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When I was growing up, I lived on a very average street... just like you
no doubt. I could walk or ride my BMX to the homes of any number of my
friends... Mark Shepard lived just around the corner; Tony Coombs lived
very close, Richie Seamons (class of '88) lived the closest (if I cut
through a yard... which I often did), Mark Erekson was a bit further
(and uphill), and Dave Barnes. Before we had the luxury of a driver's
license, the five of us (Mark, Mark, Tony, Dave, and myself) biked just
about everywhere together. We would bike down to Cottonwood mall on
more than one occasion, a distance of about, oh, I dunno, 5 or 6 miles
and did so without helmets and without adult supervision. We would stop
by the 7-11 on 45th for a snack either on the way there or the way back
(or both). A lot of times we would just bike down to Gretchen's house
and crash there... watch some TV, make some snacks, play kick the can,
etc. We had some great times - the same group of us - hanging out
together since elementary school.
As a parent now, I wonder sometimes if my kids will have the privilege
that I did of having such a very close core group of friends throughout
their childhood. It seems that we are much more mobile now... people in
the neighborhood come and go, friendships are made but fade just as
rapidly as the moving vans leave. We (speaking generally) are now much
more protective of our kids too (for good or bad, you decide). Parents
(around here anyway) would be loathe to let kids bike the distances that
we did when we were young... BMXs are long gone, kids (again around here
anyway) ride medium-sized mountain bikes, and helmets are now mandatory
riding gear.
Times change.
I must confess that, in the past, I have been less than enthusiastic
about this reunion. When Dave (Barnes) approached me with the idea that
I throw a website together for the reunion in late October (or was it
early November?), I put off doing anything about it until the middle of
the following February. I was busy (which was true)... I had better
things to do (which was also true)... but as I started getting involved,
and pulling out the old memorabilia, and reconnecting with old friends,
I have become much more excited. I put in calls to my old BMX buddies
and chatted with them. I have kept up with Dave, but I hadn't seen nor
heard from Mark, Mark, and Tony (and Richie) for years.
Tony RSVP'd first... and just yesterday Mark (Shepard) RSVP'd. It will
be great to see them again and reconnect. Eh... Mark (Erekson) are you
going to commit?! It won't be the same without you. Just show up to
the Friday gig. You can't be too busy to stop by for a few hours. If
you don't come, then well, you'll be missed... that's all. Your BMX
sucked anyway. ;)
Ah, Sunday mornings... a great time for baking... and writing e-mail.
I'm having some freshly baked biscuits with honey. You?
Cheers.
Rus Berrett &
The Skyline HS Class of 1987 Reunion Committee
:: Posted by admin on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 12:17 pm
:: Filed under /messages
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