Reunion, Part 5 and Final

“Ugh!” I thought as I blinked awake, “My eye’s feel like two piss-holes in the snow!”

It felt as if I had jus’ fallen asleep when my alarm sounded. And as soon as I looked at the time it occurred to me that I had jus’ fallen asleep.

It took me only a few seconds to lie back down and drift off for another few hours. By the time I reawakened, I knew I was very late for the reunion picnic.

As quickly as possible, I showered and dressed, grabbed my camera and rushed out of my room. The sky was a high overcast, which burned off momentarily, only to come back full tilt.

This time I didn’t drive to a place that wasn’t part of the event. I hustled straight to Beachfront park where I found a small gathering of people hanging around some tables.

One of the first people I saw was my long ago neighbor from Klamath, Sharon Jones. We had not seen each other in over in 34-years.

Somehow, it seemed to me at that moment, as if all that time hadn’t really passed by us.  I also met her husband, James, a retired U.S. Army engineer, and their daughter and son.

But because I was so late, the event ended far too soon for me. Soon I was standing there alone watching everyone return to their lives.

Instead of heading straight back to my room, I decided to go do a little shopping. I spent an hour in the old McKay’s Market building, now home to a second-hand store called, “Sylvia’s Attic.”

Then I headed up H Street to the VFW Post to say “adios” to Stanlee Stanovich. I didn’t hang around long as she was busy with a bar full of patrons.

Besides I had to head back to the motel, as the light was fading and the sidewalks were rolling up. I also had a long trip home in front of me the next morning.

Sleep didn’t come to me as easily as it had the night before, so when I got up, I was moving slowly. I have since concluded that it was for the beast as I ran into an old school mate, Dan Smith.

I always remembered him because he shares the same name as my oldest cousin on Mom’s side of the family.

Dan and I stood around chatting about the old days of high school, and our time in the U.S. Marine Corps. Unfortunately, he hadn’t heard of the get together, missing out on the reunion and all the fun we had.

After saying our “see ya laters and Semper Fi’s,” I hopped in my truck and turned the hood southward. I stopped once more, this time in the old townsite of Klamath, where I have always felt my life’s journey began.

It was here I snapped a few more photograph’s, including where Grandpa Jack’s Three-Sevens Bar had been and the former site of Tony’s Market. I also got out and walked the land for a few minutes, wishing to make one more connection with the place, before leaving.

In minutes of returning to southbound 101,  I drove out of Del Norte County.  I grew sad, wondering, “Will I ever see this place again?”

One can never say.