In all honesty, I both loved and hated High School. When it was ending I remember being sad, and telling my favorite English teacher that I didn’t want to be done, and she said “well, you could come back as my post-grad student.” I had great teachers and a couple of them became friends for sure. By high school I had become richer in friends than I had ever been. Maybe I wasn’t ever going to be popular, but I had people who made my face smile just by suddenly appearing in one of the crowded high school hallways.
Grade school had nearly broken me and convinced me there was something about me that would keep me from ever having a friend, Jr. High found me a few friends and High School brought a few more. College finally allowed me to breathe free and believe I could love and be loved in return by many true friends. The ones I had in high school, and the ones I admired from a distance but was afraid to talk to are still in my life, and that is of course thanks to the wonder of the internet. I’ve learned that many Cody High Classmates ended up being people I really love and admire.
But the ones I am most thankful for are the few who wrote thick snail mail letters after graduation. Popped up in a late night phone call from distant places every now and then. Sent photographs of their homes and travels and marriages and children, and now slip into my emails and chats to remember the past and dream of the future.
I am Thankful for Sue, Jet and Tricia and Carol and Cheryl, Rose Sandi, Brenda and Brian as well as, Mike and Donna, and Shelley and Peter, Jewel and Gregg and Kathy, Steve, Tony, Sandy, Howard, Debbie, and Suzie and a few more. People who reached out when my Dad and later my Mom died. People who made me gifts or cards, who came to the funerals and later checked in on Facebook messenger. I’m sad for the ones who have died and proud of the survivors. Lord knows I only know some of the things they’ve survived. I’m also thankful for the ones who were my brothers’ friends and have also reached out to let me know they care. Cody High School wasn’t always a great place to be on a daily basis, but there were some great people there and some. Memories and moments I wouldn’t trade for anything.
We went roller skating, and to the parades and fireworks and rodeo. We dragged main and played mini golf. We ate daylight donuts and Eugene’s Pizza. We had lunch in cottonwood trees and in the home ec room or the art room. We swam and blasted our transistor radios and dreamed of the day we would leave Cody behind but I think we never realized how much of it we would always carry with us.
