11:08 28-Jun-98

Rocklike, I slept ten hours, as did Karen. Almost everyone was up at 10:30, rehashing the previous night. The lady from Lawrence will be riding home with us... the people that she rode down with that are from Topeka are non-smokers, and since I do smoke in the caddie, she will be more comfortable, and she and Karen have not really had a chance to talk yet.

The plan is to visit various places in Parsons, like the cemetary where Karen's dad is buried and her old house, before we get on the road.

But plans, like rules, are made to be broken. Karen decided to do her sightseeing and visiting alone, while I sat and drank coffee and chatted with everyone. But before Karen left, there was a minor flare-up...

The lady from Lawrence (TLFL) smokes, as I had mentioned, and we had both been going outside without protest. Well, it was especially hot this morning, and Vicky made TLFL stay inside and she turned on the vent for her gen-air grill. The Lady From Topeka, who had just stopped smoking a couple of years ago, was upset at this. Vicky asserted her right to do what she wanted to in her own house... but I continued to go outside to smoke, except for one toke cigarette... or maybe two. I just don't feel comfortable smoking where other people don't want me to smoke, regardless of whether I can or can't. I have my rights, but so does everyone else. But I could tell that TLFL was uncomfortable with the situation too.

Soon, the other people from Topeka left and Karen had left on her errands. Vicki and I and TLFL sat around the kitchen talking and the talk turned to religion and the fact came up that I am an atheist. Vicki is a devout Methodist and TLFL is a kinda lapsed Catholic. We had an interesting discussion, with no one getting upset. I admire people who are firm in their convictions and get so much good out of their faith, no matter how much it scares me. I am equally firm in my convictions, of course, but neither of us were out to convert the other, merely to understand one another. It was a nice discussion, but then Vicki is a very nice person. And so am I, mostly.

Karen returned and we packed up and left after hugs all around. The drive to Lawrence was very nice, Karen and I learned a lot about TLFL and she about us. We stopped and ate along the way, taking about an extra 90 minutes... the service was very slow, so we drank a lot of coffee and talked more.

TLFL is a kinda lost flower-child, very intelligent and well-read and she's done some very interesting things in her life. Karen and I both really like her a lot, and plan to see more of her in the future.

She was very hesitant about going to this affair, but she's glad that she went. She's felt that people had higher expectations for her, like she did for herself, and she found that her friends loved her for herself and were very glad to see her.

Karen was also surprised that so many people had missed her at the last reunion... she had just had gall bladder surgery at thought that she could go but she really wasn't up to it, cancelled on the last day. But many people commented that they had missed her.

Spouses generally feel left-out at these affairs, but I don't think that any of us felt that way this time, at least I didn't. Most of the classmates spent most of their time talking to each other, of course (that's what a reunion is about) but the spouses either talked to each other or eavesdropped on all of the conversations... none of the conversations seemed to be private...

Anyway, Karen and I had a lot of fun and met some new people that we will enjoy knowing... and I'm really glad to be home again!

(I missed my computer!)