I got to go to my 50 year high school reunion in Dodge City, Kansas, which started on September 22nd. Each time I attend a reunion I become even more grateful that I was raised in Dodge City and got to go to Dodge City High School. There were 242 in our graduating class and we all had our problems, but as a whole we liked and respected each other. We were also raised with a sense of right and wrong. We always knew there were consequences when we misbehaved; which we did often, but we learned from those mistakes.
This is a picture of all of us that attended now
I’m afraid I didn’t plan the 650 mile drive to Dodge City very well. I left home at 9:30 AM on September 21st and planned to drive 400 miles the first day. The problem was that I was just using my GPS and didn’t have a printed route with me, so I didn’t know what cities I was coming to. I drove and drove and after 400 miles started looking for a decent motel, which I couldn’t find. After 500 miles I finally stopped in Arnett OK, at a gas station and asked about a place to stay. They pointed out that there was a motel across the street, but it looked like it was about to fall down. A man at the station told me about a place in Woodward OK, but it was back east 50 miles! I’m afraid I didn’t have any other options so that’s what I did. I found a good BBQ restaurant and a motel to stay the night. Boy was I tired and frustrated.
After a good nights sleep and a good breakfast I headed out for Dodge City. After about 100 miles I started looking for a place to stop and use the restroom and of course I couldn’t find any! I finally got to the small town of Bucklin KS and drove all around it and couldn’t find a gas station, so I pulled into the drive-through lane of a bank and parked my car. As I was getting out of my car a woman walked out of the bank and I asked her to help me get my walker out, because I was afraid lifting it would make me pee my pants. I then rushed into the bank and told them I was desperate and they pointed out where their restroom was. They were very sweet, but I knew I was probably the talk of the town when I left.
The funny thing is, at our first get together at the reunion I was telling some people about the experience and my classmate, Joane Nagel came up and said, “Oh, that was you.” She’s a loan officer at that bank, but had been out on an errand when I got there. She said when she got back the whole bank was talking about this cute little lady in a walker that had come in desperate for a bathroom. We had a good laugh about the whole thing.
I finally got to Dodge at around 1:30 and stopped at the IHOP for lunch, then went to the Best Western hotel for the reunion check-in. Penny Lopp was in charge there and it was great to see her. I actually got to see and talk to a number of classmates that I hadn’t seen in a number of years. Glenda arrived soon after I did then Sydney and her boyfriend, Mike got there. Sydney, Glenda and I have been friends since elementary school.
Glenda, me & Sydney
Glenda left to go back to Copeland and get her husband Wade at around 5:00, they’ve been married for 47 years! Sydney, Mike and I left at the same time to go to the house where she grew up and I used to spend a lot of time; her father, Harrison Barns, still lives there by himself and he’s 96 years old. We sat around and talked with her father for quite a while, which stirred up a lot of wonderful memories.
We all met for dinner at 7:00 at Prime on the Nine, a restaurant on the Mariah golf course. The food was good and we all had fun reminiscing with lots of laughter. It was amazing how we had different memories, often about the same things. My sister and brother, Becky and Jeff met us there; it was great to see them.
On Saturday, the 23rd, some of us met at the Dodge City Brewery at 10:30 AM. It was located at the top of Boot Hill. We had a tour of the brewery, which was interesting, but the guide gave us a little too much information. I mean I don’t think any of us were planning to start making beer ourselves. After the tour we ate lunch at the brewery.
Above are us girls at the brewery.
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There was a social get together at Greg Goff’s house from 2:00 – 4:00, but Sydney, Mike and I didn’t go. We went back to her house and took showers, rested and talked with Harrison before the evening festivities.
We met at 6:15 at the Guymon Petro for dinner and dancing. It was a buffet dinner that was supposed to be serving rib-eye steaks, but the steaks were very tough. There was a lot of dancing and I enjoyed watching for a while, people were having lots of fun re-embracing their youth. Rodney Horton asked me to dance but it was a fast song, which I couldn’t dance to so I had to refuse. I got a little bored before long because the music was too loud to carry on a conversation & I couldn’t dance, but I’m glad I went. We left around midnight.
On Sunday the 24th we met for brunch at Casey’s Cowtown at 10:00. It was fun talking to everyone and rehashing the fun we’d had, plus the food was really good. I headed out around 12:30 and drove to Childress TX, where I spent the night.
Becky joined Sydney & I
This is the old family home
It was a fun but exhausting weekend with all of the driving. However it gave me the opportunity to think about my past. I, like everyone else, have had many problems and transgressions in my life. But growing up in Dodge City with my family and friends has given me the strength and courage to overcome problems. I have a life full of adventure and friends, family and God with which to enjoy it.