James M. Garrett, a graduate of Benicia High School’s Class of 1961 and fomer longtime teacher, is the author of “One Great Season 9-0!” (Photo courtesy of James Garrett)

The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”. He does not plan to publish the book but instead is choosing to share the letters with the readers of the Benicia Herald. The letters continue the storyline of Garrett’s first novel “Benicia and Letters of Love”. Each “letter” tells of love in one of its many forms from a separate point of view. Benicia is represented prominently in the letters because of Garrett’s deep fondness for the city of Benicia. He hopes readers see themselves or others they know in the letters because the concept of “Love” is universal.

Letter 6: The Reunion

Hello Mr. Garrett,
Your advertisement brought many memories to mind. One of them was of the multi-class reunion for some Benicia High School classes which changed my life.
I went to the reunion alone. Through the years I lost contact with most of my schoolmates, but I was sure some of my old friends would be attending the reunion. I didn’t know what to expect at the reunion, but somehow I felt the need to attend. There was only one person who came to mind who I really wanted to see. If I tell you my name or his name, it might come back to haunt each of us in some way, so I won’t do that. If that means you won’t include this letter in your book, I understand.
The man in my thoughts had once been the boy with whom I had been totally in love when we attended BHS. Though I’ve thought of it for hours I could not tell you what caused us to part shortly after graduation. There was no fight. Maybe it was each of us simply wanting to know who we were as people and finding ourselves as individuals. I honestly don’t know. That love between us which we once held, though innocent as sweet young love can be, was what brought me to the reunion, though I didn’t realize it at the time. I simply knew then I needed to attend the reunion. Maybe I wanted to see if he had changed physically or meet the wife I was sure he must have had who would probably accompany him.
When I saw him, he was standing between two of his friends. It appeared that they had just shared a story which obviously brought laughter to each of them. As I walked, his head turned from the friend on his left and his eyes met mine. There was a connection from his eyes to mine which was instantaneous. At that moment I stopped walking. I didn’t know what to do. For seconds of heartbeats we stood looking at each other. Then he stepped towards me and my way back to him continued. He put his arms around me. The first words he said as we hugged were, “I’ve missed you very much.”
I told him I had missed him all those years and then pulled back a little from our embrace. The man in front of me was still neat in appearance and trim. I thought he must be a happily married and successful man. I didn’t want to break any social boundaries.
Within moments he asked if I would like to select a place to sit for the meal and excused us from those with whom he had been standing.
We sat and talked as the old friends and high school lovers we were. Each of us was free. He said I was the same person he had loved in his youth and continued to love.
The sound of music broke through to each of us at the same moment. It was “our song”. He asked if I would like to dance, and I very happily accepted.
We held each other as we had so often in the past when we danced in the Benicia High School gymnasium. The feeling was the same. Time had given him its blessings, as it had me, but within he was still the same person I’d known so many years before.
(unsigned)

James Garrett is a lifelong resident of Benicia and a former teacher at Benicia High School. He is the author of the following novels: “Benicia and Letters of Love”, “The Mansion Stories”, “Chief Salt”, and “One Great Season, 9-0!” He also compiled a three-volume work entitled “The Golden Era: Benicia High School Football, The 1948 through 1960 Seasons, “A” History with Comments”. He can be contacted at jgstoriesnpoetry@aol.com.

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