Boston Mini-Reunion = A Fun Time
About twenty of our classmates and their spouses gathered at the Union Club in Boston recently for a small, intimate reunion. We had a beautiful, warm Fall day of Indian summer and the light shone brightly through the tall windows into our drab meeting room, illuminating us as though we were gods, ancient and dazzling.
Although the club itself was a bit shopworn, exuding shabby chic, the atmosphere it generated was warm and convivial. We spent the first hour circulating in idle chat, while enjoying drinks and canapés. Then we got down to business, settling into comfortable chairs and couches in an adjoining room, where we proceeded to have more drinks and canapés and even more conviviality than before.
The conversation ranged widely, including the Calhoun flap and the Halloween fiasco back in New Haven. We all agreed that none of that would have happened in our day. But, as you would expect from a roomful of Yalies, however small the group, opinion varied across the entire spectrum from imbecility to divine wisdom. We all further agreed that Inky Clark showed excellent judgment in having admitted us to Yale in the first place.
Recognizing the need to move on, our host and former bursary student JP Jordan (BC) collected and bussed all the dirty dishes and glasses and introduced the assistant-webmaster of our Class Website, Harry Forsdick (PC), who enlightened the group on the workings of the new website, having earlier regaled us with stories about his very active participation in the early wild days of the internet and its creation.
On a more serious note, Barney Brawer (SC) followed with a sobering discussion of how little had changed in our society since our time at Yale in the very turbulent sixties, to coin a phrase. And indeed, our nation appears to be in turmoil again, and we are called to fight the same battles now as we did then, war, inequality, racism, poverty. Barney is seeking input from the class to develop this theme into a major Reunion event that will be meaningful to all the Reunion classes, across generations. And of course, as expected, a lively discussion ensued.
Alas, the evening had to come to a close, but not before Joe and Carol Green (SY) graciously offered to host the next little reunion in the spring at their home in Cambridge.
We lingered at the door to the street, saying long goodbyes, unwilling to part company, not knowing how long it might be until the next time, all the while promising to write our very important personal Essays for the 50th Reunion Class Book, and separately to update our profiles on the website.
Until a poor street bum came up to us, asking for something or other. We stared at him briefly, and parted quickly, going our separate ways.
