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WHOA California Mini-Reunion, 24 January 1998
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WHOA California Mini-Reunion, 24 January 1998
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The '70s group again. |
| 1700 - 1830 More folks are
arriving. Karen Rogg (Roggy) '80 shows up after a long drive from Phoenix.
She's got her camera and tripod. After a big hug, she's off to see Harold
Forster and someone else who has also come in from Arizona. Karen's a great
addition to the group and keeps things lively all night. She almost always
had a yearbook or scrapbook open and her conversations were animated until
she apparently lost her voice later (sorry Karen).
Beautiful Sherry Weaver '64 and her spouse Terry Adamski arrive and the hugs and greetings start all over again. I remember Sherry from the '60s and she has changed very little. Still as cute and as petite as ever. Turns out that Sherry and her husband work at JPL and were very interested in talking about space programs. She'd also like to setup a get together for the '60s folks (a slumber party!) at her house. Elvy Tagala '68 arrives. Although she was a few years behind me at Wagner, I knew her family and older brother Eddie very well. After reminiscing for a while, she too announces that she'd like to have a gathering at her house in Corona, maybe this summer. Yep you guessed it, she's contracted reunionitis too. Rich Nichols '65 comes in with an armload of nostalgia including yearbooks, newspaper clippings and more photos. We have a great discussion about finding military brats and using the military locater services at Randolf AFB, TX. Rich (Rick) has all the forms and would be glad to help anyone looking for a friend. Rich would entertain many of us this evening with his great stories and memories. One note, I'm happy to hear that Rich's beautiful daughter (now 6?) is doing well. Best wishes from all of us. Hope you can make it to Charleston! More arrivals, photos, hugs, animated conversations. Time is beginning to fly. I, like Roggy and others, am beginning to lose my voice. Over in the corner I see an incredible sight. Dary '73 is sitting with Bev '66 and Dary is listening with a wide-eyed expression on his face. Bev is doing much of the talking and every once in a while I see Dary soberly nod his head in agreement. If this weren't a crowded Irish pub with a reunion in progress, I'd swear there was a therapy session going on (or a confessional!). 1845-0145 It's past the scheduled 1800 dinner hour and the chicken wings are long gone. Problem is, no one seems to be interested in sitting down for food. After a brief chat with Wendy and the waitresses, we decide to just pass out menus and let people order when and where they want. So much for planning. This wouldn't be the only scheduled event tossed out the window tonight. Conversation continues through dinner. I keep hearing the same expressions over and over: "I remember that; it seems like yesterday; you haven't change a bit; I dated him too; I dated her too; it was paradise; when's the next reunion; we should do this again next year/month/week/tomorrow; lumpia yes, baluts no; etc. Dinner's over much later than planned, so I do most everyone a favor and scrap most of my announcements and just let the reunionizing continue. We did take a few minutes to show the post-Pinatubo video of the base and the schools. Almost wished I hadn't, since it pained most everyone to see the effects of the volcano and the subsequent jungle growth around the school. Although a few folks have left, we start to take group photos. All the spouses and dates are taking the pictures except for Roggy who has a tripod and timer for her camera. She sets the timer and dashes around the tables to get in the picture before the shutter goes off. Hope all the photos turn out. For those of you who haven't noticed yet, the banner we had made for the reunion had "school" mispelled. Wendy cut a paper letter "H" and pasted it to the banner for a quick fix. Ingenious! We're back to reunionizing when a very loud band begins to play. Some folks have left by now and a few more are saying goodbye. The rest of us try to raise our voices and continue. A waitress comes over and asks for John Prunier. Says she's got a long distance phone call on the pub's phone. Hmmm? It turns out to be Dianne Senn '65 calling from Charleston to wish us all a good time. It's very loud in the restaurant, but I wish Dianne a happy birthday and try to sing to her on the phone, ha ha. Thanks from all of us for the call Dianne, we all wished you were here. At around midnight, Janice and Bev sadly depart for their long drive home. It felt like saying goodbye to your friends leaving on the 1600 flight out of Clark. The upside is they promise to arrange a get together in their neighborhood soon. Maybe a dinner or lunch. Mike and Wendy have to leave also. Thanks Wendy for all the work you put into this gathering, and thanks Mike for being such a good sport. Just before 0200 I decide it's time for me to get this tired old body home for some rest. Dary, Roggy, and Harold are leaving too. Harold and I continue our conversations out in the parking lot, where he announces that he wants to put together a Wagner barbeque sometime in the near future. Count me in Harold. I'm ready for another party. See ya all in Charleston and/or
Austin!!!
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Mike, Wendy '79, Dary '73, Bev Char '66, and Janice Char '64. |
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Janice Char '64, Bev Char '66, and Linda Key '65. |
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John '65 and the Char sisters (minus Becky '65). |
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The Chars, John, and Linda Key '65. |
| Hi Arleen, ooops, it's Musicman
not Eric. I had to use eric's name on the return because it just came out
that way. You're not that old! Though theres alot of new places I bet you
would think its still the same Angeles City as you left it. EXcept... I
think Marisol may have had paved roads back then. In fact, I bet it did
since alot of US service personnel used to lived there. In the 80's the
only GI's who lived out that way were the filipino GI's. Now Marisol is
full of dirt roads. Also the first few Clark View roads are dusty. yeech!
Now great news! McArthur Hi-way is now four lanes!! Finally the unbelievable
has happened. And its been tarred pretty good. A nice smooth ride for once.
I say that because going on Clark Air Base now also has four lanes. There
is a large devider between them and you can easily tell which is the original
two-lane road that we all took and the new one some kid out of high school
made. The new one is already having problems and is terribly bummpy. I'm
almost tempted to put into the imcoming traffic on the other side just
to keep my car together.
Great pictures from the reunion! So some of you got to meet two of the most loyal friends I ever met from Wagner High School. Harold Forster '79 and Karen Rogg '80. I submit my vote for nominating them as the friendiest people for all time. Those of you who met them will agree. I know Harold kept a few of you laughing there. What! Lindsey Woods '79 was there too? What the..? Did he happen to be shopping next door or did someone drag him there. What a pleasant shock to see him there. (glad he's still alive) He isn't on the mailing list no? Hmmm. Did he tell you guys about the time he was stationed at Clark with me? Whatever he said its all lies. I was in San Fernando when that happened. Just kidding. Hey VJ, Do you remember Woods? He was with the gang at 3rd eye when you always sat in your throne in the DJ's booth checking out the customers. I think he was there when Jason Shauf threw his George Foreman punch on that wise guy at the door. Did you know Harold too? I think you introduced his rock and roll band at one of the NCO Club's membership night. Loved those membership nights in the 70's. Free steak and drinks. And somehow the club was able to hire dozens of Go-Go dancers from downtown to dance on tables. I guess there wasn't too many female GI's back then who complained. I remember my dad giving me money to eat in another area and play pinball while he went in to get his free food. I'm sure it wasn't to go in and stare. But then again how could you help it. They were dancing right over you and you could get a shoe in the head if you weren't careful. Angeles now has cel phone cards. And most phones in Manila only accept phone cards and not loose change anymore. I think its because in the last 6 years we had three changes to the 5,25,50,1.00 centavos, and also to their sizes that it was a big problem. Theres a 5 peso coin that looks like the 25 centavos from the 70's and the 1.00 looks like a 10 centavos coin. What a mess it is when paying the jeep fare. But I like the 1,000 peso bill. Except everyone is always looking for exact change. Call me a sadist but I just love it when I go to the corner store to buy a 7.00 coke and give a 1,000 peso bill. You get to hear them say 'Ay Naku' a few times. Once the guy just gave me the soda and I'm hoping to get lucky again. Hopefully he'll throw in the cheese curls or pig skin bits as well. If this was the US and it was a hundred dollar bill you know they will be checking to see if its real. Maybe write your name down too. Alot happened around the area. We plan to finally visit the Base historic library and maybe take a few pictures. The old airmen's swiming pool is up and running and they have a resturant there that doesn't close till 2am! I hope no one plans to swim then. I have yet to see any lifeguard besides the security walking around in his underwear and carry a shotgun. I guess in case of sharks or something. Anyway, mabuhay from the gang in the Philippines. When is the reunion coming here? For those of you who love food-let's do. MusicMan and co.
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Janice and Linda. |
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