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Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Rabbit Teal [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 04:26:32 03/31/03 Mon In reply to: Robin Rogers 's message, "Will we see you in April?!" on 09:07:38 03/25/03 Tue Howdy everybody! Rabbit Here. Originally, I was not planning on attending this get-together. When I graduated back in 1979, I made a promise to myself that I would never go to a high school reunion. That promise was intended for high school reunions in general. I didn’t fit in with the “socialite” crowd and wasn’t voted best “this” or “that” or most likely to do anything of any significance. I might have been voted least likely to succeed if the category existed. But then I realized that this group of people, who also probably would have voted me least likely to succeed (lets face it, I put a lot of effort into goofing off), was the nucleus to my entire high school career. If I could ever swallow my pride and break my long-standing promise to myself to never go back, it would be to see this group of people. Then, of course, I had to overlook the natural fear of feeling uncomfortable upon returning. I haven’t kept up my appearances. I’m no longer svelte. Oh, I’m not obese, but I have filled out just I little. And my hair, that long flowing mane that I once had, I seem to have misplaced it. Yes, I’m balding. Not bald, balding. It’s a work in progress. It doesn’t bother me though. When you lose one hair a day over so many years it’s really hard to notice. The next thing is people asking, “What are you doing these days?” The word that has been used in recent postings is “average”. At first glance, I’m sure most of our lives could be labeled “average”. I’m sure that’s what most people would think of my life. But that’s just the view from a distance. If a person really spent some time and got to know me and all the silly little details that make up this life of mine, I’m sure the conclusion would be that my life has been an interesting trip if nothing else, a trip that’s been worth taking. For the last eight years I’m been working for the State of Texas, TxDOT to be exact, the Texas Department of Transportation. My title is Engineering Technician. I review plans for roadways. I also do some graphics on Microstation. Prior to working for the TxDOT, I worked for two different structural engineering firms as a Draftsman for a little over ten years. First doing hand drafting, and then switching over to CADD drafting. Prior to that I went to school at TSTI in Waco and got an Associates degree in Architectural Drafting and Design. Upon graduating from TSTI in 1984, I landed a job in Austin, TX and have been here ever since. Lastly and most importantly, there’s the question of marital status. I am happily married. I did a bit of casting before I found the woman who would play the role of Mr. Teal. It didn’t happen until 1991. Her name was Mary Alice Mendoza; she worked for the CPA firm across the courtyard from where I worked that handled the books for our company. She was a single mother with an eight-year old son at the time. We got to know each other. One thing lead to another and yada-yada, we were married in 1992. We are coming up on our eleventh anniversary this June. Her son Chris, whom I consider as my own son, is now twenty and has a four-year old son of his own. (You do the math; it wasn’t supposed to happen this way). We tried to have children of our own but it wasn’t meant to be. So Chris, Jr. is actually an incredible blessing. I’m only forty two-years old and have a four-year old boy calling me “Grampa!” I love it. Alice and I will be coming to the reunion. Funny thing is, I really haven’t shared many of my stories of the band hall days with Alice, so this will be like opening doors that have never been opened. I must say that if it weren’t for my sister coming all the way from Vermont with her husband Charles, I probably wouldn’t have gotten up the nerve to attend. But now I’m ready and I think this should be fun. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Debbie [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 15:49:56 03/31/03 Mon As Rabbit’s Copy Editor on the above posting, I’d like to clarify a point in his narrative and apologize for my egregious error in letting a particular typo slip by, one which might give offense to my Lovely Sister-In-Law, Alice. Before adding his response to the Band Hall, he asked me to look it over and see what I thought, particularly requesting that I point out any obvious errors to him before he posted it. After reading it and pronouncing it A Damn Fine Read, I told him he should post it as is and not to worry about niggling little details such as apostrophes, commas, etc., because being letter-perfect would take away from the character of it. And let’s face it, would any of us, myself included, who remember his high school academic record have believed Rabbit wrote it himself if indeed it was perfect? I thought not. He’s come a long way since then and has changed a lot in some ways, but not as much as the one-letter omission might lead one to believe. Which brings me to the reason for this “mea culpa” and to clarify the error I failed to spot in a timely fashion. His statement should have read “Lastly and most importantly, there’s the question of marital status. I am happily married. I did a bit of casting before I found the woman who would play the role of Mrs. Teal,” and not “the role of Mr. Teal” as is written. I’ve seen Alice. I know Alice. Alice is one fine woman and would never, ever be mistaken for a Mr. Teal. I hope all concerned will please accept my most sincere apologies for any misunderstanding which may have occurred due to my lapse in attention, causing me to carry out my Sisterly Duty in a less-than-vigilant and (well below average) manner. It was late at night. I was tired. The dog ate my glasses. The cats kept walking on the keyboard. The poltergeist (yes, we do have one) was rattling around upstairs in The Haunted Room (and yes, we do call it that) and distracted me. I'm a blonde. Plus I’m living in Vermont, probably the only state that actually allows Civil Unions between members of the same sex, so seeing “Mr. and Mr.” in print isn’t unusual up here. (Who would have thought Larry, Darrell, and their Other Brother Darrell could be so progressive?) Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I’m just hoping that Rabbit and The Lovely Mrs. Teal, Alice, are still talking to me at the reunion. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Rabbit [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 01:50:53 04/01/03 Tue Well, a typo like that would certainly explain why when we tried to have children of our own, that it wasn’t meant to be. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Debbie [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 03:16:47 04/01/03 Tue Hmmm, can't argue with that logic... but y'all couldn't have had any cooler (four-footed) children than Flipper, Spaz, Jamie, and Willie, even if none of them look like either of you. And they probably do better tricks than any human kid -- certainly Willie guards the fence and protects the airspace above the yard from birds better. But guess whateveryone -- I just found out that our bro Steve will be motoring in from Corpus for the reunion as well, bringing Sonjia, his Lovely Mrs. Teal with him, thus reinforcing the numbers in the "Teal Time" corner. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Alan D. Valentine [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08:53:30 04/01/03 Tue Now, Debbie, maybe it's all of the time spent in the music biz, I dunno, but I didn't see the typo myself on first read and would have been completely oblivious to it had you not so eloquently pointed it out... ;-) P.S. and speaking of glasses, when I was in high school I had perfect vision, but these days when I take my glasses off and set them down, I'm in big trouble because I can't see well enough to find them, and I can never remember where I put them. YIKES! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Debbie [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 15:49:50 04/01/03 Tue You know, Alan, I did worry about pointing it out to those of us who missed it the first time. But then I thought I might as well clarify it for the youngsters (those in their early 40s as opposed to mid-40s) who still have decent vision, as I didn't want Rabbit to have to field any embarrassing questions at the reunion. At least not about The Missus, anyway; as for the rest, he's on his own. I used to have perfect vision too, but alas, I know only too well what you mean these days! I'm far-sighted and only need glasses for reading, etc., but not for distances, so I'm constantly taking them off, putting them on, etc., etc., in order to see what I'm seeing. At times I can't see clearly, only to realize I need to take my glasses OFF, having forgotten I still have them on. Then I can't find them again when I need them. Sigh, I guess it's only a matter of time before I give in and end up attaching those fabulous rhinestone-encrusted tie-backs to them so they can hang around my neck when I'm not wearing them. Only I WILL draw the line at the requisite beehive hairdo that would complete "the look." Alan, I think it just could be the Music Bidness that's affected your eyesight, since I'm in the same boat after all those years working in the Psychiatric Bidness. From what I can tell, the fields are way too similar for it to be mere coincidence... :) [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Alan D. Valentine [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 07:57:16 04/03/03 Thu Debbie, the similarities between the two fields are no mere coincidence, to be certain. In fact, one theory posits that the line between genius and insanity is actually part of a staff system - in the alto clef, of course, where the violas often play... ;-) Let me know when you finally need those rhinestone-encrusted tiebacks for your glasses, and I'll send up a pair from NashVegas, home of the country's only sequin mines. Why, I bet I might even be able to get them to throw in a knock-off of one of Porter Wagner's fabulous glittering western leisure suit jackets (with matching stones, of course) to complete the ensemble! [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Debbie [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 13:49:48 04/03/03 Thu Why thanks, Alan! And iffen you can git 'em to toss in a platinum blonde Dolly wig, one of them thar Teased-Up, Sprayed-Down Cotton-Candy-Thang type numbers, I'd surely appreciate it. [ Post a Reply to This Message ]

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Will we see you in April?! Author: Randy [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 17:30:33 04/05/03 Sat Knock off? Alan? Did you say "knock off"??? heh heh heh [ Post a Reply to This Message ]