My hubby & I arrived to meet George Zacharias '76 and his wife Edna at the door.  We smiled, greeted, kissed &  hugged!  As we were talking two gentlemen came in and I heard one say, "I don't know, there could be up to 40 people here from school."  I looked and one of the guys looked so familiar so I stepped over and said "hey, you look familiar..."  I held out
my arms and went to give him a hug when he said, "I don't think I know you..."  I said, "well, you do now...  I am Denise...  You are from Wagner, aren't you?"  He said he was and allowed me to get the hug.  It was Troy Ensigne '87.  With him, giggling away was Charles Doss '88.  He got a hug, too.

As we were standing there, introducing everyone, JJ Walker '76 came in.  It was time for his hug.  We went and found some seats in the pub and ordered some drinks.  Before you knew it, Tony Goolsby '73 showed up.  I knew it was him by the leather jacket he described he would be wearing.  Once again, hug time.  (He smelled really good.)  It was the 8 of us for about an hour and a half, laughing, joking & having great conversation.

As we were eating, Brad Van Duker '76 walked in with his wife Lorraine, sister Charlene Van Duker '75 and her hubby, Keith.  Here we go again!  Hugs...  They joined us for a while and we got caught up on everyone.

George & Edna are doing fine and were loads of fun to be with.  George is doing dialysis but seems to be well.  Troy kept us laughing all evening with his wonderful sense of humor.  (It turns out that he was going to Yokota AB High School at the same time that I was substituting there.  Maybe that is why he looked familiar?!?)  Charles giggled the night away and had the rest of us laughing with his one-liners and stories.  Tony shared some pictures and information with us about the PI.  We all had a great time.  (Troy & Charles had their periscopes up checking out the chicks.  Some guy who thought he knew Tony come up to talk to him.  Tony thought the guy was going to hit on him.  It was pretty funny!)  JJ was ecstatic when Brad walked in the place.  JJ & Brad were best friends along with Jerry D'Angelo back at Wagner.  Charlene is really a beautiful lady and was really happy to meet everyone she didn't know.

We started at 6 PM and left the Ram after 11 PM.  Everyone got to take home some products from the PI.  We gave away some 'Mama Sita' spices, adobo flavored peanuts, dried mango, snacku crackers and the coveted skyflake crackers that were won by JJ.  Kisses were also given out...  Hershey's that is!!!

We really had fun.  At the end of the night, we sent Tony off in the direction of the Days Inn.  Hope he found it...we promised him it wasn't in the red light district...  If he ended up there, it wasn't our fault!!!  ;-}

Tony is planning to set up something in Portland, OR for Labor Day weekend.  Hope you can all make it!

Denise (Young) Sutherland '77

 Once I got near the entrance of the place someone had open the door for me, the first thing was to scope the place out from 
the waiting station and find out where everybody was at, I saw a group of Asians and Tommy Hearns (Denise's husband) 
sitting down so I made my move toward them and Denise came over said my name, I wanted to say the name is Bond, James 
Bond :-)  she gave me a hug and one of my eyes was wondering where is her husband, didn't want to be on the receiving end of
a overhand right but Lindel (Denise's hubby) was good sports. I  was still checking everybody out and everybody was smiling and enjoying each other's company and I remember the last time in the P.I. I was at a club (The Kings Row) outside of the Clarkview gate I remember George Zachuris and a couple of his buddies drinking up a storm before some dependents mother decided to drop by with the town patrol to break up the party (another long story I'll share with at the next mini). Then some guy decided to come over and shake my hand and ask me where I was from which I didn't know how to answer right away (the usual military brat norm) but he was sure pretty close to my face, didn't really  know what his intenions were at first, he did have a lady friend with him :-o . My first beer of the evening was so awful I decided to check out their samples of microbrews ( every one of them was terrible) I should've brought my own microbrews! Oregon is still King of Microbrews! Charlene and her brother Brad showed up and Charlene is one beautiful gal so is Denise. Denise had such a charming personality that Lindel is one lucky guy! It was time to munch on some Armadillo Eggs ( Jalepeno peppers stuff with cream cheese and chicken, batter and deep fried). I was looking at the yearbooks that Denise had brought which I  didn't get to see what my brother (Theo) look like, I had already left the Philippines by then. After consuming 4 pints of beer it was time to say good bye and give hand shakes and hugs. I didn't get the chance to see Mary Lou Ellingswoth who didn't show up, I had 36 exposures in my camera only took 12 shoots. As soon as I got into my car several cops showed up near the entrance to the
parking lot I was singing the Washington state  song "Louie,Louie" we got to go, the cops were smiling at me
I did make it back to the hotel and partied more with the air force personnell who were getting ready to go to Yugoslavia, wish all of them a safe return. They like my 13th Air Force patch on my bomber jacket. Anyway it was nice mini in Tacoma.

TG '73