Update 5-6-03


Hi,

Three successive reports from Barbara Blitfield Pech on last weekend's 38th reunion:
      1.  I'm just beginning my first sentence as I await my ride to the airport:  Let the fun begin.   The pix will come later.
      2.  I came.  I saw.  I did a little visiting ... and a little eating ... and a little more eating ... and drinking, and a lot of reminiscing.  I'm having a lovely time, staying with Robin Feit, enjoying the warmth of her friendship, her kind hospitality, and a lovely visit with her family and our friends.  A nice surprise:  joining us today was Rich Viscecchia, from the Garden Street Gang and Harbor Road days.  Also, twice blessed in attendance, feeling great and looking even better, Geri Clamp Richoi.  A couple of early notices:  keep July 27th open for a pool party at Mark Yetman's home; then, in Miami, in mid-November, at my house.  All are welcome, though bring your own sleeping bags.
      3.  Now that I’m home, unpacked, and back to the regular grind, I just wanted to add some thoughts and escapade details from the weekend.
      Robin is the consummate hostess.  Not only is her home lovely, warmly comfortable, and beautifully decorated, once there, you immediately feel as if you have been there before and are just coming home again.  She met me at the airport and surprised me with a guest -- Dennis Shapiro, who not only tagged along, but provided the wheels and began new friendship between us.  We grabbed a quick bite at the local diner, which was a treat after all the pretentious Nuevo-Floridian food I've been eating.   Amazingly, I simply passed by the in-yer-face cake wheel planted at the entrance.  Well, okay, I had my eyes closed.
      The mini-reunion on Saturday was as sweet as our 37th and, in many ways, better, as the steady shrieks of Oh, My God! last year covered up more quiet conversation.  This time, updatings from recent visits were the heart of the gathering.  I loved Joan Aries' stories about her year teaching at South, and of being a parent in the Harbor Road/South system, still unable to address her former teachers by their first names, no matter how many times they gently reminded her.  It was also nice to learn that Ed Albrecht and I weren’t the only two idiot kids under the age of five who played at the "Water Works" -- a preschool hangout.  How did we miss Barb Endy and her gang?  We must have been there on different days, or the woods just seemed bigger then, so we could get lost without seeing each other.  And, as I've already mentioned, it was great to see Geri Clamp, and to laugh about new times.
      Also, I finally got to hang out with the varsity guys, Danny Stellabotte and Paul -- 40 years later, but well worth the wait.  Mark Yetman has my personal nomination for Sweetheart of the World, though I know others will easily second me.  (For Mark's information:  I'm still working off the same ten pounds.  Once they drop, I'll be in your pool on July 27th -- just e-mail me what to bring to the BBQ.)  My own special moment arrived when Rich Viscecchia joined us.  What a nice addition for all, but especially sweet for me, as Rich, Ed Albrecht, Fran Bellucci, and I were the original Garden Street Kids, circa 1950.  Too many years -- do your own math -- have passed for us not to get misty/mushy over just being together again.  I especially loved Rich's affectionate, ”Oh, Wow!" when he saw Fran’s photo from last year's reunion.  You can go home -- again and again and again ...
      Afterwards, Robin and I did the road trip through Valley Stream, Gibson, Yorkshire (Lynbrook), Green Acres (I still can’t remember its new name) and Harbor Road.  Any chiropractor would be proud of the self-inflicted-but-complete job we did adjusting our necks in Exorcist Spin Cycle, as we drove down every street, pointing out who lived where, who dated who, who broke hearts, who got caught, and who didn't.  So much has changed, but so much is still the same.
      The schools haven't gotten smaller.  They just got new windows, face lifts, shiny exterior colors, safe monkey bars, and landscaping.  It seems like an addition is being built at Forest Road, the corner stone is missing from South, and a new Welcome block has been added to the curve in the Gladys Place teachers' parking lot.  I had to smile as I peeked in the side door there to see a hall monitor desk still in place, as if waiting for someone from the past to validate my forged pass.  I think it’s safe to admit that now, or should I be waiting for the detention police as I type?      In observance of our commitment to re-enact our senior year lunch periods, we drove from South to The Woodro for a cholesterol special -- the first bite in honor of Jerry Bittman -- and a few more memories.  By the way, can someone remember the name of the Chinese restaurant in the Penn-Mill Plaza?  Barbara Brill had her Sweet 16 luncheon there.  Of course, being so close, I had to make a pit-stop at Wall's bakery and bring home ... everything (though it's not like we don’t have bread in Florida).  In my mom’s memory, I was deliriously pleased to see the Daitch on Broadway replaced with a Fortunoff’s, as well as the Daitch on Rosedale Road replaced with a discount clothing store.  I mean, why eat, when you can shop!  I can’t imagine Valley Stream without Casa Tina, Molly’s, Wetsons, The Noshery, and Harry and Larry’s, but they're all gone.  House of Chang now sells auto parts, the Green Acres Bowl -- all 48 lanes -- has vanished, and Alexander’s is now Target!  Say it ain’t so.
      I could go on for pages, but I’ll spare us all -- unless, of course, I'm asked, and then I’m ready to spill all the gossip.  But I just want to wind down with the thought of how special and life affirming it is to know that I'm part of a group of the most wonderful people, from the best school and the greatest hometown that exists in at least my senior-moment-ridden recent memory.  Thanks for letting me share this trip home, and I hope you’re all there with us next time.  You are the best!  Rock valiantly on, Class of ’65!

On a related note, from Marc Jonas:  Don't ask -- I mentioned Ramar of the Jungle to a young lawyer, and he looked at me like I was bonkers.  This led me to Kit Carson and beyond.  Too much TV.  But here are some links I unearthed:

      Television Series <http://grapevinevideo.com/images/teleT.gif>

      Gang Busters <http://grapevinevideo.com/gbusters.htm>

      Stories of the Century <http://grapevinevideo.com/stories.htm>

      Rocky Jones <http://grapevinevideo.com/r_jones.htm>

      Kukla, Fran, and Ollie <http://grapevinevideo.com/early_tvs.htm#THE KUKLA
      FRAN AND OLLIE SHOW>

      Wild Bill Hickok <http://grapevinevideo.com/wb_hickok.htm>

      Television Westerns <http://grapevinevideo.com/tv_westerns.htm>

      Adventures of Kit Carson <http://grapevinevideo.com/kit_carson.htm>

      Space Patrol <http://grapevinevideo.com/space_patrol.htm>

      Early Television Series <http://grapevinevideo.com/early_tvs.htm>

      More Early Television  <http://grapevinevideo.com/TV.htm> Shows

      <http://grapevinevideo.com/Orderfrm.htm> order form

      <http://grapevinevideo.com/index.htm> The Lobby

      <http://grapevinevideo.com/silent_cinema.htm> Silent Era

      <http://grapevinevideo.com/Cinema.htm> The Talkies.jpg (3287 bytes)


Separate from all this nostalgia, in the actual present, Cathy Wilson Reynolds has turned up.  For the past two years, she's been listed on Classmates.com, and it turns out she's been following along on the home page.  But now we have an e-mail address through her husband.  If you want it, please ask.

Finally, from our recent celebrant, Andy Dolich:  It was a wonderful, wacky, walk through the memory warehouse at 150 Jedwood Place.
      The day started out with a visit to the Principal’s office (I knew where it was from previous visits of a less celebratory nature).  Dr. Stephen Lando, who is around 22, is only the fourth principal in the school's history.
      We then moved to the Gym, where the non-dresscoded 10th--12th graders were assembled to hear from the suits.  They were generally happy, since they were missing class.  I received proclamations and plaques from every group known to man, except the underground radical guerrilla group that wants to change Millbrook back to Green Acres.
      Ed Schmidt, Booker Gibson, and Bernie O’Brien were in attendance.  Stuart Kandel represented the throng of the Class of ’65.  My brother and his wife, both Class of ‘58, were in the front row, beaming with boredom.
      South actually has a Sports Marketing class, which I downloaded with shortcuts on how they, too, in 40 years, could be honored for a mediocre career in sports management.
      A spectacular luncheon banquet was served in the new library.  The food was good, but we weren’t allowed to talk above a whisper, which put a damper on things.
      I was then given a VIP tour of the school, with a proper Hall Pass.
      It is pretty difficult to fathom that we all received our parole from the Halls of the Valiant Falcons nearly 38 years ago.  If you get a chance go back and walk the pea soup green tiled halls, it will make your day.  Thanks to all those who sent me such kind words.  You are all eligible for free tickets to our games in Memphis.

The home page:   http://hometown.aol.com/falcons1965a


Rich