Lost Letters / Lost Love - 1. Chapter 1 The Reunion

Welcome: Class of 1975

40^th Reunion, Long River High School

May 2015 - As Kevin Wood entered the Banquet Room of Long River Country Club, his feelings of nostalgia were outweighed by his dread of returning to a place he had not visited since the summer of 1975. That summer had been the happiest time of his life. But then, all that happiness disappeared when his best friend fell out of his life. He had no plans to attend this reunion or any events in his hometown. Three months earlier, he had run into a high school classmate and baseball teammate at a professional meeting in Philadelphia. After sharing contact information, Hank Budney had forwarded his email address to the reunion committee. Kevin ignored the first invitation. He did respond to the second email invitation. Since it was only a two-hour drive from his home west of Boston, he decided to attend, knowing he could leave early if the mood hit him.

After signing in and taking his name tag that had a copy of his high school yearbook photo, he heard a voice, “Why if it isn’t our handsome baseball star.” If she had not been wearing a nametag with her high school 40 year old photo, he would not have recognized Marjorie Miller. She gushed forward, grabbed his hand and planted an unwanted kiss on his cheek. In school he had never had a conversation with this former cheerleader.

Politely he replied, “Hello Marjorie, long time no see.”

She brazenly placed her hand on his chest and caressed his nipple, “You are just as handsome today as you were forty years ago.”

While smiling, Kevin thought to himself, ‘the years have not been good to you.’ Somewhat out of pity, and not knowing what to say to this almost stranger, he replied, “And you are as cute as you were in your cheerleader outfit. It is good seeing you. Will catch up with you later.”

He walked over to the bar and ordered a beer. What he really wanted was a glass of club soda, but not wanting to appear as a goodie-goodie, he took a beer. He had no great desire to drink beer. The bottle would last the evening. As he turned from the bar, he recognized his old friend, Gary Thompson, across the room. Gary was with a group of former baseball team members. As Kevin looked at Gary, his old fiend looked up and caught his eye. Both showed signs of recognition and then both turned their eyes away. Kevin thought to himself, ‘If he wants to reconnect, he can approach me’.

As Gary chatted with his buddies of years past, he surveyed the room and noted his old friend Kevin standing near the bar. As he turned his eyes away, he thought to himself, ‘If he wants to reconnect, he can approach me’.

As the get-together continued, Kevin and Gary either purposely, or subconsciously, avoided each other. When dinner was announced, Kevin found a seat next to his former biology lab partner, Curt Bellinger. While Curt had been a congenial lab partner, the two had never socialized outside the classroom. As the two exchanged pleasantries and began discussing life after Long River High School, Anne Johnson slid into the other seat next to him to his left. She had also been in their biology class. Anne was someone you could not ignore. Her incoherent banter was a distraction from the feelings Kevin was having for his old friend, Gary, who was seated three tables away. When their eyes again locked, each looked away.

Anne’s chatter continued. When she asked, “Where is your wife? I assume an eligible guy like you would be married!”

Kevin replied, “I’m divorced, have been over fifteen years. I am enjoying the freedom of a single guy.”

Anne replied, “I left my second bastard husband five years ago when I caught him cheating with the wife of Reverend Blank, pastor of my former church. I am both enjoying the freedom of a single gal, but also the loneliness of a single gal.” As she made this statement, she placed her hand on Kevin’s knee. She leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Of all the boys in our class, you and Gary Thompson are the two who have matured handsomely. I always considered you a hot guy. Still do!”

He attempted to ignore the attack and turned to a familiar face across the table. “Hi, Frank. What have you been up to?” Kevin actually had no interest in the life of this person, another baseball team member. As he ignored Anne, she did not lose interest in him. Her hand slowly moved up his leg and was eventually on his crotch. This invasion had the opposite effect than she anticipated as his dick shriveled from the unwanted advance. As Kevin attempted to shift his body away from her, he chuckled to himself as he had an erotic thought: ‘Now if Curt on my right had placed his hand there, I probably would have had a totally different reaction.’

While Kevin had not had a satisfying physical relationship with a man in forty years, he did enjoy virtual encounters. Having discovered the joy of online male porn, he took care of his needs: ‘SAFELY.’ He enjoyed both watching and being watched. While most of his encounters were anonymous, he did have two jerk off buddies he had met on line. About once a week, he met with Piotr from Poland and Jason from Saskatchewan, Canada, on Skype. Piotr was a high school history teacher and Jason a carpenter. What originally was a quick jerk off session with each had turned into a time of naked discussion, as each shared his daily problems and hopes. They ended each conversation session watching the other take care of himself. Since these were the only guys Kevin could share his most intimate thoughts, he considered them his best buddies.

Meanwhile, back at the dinner table. As Anne fondled him, Kevin decided to remove himself from the situation. “Time for another beer.” He stood and walked toward the bar. Actually, he did not need another beer and headed toward the men’s room. Following a healthy piss, he zipped up, washed his hands and opened the door. As he walked out of the men’s room, he collided with his old friend, Gary.

Both said, “Hi … excuse me.” He stepped aside so Gary could enter. Not wanting to return to his table and entrapment by Anne he thought, ‘I wish I smoked. Then I would have an excuse to go outside and take a break’. As he pondered his next move, Marjorie, who had met him earlier approached. The DJ had just started playing dance music. Without asking, Marjorie took his hand and dragged him to the dance floor. This time, instead of rubbing his chest and tweaking his nipple she placed her hand on his upper arm.

As she massaged his arm, she remarked, “God, your muscles are impressive. You must do a lot of sweating at the gym.” He did not reply. He did go to the gym regularly. However, any sweating was the result of watching guys workout and then observing good-looking ones in the locker room, shower and sauna. More than once, he had felt himself rising to the occasion as he had thoughts about a guy doing what he had seen on the male porn sites.

Luckily, the beat of the music was fast, making close intimate dancing impossible. When the next song, a slow melody, started, Marjorie moved in. Kevin quickly stated, “Thanks for the dance. Break time.”

For the next half hour he had meaningless discussions with former classmates, both male and female. He shared no conversations with Gary. Eventually, he found himself talking to Alan ‘Ace’ Newton who had been the lead pitcher on their high school baseball team forty years earlier. Alan was the first person he actually enjoyed talking to. After high school graduation, Alan had attended Central Connecticut State University and returned to Long River High School after receiving a degree in science education. He was now the Assistant Principal of LRHS and the baseball coach. In 1974, the year prior to his graduation, LRHS had won its first State baseball championship. Actually, it was the first championship the school had won in any sport. In the championship winning game, Alan had been the pitcher, Kevin the catcher and his old friend, Gary Thompson played first base.

They discussed the Long River baseball team that Alan presently coached. Eventually Alan had a request. “The Spring Sports Banquet will be held in three weeks. Your accomplishments on the field and after graduation would be an inspiration to the guys on the team. I don’t have to remind you that you and Gary Thompson are LRHS sport legends. The two of you saved the game in the bottom of the ninth inning resulting in Long River’s first State Championship Trophy. The trophy and photos of you two are proudly displayed in the sport’s showcase outside the gym. Would you be willing to attend and make a few comments?”

Not wanting Alan to be aware of the feelings of animosity of these two former ‘best buddies’ and not wanting to share the stage with Gary, Kevin asked, “Will Gary be attending?”

Alan replied, “Gary has attended most sport banquets as well as many baseball, football, basketball and soccer games. However, he told me he won’t be able to attend this year. The banquet is on Friday evening and he will be attending a contractor’s conference in Albany that weekend.”

Relieved that Gary would not be there Kevin told Alan he would happily attend the banquet.

Later, as Kevin drove home to Marlborough, Massachusetts, he thought about Gary. Following the amazing play that had resulted in Long River winning the State Championship in 1974, he and Gary had become close friends. At their last conversation a year later in the summer of 1975, the two had discussed their future together. The plan was that after Kevin graduated from university and Gary completed his three year US Army enlistment, the two would get an apartment together and share their lives.

Kevin sadly pondered, ‘Those hopes had been crushed. What happened? Why did they feel uncomfortable being in the same room?’

…………………………….

The next chapter takes place forty-one years earlier, 1974, when Kevin and Gary become ‘Best Buddies’!!