After getting kicked out in grade 8 and starting my career in logging, I lost track of any friends I had from school. Never got to know most of them, so I was surprised to get an invitation to the 45th high school reunion of what would have been my graduation class. The tickets were 250 bucks. I wrote back that I would not be attending, after all, the thought of putting $250.00 to attend a reunion of people I really did not know seemed pointless.
I had several emails after this saying that I was in demand, they had seen the news reports, and a few were part of our cleanups, and they all wanted to have me come. I was also considered a well-established artist in their eyes. One of the success stories of students in my class. I wrote back to say no again.
They wrote back again to tell me that one of the attendees of the school reunion wanted to buy our tickets, and they said that now I had no excuse, so please come. At this time, my wife got involved; she was also urging me to go. The committee had started to write her as well and had gotten her in favour of us attending. I finally relented and said we would attend. I told them that as they were paying, I would do a painting that would be given out in a draw of a ticket number of all who showed up. Another classmate who lives back east commissioned me for a painting that was to be delivered at the same time. I agreed.
I was pretty nervous about this school reunion. I had been one of the bad boys in school, always fighting and getting into trouble. I felt I had only a few friends when I was in school. I was sure that I would only recognize a few people. Most of the guys I had kept in touch with had either been killed in logging accidents or had died from health problems due to excessive drinking. I was not in any way or form looking forward to this event.
The reunion was to be held in the Maritime Heritage Center in Campbell River, which is now a very nice venue that is well-used for various events and meetings. It is right on the water, just south of the wharves that make up our waterfront. Right out in front is the famous Campbell River fishing pier. When this pier was built, it was the highlight of the downtown core, tourism at its best. Many people fish off of it, and the fishing is always good. At the start of it, you will find a small but well-maintained aquarium that is chock full of what is the sea life of our local waters. I go there at least once a year, and a lot of the entrants to my fish category on my website are from photos I took in this wonderful addition to our local waterfront. Inside the maritime museum is a full local fishing boat that has been restored.
This vessel is a true heritage boat. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved wooden Seine Boats on the coast. It is a true survivor of the local fishing fleet from the early days. It was also one of the first fishing boats to be owned by an Aboriginal man; before this, all native fishing boats were owned by canneries and captained and crewed by First Nations sailors. It was also on the Canadian five-dollar bill from 1972 to 1986. This boat worked as a cannery seiner for its first 14 years before being bought by a local First Nations family. It has been restored and is a beautiful example of the early days of fishing. The boat is inside, and there are verandas on the second floor that allow you to view the boat from above. The venue of the reunion is just back from there; there is a covered second-floor deck out the front of the building with views of the wharves and Quadra Island beyond.
When I was a young man, some good friends and I rented a house that was just above this center, but in those days, it was where our sewer treatment plant was located. We all called it the shit pit. Right beside the treatment building was a very large square cement tank, which had an open top. Inside this tank were agitators that would swirl the shit and other wastes around to make it into a slurry, which was then pumped out in a long pipe far away from shore before it was discharged into the straight. We lived about 6 houses away, and when the wind was blowing from the north, our house was in its direct path. It could make you gag, so we would close all windows and light incense. Thankfully, the winds would only occasionally blow from the north.
In 1996, the new treatment plant was opened at the Norm Wood Environmental Centre for business, and the shit pit was shut down. Ideas floated around for a few years about what to do with this property. Then the District of Campbell River solicited ideas for suggested uses for the property. As the land had just recently been used for sewage treatment, there were environmental issues involved.
The Daybreak Rotarians proposed that we build a maritime heritage centre on the site. This could be used to bring the history of the local fishing community. The concept was approved, and the Rotarians facilitated the construction. The completed centre was then turned over to the City.
As we arrived at the center for the reunion, I noticed that there were many cars in the lot, and the dread of walking through those doors almost made me turn around and flee. My wife took my hand and pulled me to the entrance. I steeled my nerves, took a pull on the doors and entered. To my surprise, they all clapped as we walked in. As I looked around the room at the more than 100 people, I found that not only did I still know who they all were, but memories of every one of them began to return, and all I could do was smile. It was not unlike the show Cheers, where everyone knows your name.
We were directed to a table where 10 or so people were already seated. Three of them were ladies whom I had dated back in the day; they were now lawyers, hospital administrators and business owners. Two of the ladies took my wife off to the side and told her how all the girls had the hots for me back in school. They told her it was because I was such a bad boy. Who knew?
All in all. My wife and I had a good time. I made connections with most and still maintain many of these friendships. I was simply amazed at how many of them I remembered, and talking with these people had me laughing all night. My wife heard many tales of my high school days; some of the ladies even told her they had memories about me that they cherished. I, too, have fond memories of these ladies.
The draw for the painting was done before dinner, they all gathered around with their tickets in their hands, and one of the ladies on the committee drew the winner. It was a lady I could not remember, or perhaps she moved to our community after I left school. No matter what, she was completely thrilled and teary-eyed with winning, which always makes me happy.
We then began to line up for dinner, and it was then that I discovered it was my cousin and good friend who was the caterer, and the eating was awesome. After the dinner, I had all the people go out on the balcony, and I went out into the parking lot, where I made a video of everyone cheering for the reunion. When I got home, I edited the video, inserted photos and sent it out to everyone. I did have fun.