My high school class, despite our
advancing ages, can’t seem to get enough of each other. I know that is usually
not the case with high school classmates, so that officially makes us weird. It’s
a weirdness we’ve come to embrace. In my tropical absence they conspired to
start up a monthly luncheon at that renowned Keene eatery, the Pub. Since my
tropicalness has been definitively concluded, I was finally able to attend. I
linked up with both Keene Friends 1 and 2 ahead of time while my Favorite Panamanian
headed out for tax free shopping armed with TJ Maxx gift cards that had been burning
a hole in her pocket since Christmas. She also hit the Home Depot so it was an expensive
lunch. Worth every penny of it though, as I was once again thrust into that “weirdness”
that is so entertaining whenever this group gathers.
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| Part of Yesterday's Lunch Crew |
My only complaint would be having to sit
in a dining setting which meant for the most part you had to talk with your
immediate neighbors. The Pub Crawl is superior in that regard since you’re free
to circulate (as long as there’s something to hang onto but that’s only near
the end of the crawl – whoa, I am seriously digressing and need to jump off
that tangent). There were some notable absences as the Cantankerous One is on
some sort of theater tour in Central Maine (I know – talk about weirdness), the
Kindergarten Friend was at the doctor’s office (an inherent activity for our
age group), and the CRC, who was probably hanging blinds somewhere.
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| The Other Half |
The group that did gather was
exceptional. My immediate neighbors included both Keene Friends as well as one
of the most renowned storytellers from our class, truly a character of legerdemain.
After the lunch, a few of us (those without immediate responsibilities) made our
way to the only pub open at this early hour, the distinguished end of our annual
pub crawl, The Pour House. It still feels weird to drink beer in what was a
Sears store for my entire youth (and scene of epic battles between my mother and
the store’s employees), but, as stated above, our class specializes in weirdness.
We sat at a table with a sign that read, “Life is Made of Pour Decisions”, fairly
eloquent. It was fun sitting around with friends while Keene’s Central Square busied
itself outside on a perfect spring day.
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| At The Pour House |
We included our almost requisite call to
the PCR who looks forwards to them but always acts like we’re intruding. It’s all
an act as we caught him on a golf course this time so we didn’t have the usual
added civility of his spouse. He was planning on executing a hole in one at his
next hole so we had to cut the call short – still fun to include him in the
festivities. Since Keene Friend 2 had to umpire a baseball game, we had to cut those
festivities short but Keene Friend 1 had a surprise for my shopped out Favorite
Panamanian when she arrived. He had a birthday cake prepared which was just
what the doctor ordered (a long-standing Frail Deeds truism – cake and beer – just
the best). I woke up yesterday morning wearing a t-shirt I received from Keene
Friend which includes a favorite quote from the movie, The Town, “Whose Care we
Gonna Take?”. It’s a comment on what true friends will do for each other and
appropriate for yesterday since I got to hang out with exactly that kind of creature.
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| The Eloquent T |
This didn’t really qualify as a true
thunder run as we were missing some of requisite characters and we had to leave
early. I was even capable of driving which definitely moves it out of thunder
run contention. My Favorite Panamanian had an evening MRI date (there’s that
age related medical monster raising its ugly head again). I archly informed her
on that drive that we would be returning to Keene next week to execute a proper
thunder run. She glanced at the back of the car, overstuffed with her spoils of
the day, and was more than happy to acquiesce. Before that, this weekend, I’m
looking forward to meeting the newest addition to the family, the Namesake
Nephew’s baby, who has completely conquered Great Aunt in our absence.
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| Keene Friend with Belated Cake for Wife |
We snuck out to the movies earlier in the
week to see The Amateur. While this is a bit of a formulaic spy thriller, I
truly enjoyed it. Remi Malek is a compelling actor and perfectly cast as CIA
nerd who is bound and determined to take out the terrorists who kill his wife.
Everyone is convinced this frail guy is not up to the task, but he finds a way
to get the training he needs and sets out for Europe with CIA assassins on his
trail. I liked that the film didn’t automatically turn him into a super spy,
and you could empathize with him as he struggles with his dark tasks. It puts
out a very poignant message for today’s times, never underestimate the nerds. There
is an excellent supporting cast with Lawrence Fishburne, in Morpheus mode, as
the trainer, and Mrs. Maisel as the beloved wife. My only complaint might be
the lack of screen time for Mrs. Maisel but that’s what gets the whole plot moving.
A fun watch, really well done.
Two movies fell in the A-Z watch, both
keepers: new additions from Christmas: Deadpool and Wolverine, the anticipated hilarity
when Reynolds breaks the 4
th wall with Jackman as a fantastic and
lethal foil; The Fall Guy, hilarious action romp with Gosling as a stuntman
trying to win back Emily Blunt.
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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 her single days in
Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends
along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); 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
3rd 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 (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca –
wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my
son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom,
of course
