The St. Rose kids

Scroo-Loo and I attended the 25-year reunion for students of St. Rose of Lima grade school on Saturday night.

Unlike most public school students, who move on to high school together, us Catholic school kids were kind of isolated as youngsters, and did not move on to any particular high school as a group.

Imagine a social experiment in which you see a small, tight-knit group of kids every day for nine years (K-8). Then, just before all the complications associated with secondary education, the teenage years, and the onset of adulthood, the group is scattered to the four winds, rarely to see each other again.

Now, throw all those kids back together for the first time after 25 years.

It was bizarre in the extreme, to say the least, but less like a school reunion and much more like seeing long lost family. About halfway through the night it hit me how much most of those people meant to me, and still do after 25 years, even though all but very few are technically complete strangers at this point. It was Scroo-Loo that really sent it home when she said she recognized almost all of the names of people she was introduced to. I hadn't been aware I even mentioned my old classmates much, but apparently I have, and often, over the years.

Anyhow, as reunion experiences go I would give it a nine and I hope it won't be the last time this group that shared so much sees fit to get together.