I don't know why three-day weekends always seem to go by so quickly, but this one went quicker than most. I took a step back in time and spent a half-day at my old high school on Friday, which was amazing. I was invited to be a judge for the senior interdisciplinary project: an actual business convention. I walked into the huge room where everything was set up and was blown away by the projects presented by obviously sleep-deprived students. Before we got started we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves to the class of 2006. When it was my turn I told them I was a Bruin and an alum and that I'd been in their place, back in '98. Just like that. Very old fogey like. I did notice a few smiles so maybe I was less old fogey and more kindred spirit.
I was flooded by warm memories as I walked around my old stomping grounds on the way back to the administrative building, being a mini-tour guide to some of the other judges who had never before been to CAMS. I found myself wanting to point out things like the three bungalows that used to house the entire school in the years I attended, before the multi-million dollar facility was built just 250 feet to the south. Most of the time I stopped myself, except when we walked passed the old physics room. I remember that being my first class of the day as a senior. Mr. Duncan would always be there at the crack of dawn to welcome early arrivers into his room while he ate his breakfast, which was oatmeal or toast, and got ready for the later arrivers... The best part was before class we got to use the internet on his two computers. Keep in mind this was 1997-98 so computers in the classroom was a big hairy deal and so being able to check my hotmail was the coolest thing ever. He's also the one who came up with the idea for the business convention.
I'd previously thought it was Mr. Fisher, vegetarian, master of b-ball hoops, teacher of Economics and U.S. Government (the notorious stock market game, supply vs. demand exercises, political cartoons discussion, oligarchy, former federal chairman Alan Greenspan, and the phrases, "TINSTAAFL: There is no such thing as a free lunch," and "choosing is refusing" come to mind).
I almost can't get over how distinctly similar the current students were to my former classmates as I talked with them. I wonder if there is a student there now who would have reminded me of myself back then and would I have immediately recognized that if I met her?
I loved that I got to spend some time with the principal and the aforementioned top two favorite former teachers and my only regret is that I did not bring a camera. Hopefully these thousand (hah) words will suffice.
