Idlebones

Reunion

Thursday night I went to my first ever class reunion at my old college in Dubin.I didn’t have any
Idea what to expect, and almost backed out of it at the last minute, worried that it might be a bit
awkward. I had only kept in touch with one of them, Bren, in the last ten years, because I had graduated with another class after an enforced absense for a year (not through sickness, but thickness), so I was worried there would be a few awkward silences. In the end I decided to go, reasoning that if things took a turn for the worse, we could always leave and go to the pub.
I think I took the whole going back to college thing too literally though. I managed to turn up over an
hour late, walking into the lecture theatre where the college had laid on nibbles and wine, just as they were lining up for a group photo. All these faces I remebered from ten years ago lined up in three rows, ladies to the front, tall men to the rear, almost all in suits and dresses. I walked in past the clutch of lecturers mooching round the wine table at the top of the class, to be greeted by a big cheer and laughter. Apparently everyone had recognised me instantly primarliy because of my habit of strolling nonchalauntly into classrooms with a look of “Well of course I’m late,that’s normal isn’t it?” on my face. Some habits die hard.
Any nervousness I had been feeling left me straight away, and by 10 o’cloock we were all sitting around in a pub catching up and exchanging war stories like we’d only been away for the summer. The reality check came when guys I remembered swapping fags and lecture notes started swapping business cards and comparing baby photo’s. J, the commited city dewler and lad about town now enjoying country living with four kids, D,the militant feminist and student activist now living with hubby and kids and working for a charity etc, etc.
By the end of the night, I was feeling more relaxed and comfortable than I’ve probably felt in a year
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent so many hours in good company just talking and laughing with so many people. I resolved to keep in touch from now on. Knowing me, I’ll probably mislay their phone numbers.