brings.

There was one young man at school who had the courage to come up to me and confront the gossip stories and rumors. He asked me what had happened. I was able to for the first time tell the story to a peer. He also with a girlfriend of his, took me to visit him in the hospital. They cared in an unexpected way. The three of us talked with him in the hospital. Spent who how many hours, minutes. Honestly, I hated the young hospital patient by this time. (Psalm 139: 22) I was filling the responsibility all the adult wanted me to fill. (Jer. 23:16) I have never felt hate for another human before. (Psalm 109:5) On a dare I was told to kiss him to wake him up. I looked at him lying in the hospital bed, with his dry lips, and his wounded body, he blamed me for. I confess discuss and sorrow maybe pity, is what I felt. (Palm 26:26) Duty to keep someone alive and love don't always go hand in hand. You can feel emotions, you don't always have to share or act on it. I kissed him. Grateful to the young man who took me to the hospital that day, (that dare me to kiss him) that was the last visit last phone call till, he returned my senior year of high school as a junior and quickly dropped out. For a brief moment it started again. the anonymous phone calls, the stocking, it quickly ended when I took the position as the telephone operator for the principal of the school, when they starting calling me during this time at school the principal got involved. I was able to tell my story to the principal. Whenever, the young man came to talk with me, the other school students watched. I thank them all for not leaving me alone! If one kiss could save a life and end the endless accusations, then I was willing to do that.

After several reunions were we would miss each other I finally got to say Thank you! to the one person who believed my truth!  My high school years are complete! I never have to attend a reunion again. I went to every reunion trying to say thank you. My senior closed with a cheerleader throwing a pie in a football player face. ;) Fun times! Now it closes with a Shout! Thank You! Best way to end a story in the past. I will just meet my girlfriends for coffee and continue my friendships. College years are story's of a focused married woman.

Shout! Thank you.