Reunion 1: Johnny’s

The reunion consisted of four events: a night out a bar (Johnny’s at Corinth), a tour of the school the next morning, a family picnic after the tour, and then another night out, at a much bigger bar (the Cashew downtown).

I walked to the event at Johnny’s from my parents’ house, for several reasons. I don’t have a driver’s license, I knew I’d be drunk at the end of the night, and, most importantly, Johnny’s is in the same direction as the school. Walking there was basically the same journey as walking halfway to high school, so repeating that experience seemed appropriate. Johnny’s also occupies the building that once housed a Pizza Hut franchise, where I worked my first job, as a dishwasher. (They told me I was going to be a “cook.”)

Pictured below is the intersection of 83rd and Somerset. Up ahead, the road curves to the right before hitting the last major intersection before reaching the school. Here’s something I learned in 1988: Once this light turns green, no matter how fast you drive, you cannot possibly reach Somerset & Mission soon enough to make the left turn. But if you run this light when it’s red, it is sometimes possible to make that turn.

Here’s another thing I learned. Just because it’s possible doesn’t make it a good idea.

Outside Johnny’s, I saw some cars park nearby, and some figures ambled out. I heard familiar voices coming out of bodies I didn’t recognize…