For someone who felt invisible in high school, going to my class reunion Saturday night was amazing and meaningful beyond my expectations.
This weekend was the 50th class reunion for East Jefferson, Grace King, and Riverdale High Schools. Before the reunion, my anxiety level was extremely high. I was a loner. I sat in the back of the class. I was never part of any group that would have been considered one of the cool groups.
I also had a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which 50 years ago was unknown; and I honestly thought I was the only person in the world that had a brain that worked the way my brain worked. My OCD is well under control now, but that added to my reclusive insecurity during my school years.
People were generally nice to me in high school, even though I was picked on. With red hair, looking young for my age and not being an athlete or involved in student government or the drama department, I felt that I was invisible to everyone. I realize now that I wasn’t, and that people actually had memories of me in high school.
I knew people at the reunion would know me as Scoot and know what I have done with my life, and it was awesome to hear that so many people listen to the show every day. The real reward for me, however, came from the people who remembered me before I was Scoot.
The year I graduated there was an English teacher who was the type of teacher that Van Halen was singing about in their hit, “Hot For Teacher!”
Ow! Got it bad, got it bad, got it bad
I'm hot for teacher
I've got it bad, so bad
I'm hot for teacher
Every day Ms. Palmisano wore a mini skirt and pumps, and it was impossible to ignore her in the classroom or walking down the halls of East Jefferson. Students at Brother Martin and Shaw High Schools knew her by her maiden name after she was divorced - Ms. Wolf.
A few years ago, Ms. Palmisano contacted me on Facebook. Knowing how to reach her I thought how cool it would be to bring her with me to the reunion. It was amazing to see the students reaction to seeing Ms. Palmisano today. Of course, we’ve all changed, but she was easy to recognize - minus the mini skirt.
I would say to a former student, “Do you remember Ms. Palmisano?” and everyone said “Yea!” and when they realized that was her, they exploded with excitement and hugged her and talked about her mini skirts.
But there was one aspect of the reunion that I did not anticipate, and itt was the best part of the experience. The public schools in Jefferson Parish were not co-ed. East Jefferson was all boys, and Grace King and Riverdale were all girls.
The first people who came up to me were women who remember going out with me. Vickie N., who I took to a Sweet 16 party! She was so cute I was lucky to have a date with her. The second person who came across the room to say hi said, “I was your first kiss!” It was Barbara J., the first person I French kissed! I told her how scared I was, and she said we all were! That was comforting. Barbara looks great, and she has let her hair go silver and told me it has been very liberating. Barbara was with a friend, Jan G., who I also vividly remember as her friend. They are both married with adult kids, and they are still friends today and went to the reunion together.
There were guys like Bruce W. and Harlen N. who had memories of me, and I easily recognized all of them 50 years later.
The experience of going to my class reunion was so rewarding that I encourage you to go to your class reunion - whether it’s 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, or 50 years. Especially if you were not a popular student during your high school years.
You will remember people, and people will remember you. I thought a lot about the experience of going to the reunion and tried to figure out why it was so rewarding. When Barbara told me that letting her hair go naturally silver was liberating, it made me realize that there is a point in your life when the pretense should no longer matter. There is something quite satisfying about reaching a point in life where you can just be yourself.
It was rewarding to hear that so many of the students have been listeners for years, but I appreciate that they remembered me and details about my life. So, thanks to all of you who remembered me when I thought I was not a memorable person.
But the most profound impression I have from the reunion is that my memories of my past are not just my memories - others also have those same memories, and it was confirmation that my life existed and that I mattered.
I hope you enjoy your class reunion and come away with the same feeling about your past.
