The Weakly Reader
Vol. I, No. 2
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
12 October 2015
Welcome to the second edition of The Weakly Reader, a publication dedicated to the enjoyment of all souls who spend too much time looking in their rear-view mirrors. It is the mission of this publication to encourage its readers to keep their eyes on the road ahead and have a good time doing it. Let us get started.
There has always been something peculiar about our reaching out to those we knew long ago. Why do we do this? Perhaps an explanation can be found in the words of Ruben Navarrette whose op ed pieces appear in our local paper. From the 21 September 2015 edition of the Winston-Salem Journal, here is part of what Navarrette wrote prior to his 30th high school reunion:
Reuniting with those who knew us when
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And in a special category all its own, we’ll have our friends from high school.
Think about your high school classmates. Before we knew anything, were anything, or accomplished anything, these people accepted us as we were. They wanted nothing from us, and we sought nothing from them. They were there before we got these scars, before life broke our hearts, before we misjudged people. They were there before we lost parents, bought homes, had children, got fired, changed careers, switched cities, started businesses, overcame health problems, lost our faith and found it again.
We’ve chosen to come together, after all these years, not to show off but to show each other what we once meant to one another. And still do.
And, through the wrinkles, extra pounds, thinning hair and gray whiskers, we know they’ll recognize us, look into our eyes, cup the back of our neck, kiss our cheek. And welcome us home.
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After the reunion Navarrette had this to say:
Recovering from my reunion
It’s been over a week since, in what seemed like a quick vacation to the past. I traveled to my hometown to reconnect with high-school classmates 30 years after graduation.
And I still have a reunion hangover. Here’s how I figure it: Muscles get sore when strained, and our hearts are made of muscle. As my friends and I tried in vain to squeeze three decades of old memories, regrets, special moments and words unspoken into six hours of drinking, laughing and reminiscing, our hearts got a workout. We’re recovering.
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Today is Columbus Day. No matter what some folks say about Columbus, I feel really good about Columbus. I have the Greenland Grill juke box and Guy Mitchell to thank for it. In fact I am down-right bubbly about Columbus. Who could not be excited about Columbus, especially if you ever heard Guy’s fanciful and delightful “Christopher Columbus?” Here is part of what I remember from AG days, maybe as far back as Dilworth School:
Queen Isabella, she gave heed
Said, “Go buy the ships you need.
Take my jewels but travel slow
Cause you might fall down to the world below!”
The crew was yelling, “Turn back home;
We ain’t ready for the Kingdom Come.
A Lookout hollered, “Land I see!
Why there’s the Statue of Liberty!”
All of the Indians come out then
To welcome Chris and the hungry men.
Step right up and have a little bite.
And, the Rotary meets on Monday night!
Chorus: Oh, let me fly, fly, fly stormy waters.
Let me walk on the bottom of the rolling sea.
Let me run, run, run ‘round this great and fertile land
Cause this world ain’t big enough for me.
There you have the gist of it. Now you know why I love Columbus Day. Thank you Greenland Grill and thank you Guy Mitchell
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So ends the second issue of The Weakly Reader. The publisher once again gratefully acknowledges the support of our sponsors, Ralston-Purina, the makers of Hot Ralston, “take a tip from Tom, go and tell your Mom, Hot Ralston can’t be beat;” and Oxydol, proud sponsor of Oxydol’s Own Ma Perkins. Thank you for listening. I hope you have enjoyed today’s reunion.
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The Weakly Reader
Warren Sparrow, Editor and Publisher
1117 West Fourth Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
12 October 2015
