Day 49 – Vallejo, CA

Well, today’s the big day, Don’s Benicia High School Reunion, encompassing the Classes of 1950 through 1959.  It wasn’t going to start until sometime mid-afternoon, so we had sort of a normal morning, except that we went over to Jerry Nolan’s and picked up Lena to take her walking with us.  I have to admit, she really is cute, and a very well-behaved girl she is, too.  Geri handled her this morning, and she stepped along very sprightly, though I made sure that she couldn’t keep up with me.  Don took some pics, and I’m sure he’ll post some.  We dropped Lena off at Jerry’s and went back to the rig in Vallejo for lunch. 

Geri and the Odd Couple

We still don't know the meaning of this!

Tell me this isn't cute!

We headed back to Benicia around two, and they dropped me off at Jerry’s so I wouldn’t be alone all afternoon.  Lena was a very gracious hostess, and Jerry talked to me at length about things of interest to dogs.  He complimented me on my attentiveness; I don’t think that Lena has a long enough attention span to really follow his conversations.  I got some good napping in, and had a very pleasant time.  Don showed up about six, and had my dinner with him.  He fixed it up for me, and gave me my ration of cookies after I finished eating.  We got in the truck then, and went down to the hall where the reunion was being held.  Don got a parking spot, and went back to the party.  A little later, Geri came out and talked to me, and made sure that I had adequate water. 

The reunion was starting to break up around eight, and Geri and Don came to get me out of the truck and take me over to the park across the street to stretch my legs and take care of some personal business.  We then took a stroll down Benicia’s main street, which is always fun for me, as there are several restaurants that have people sitting outdoors to eat, and the food always smells so good.  While we walked, they told me about the people they had met at the reunion, the food, and what all had gone on there.  They said that more than two hundred people had shown up, and Don didn’t know most of them, as they were from Classes that had been at the school before or after Don was there.  But a lot of his old friends showed up, including some that he hadn’t seen for fifty-five years!  The table that they were at included two couples from an earlier Class than Don, his old buddy Tom Armstrong, who he hadn’t seen in fifty years, and an old girl friend of his, Karen.  Tom and Don had been Cub Scouts together in Stockton, and their families had moved to Benicia at about the same time, where they lived in the same neighborhood.  Tom had also gone to the Maritime Academy, graduating a couple of years after Don did.  They spent a lot of the evening catching up on their lives and swapping stories.  Don told Tom about having to give up his cushy job on the SS Monterey in order to save his marriage; Tom told Don that he got a cushy job on the SS Monterey about the time Don quit!  Hmmm.  Could be! 

The "Quad" in Don's old High School

Don's Science Classroom

Some of the Reunion crowd

Don and old friend Tom

Don met an old friend, Ron Rich, who was an airline pilot on the San Francisco/Honolulu run when Don was on the SS Leilani on the same route.  Ron remarked that he was probably making five round trips while Don was making one.  Don agreed, but pointed out that he had a band playing, hula girls dancing, and people throwing streamers at each of his departures.  Ron had to admit that wasn’t the kind of sendoff he received.  Geri talked to Charlie Alves about his recent travels, and he told her about his recent cruise through the Panama Canal, and how he couldn’t retire from his hair styling work, ‘cause his ancient clients would all have heart failure if he did.  They met Judy Reidinger as she was coming into the hall, and told her about seeing Bill and Judy Green last year in Norfolk; she said she would be talking to her brother Jim, who was one of Don’s best buds in school, and would pass our info along.  They had lots of other contacts and conversations, and enjoyed the celebration immensely.  Don noted that when they asked the members of each Class to stand up, that the earlier Classes had relatively fewer participants, and the later Classes had many more. 

So, we went back to the coach, got comfortable, put this together, and passed out for the night.  Think we might have some excitement tomorrow; Fleet Week in San Francisco!

Will give you a full report ASAP!