Thunderunion

Last week I was informed by the Keene Friend that none other than the PCR would be returning home through Keene yesterday. That august personality requested a thunder run which I felt was entirely appropriate, not that I really need an excuse, but here was one freely offered. As he is wont to do the Keene Friend informed a wide variety of our high school classmates and as the KHS class of ’73 is wont to do, it assembled. In a very welcome development we had a number of female classmates as well as wives attending which certainly elevated the occasion. We walked over to Penuche’s from Keene Friend’s house, passing by Wheelock School where I made the obligatory text to my progeny, informing them for only the 6,474^th time that I had, in fact, attended kindergarten there. My son had a hilarious reaction to that text.

KHS '73 Dominating Penuche's

My Son's Reaction to Kindergarten Text

The PCR and his wife’s triumphant return to Keene had summoned a truly memorable group of classmates. The group quickly took over Penuche’s Ale House. I don’t know what their usual afternoon population is but our arrival certainly seemed to qualify as an explosion. The great thing about my classmates is that despite the time spent apart we pick up where we left off as if no intervening time had inserted itself. In short order we had the Kindergarten Friend, the Cantankerous One, the CRC, Keene Friend 2 amongst other worthies. It was a fabulous afternoon catching up with the oldest friends I have. I got to speak at length for the first time in a long time with the first friend I made in 3^rd grade when I moved to a new school. We also published the date for the annual birthday pub crawl, Saturday November 16^th. The PCR is still making noises about not attending the crawl so I’ll have to mine Pittsburgh sources for information to blackmail him into coming. Please anybody that has anything on him, I protect my sources.

Keene Friend Overseeing the Assembly

The CRC, PCR and a Spokeswoman

Keene Friends 1 & 2 with PCR

There is something certainly redeeming about being engulfed in the well-worn but still extremely lively glow of friendship available at our gatherings. People came and went all afternoon but the buzz of conversation never slacked. My Favorite Panamanian even deigned to abandon her usual shopping expedition to join us for a spell at Penuche’s. This classifies as a minor miracle.

PCR Photobombing My Wife and His

Awesome Friends

Keene Friend was feeling a little under the weather but he still had the survivors back to his house after Penuche’s. Athens Pizza, in a huge surprise, answered their phone this time to complete the Keene experience. We continued the conversations while the Olympics played out on the television. I may have over indulged a bit at Penuche’s (Great Aunt gasps in surprise) but that is par for the course when surrounded by this much excellence. My wife didn’t even seem to mind having to drive back to Worcester where I “volunteered” to stay up late and watch the end of the women’s Olympic gymnastic competition. Some rides have to be paid for.

Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, both keepers: Knives Out, such a great who dun it with actors playing against type; and Knocked Up, so much funnier than I remembered.

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RECURRING CHARACTERS:                                

ABFA – Amazing Best Family Athlete - my daughter in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter #3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel - second granddaughter; Cantankerous Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything, poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during him her single days in Brooklyn; Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR - First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited with after many years; Maine and Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my wife is the 3^rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals – female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex and my wife and I; Soxfather – my brother in law; Tia Loca – wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom, of course