Lake Echoing

Our Fabulous Hosts With their Two Sons Yesterday

My wife and I awoke yesterday morning in Keene Friend’s house determined to maintain the momentum achieved with the emotional high from the ABFA inspired surprise birthday party for our favorite son. The “old” expression - the spirit is willing but the body is weak leaps to mind to explain the conundrum facing the middle aged partiers yesterday morn. We were fortunate in this regard that our long lost friend from Pittsburgh had blown into town during our Saturday seaside sojourn and set up shop near his old Spofford haunts.

Breakfast on the Square With Keene Friend and Wife

We snuck out for loin girding and a fun breakfast on the sidewalk at the head of the square as Keene slowly emerged from its own Saturday night induced funk. It must have been fully awake by the time breakfast was winding down as a grizzled man wearing a bright summer dress and nylons sashayed by us on the sidewalk (Keene seems to have evolved in my absence). Keene Friend was diving under the table and emerged to explain that he had coached the passing fashion explosion when he was young and didn’t want to get drawn into a conversation with him. We didn’t assign any blame (although it was tempting) and beat a hasty retreat.

Lakeside with High School Buds

While we weren’t paying attention my wife snuck out to visit her old friend TJ Maxx while Keene Friend and I acquired supplies for the trek to Spofford Lake. We eventually ascertained my missing wife’s location and alerted the authorities in an effort of breaking her free long enough to attend the party. The Pittsburgh contingent had set up shop in a cottage named Miramichi (a name whose origin lies buried in the mists of the past) which boasted its own obstacle course masquerading as stairs between the cottage and the lake.

Our host greeted us still bearing the scars of his initial efforts to negotiate the stairs the night before under the influence of adult beverages. The fact he undertook this test in order for his guests to know the dangers involved speaks volumes. Volumes of what I leave to you for consideration.

The Pittsburgers

Wife With their Sons
Spitting Images of their Father From That Age

The cottage was just down the road from where he lived during high school/college where he hosted some of the most legendary parties of our youth. To reach the lake via the steep stairs you had to cross a busy state highway thoughtfully placed right along the lake shore. This road was the pathway used by much younger versions of the partygoers during an annual streaking tradition which thankfully died as common sense finally invaded our psyches.

They Even Had a Memento Cozzie Created to Mark the Event

High School Buds on the Stairs of Death

The Pittsburghers had put out a call to fellow high school classmates and a number showed up to participate in a mini-reunion along the shore of the lake where so many memories echoed back to each of us. You don’t grow up around Keene and not have a least a couple Spofford stories. One of the greatest things I’ve discovered since retiring from the military and moving back to New England is the reconnection with high school friends. There’s an easy camaraderie that allows the years to melt away from friendships long held dormant.

We passed the afternoon down by the lake enjoying the company bombarded with constant rounds of food and drink from our dauntless host and hostess. At one point a lady walked up and introduced herself as a very close friend of my younger sister who died back in 1977. I hadn’t talked to anyone who knew Lisa in so many years that it was very nice to catch up with the still fabulous looking friend who married a classmate of ours which explained her attendance. Life and fate have a weird sense of inevitability when you go home which is a very good reason to attempt it as often as possible.

Porch Time

VICTORY!!!!

We survived multiple transitions along the mismatched stairs as the perfect afternoon fell victim to the onslaught of passing time. I’d broken my prohibition of beer drinking on a “school night” because the company demanded it and the Pittsburgh friend has that effect on me. We adjourned to the front porch of the cottage perched high above and offering grandiose views of the lake as the Sunday crowds slowly abandoned the water. As with the day prior I engaged in a struggle to savor the time spent with friends and tried to will the day to last longer but failed miserably. Time spent with friends, especially this group, manages to achieve breathtaking speed when the opposite is needed. My wife dutifully if somewhat grudgingly agreed to chauffer us back to Keene and then on to Worcester. Keene Friend discovered at home that one should remember when one puts cans of soda in the freezer to cool them down quickly. If memory fails the resulting explosion can be spectacular.

Keene Friend's Freezer

We were both exhausted upon arrival in Worcester but convinced we’d wrung more than a satisfying amount of pleasure out of an all too perfect New England summer weekend with the Herculean support of the best in family and friends. I also learned the union voted to ratify the recently negotiated contract which placed the cherry on top of what was a massive Sundae.