The Bob Evans Summit of 2011

A nd so I made the journey.  From the west side of Cleveland to Medina.  From Medina onward to Burbank.  I had to stop in Medina to drop off my son, Zach, at my sister-in-law’s house, where Mary was visiting her mother.

Even after all these years in Medina and Cuyahoga counties, finding my way in some places is still a challenge. I drove through parts of Medina I hadn’t driven in 15 years or more.  I drove down parts of Lafayette Rd I’m not sure I ever drove.  I over shot Burbank.  I missed a key turn into Lodi and ended in West Salem.  But then again, Route 539 has an entrance there.  Okay, so, I had to back track a bit.

Some of you may be unfamiliar with Bob Evans Restaurants.  (Some of you may be unfamiliar with the roads between Medina and Burbank, but that didn’t stop me from writing the last bit.) Anyway, it’s a lovely family style place.  Warm.  Homey.

I meet up with Dan, Joe, Noreen and Jan.  We had come together to discuss plans for the 40 Year Reunion of Cloverleaf High School Class of 71.

Okay, okay.  Who are these people and why is it I am doing this again?

Dan was the Senior Class President.  I actually ran against him for the Presidency. As I recall. my slogan was something like “Why Not Vote for Me?”  There was a rumor floating around one of the previous reunions that I may have received more votes than I was credited for.  Oh, well.  It was like having my grade point average carried out to four decimal points so that i wasn’t quite an honor student.  But I’m not bitter.  No really. (Oh, that doesn’t really have anything to do with Dan.  Just got carried away.)

Joe was the Vice President.  You know, all I can say about Joe is that he’s a likable guy.  I always liked him.  We didn’t hang out much, but i liked him.

Noreen is “an interested party”.  I mean that Dan and Joe are part of the official reunion committee.  Noreen is part of this because she wants there to be a nice reunion.  She was kind of shy in high school as I remember.  I’m sure we talked.

Jan is another interested party.  And very much in the know.

I brought along a Xerox of the senior section of the yearbook.  We went through the pictures, identifying who we thought we could contact, or might be able to contact.  Yeah, and who had died.

We came up with a date, more or less.  We came up with a concept, a theme.  (That was good.  Cheap and Casual.)  Dan will start looking at places.  Places within or at least close to the Cloverleaf School District.

It was interesting.  I haven’t seen Joe or Noreen since the 20 Year Union.  Although I have no particular memory associated with it, I’m sure I saw Dan and Jan five years later.

And so it goes.  On the drive home I thought that back in high school I might have been voted Most Likely to End Up in a South American Prison.  Just a thought.