October 2006 Reunion

By:  Bill Elliott             Edited by:  Bob Rowland

The third Saturday in October, 2006 brought another fabulous day of clear weather, blue sky, a moderate southerly breeze and the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors at Journey’s End Ranch for the SHS 66 reunion picnic. This October picnic was the second gathering this year for the SHS 66 class, following on the wonderful July 1 40th reunion of the class.

This October 2006 picnic was attended by about 25, with some new faces. The day started around 10:00 am with the first arrival – guess who? Alice. Bob Rowland undertook most of the work for this picnic and brought the main dish, BBQ, a margarita machine (borrowed from Diane Grogan Sutton’s son Matt) for Bob’s famous margaritas, plates, forks, knives, ice, etc. Thanks for Bob’s important and hard work. Rita Ownby Holcomb brought some “killer” stuffed peppers that were quite popular, though hot.

The largest crowd started gathering about noon with stragglers arriving throughout the afternoon. Jerry Leher was a “first time” attendee – actually a “first time” attendee for any class activity since graduation. Jerry seemed to enjoy himself a lot and mentioned he would be attending other affairs in the future. Several members of the SHS 65 class came – Ben and Judy Mandeville, John and Patty Spears, Basil DuLaney, to name a few – with many thanks. Among the characteristics of those in attendance this year was that most of those attending the picnic have been married to the same person, all these years. Mark & Beverly Wright, Denny & Betty Jeter, Danny & Melva Shugart, Ben & Judy Mandeville, Ostend & Diane Grogan Sutton, and John & Merikay Qualls have seen their marriages last, now for almost 40 years. Bob Rowland attended without spouse, but he also has been married to just one person all these years – absolutely amazing.

As with prior picnics, the day was noted for the opportunity for friends to talk and catch up in a relaxed and beautiful setting. This year was no exception. Bobby Skinner brought a 1928 Sherman telephone book and everyone enjoyed reflecting back on Sherman’s early history. Perhaps befitting our ages, there was a significant conversation at the first part of the picnic about retirement benefits, how certain body parts are working, etc. To be there listening, one could probably learn a bit about the finer points of early retirement and pension benefits.

The visiting continued throughout the afternoon, but along about 5:00 o’clock, the wind shifted and so did the conversation. It is hard to say what accounted for the new direction, but the results were outrageous.

Perhaps Danny and Melva Shugart started the new level of recollections. The beginning of their long relationship, according to Melva, was a drive-in date when she was 15 and Danny was 16. The question was asked how was it their parents consented to their going to the drive-in at that young age. Well, their parents didn’t know!

Danny was nervous, trying hard to make a good first impression on Melva, that sweet young thing sitting in the front seat with him. As Danny was sitting there, trying to figure out his next move, so to speak, his nerves began working on his internal organs, which were starting to act up. Perhaps, he was paying the price for too many trips to the concession stand. Anyway, he was experiencing excessive gas (there is no discrete way to say this). He suddenly told Melva that he had to go to the bathroom and literally jumped out of the car. The problem was that what he thought was gas wasn’t. Melva’s last vision of Danny was his running full-speed for the bath room. He was running between the cars, trying to avoid being decapitated by those wires running from the pole to the car, for the sound box. After a prolonged absence, Danny finally returned and sheepishly informed Melva that he had disgraced himself, literally. He was unsuccessful in reaching the bathroom before his accident. I believe the expression used by mothers in describing infants is that they soiled their pants. For the rest of the evening, Danny had to sit there in the front seat with Melva. The aroma coming from Danny, according to Melva, stifled any romantic activities. Somehow, Melva agreed to date Danny again, which is testament to the hope that everyone can get a date, if they try hard enough.

The ironic part of this story is that Melva started telling this story when Danny got up to go use the portable toilets and he did not return until the story was virtually completed. Danny had a curious look on his face when confronted with tremendous laughter upon his return, until he was told about the story Melva had just completed. The last thing heard from Danny, with a look of horror, was, “You didn’t tell the drive-in story did you?” It was greatly funny.

Well, with that remarkable recollection from the Shugarts, the dam burst. John Qualls ran through a couple of quick memories, but then admitted that he had some stories on Art Shuffler, his lasting friend, but since Art was not in attendance, John was reluctant to talk about Art, particularly considering the nature of the stories he was thinking of telling. After insufficient urging, John, ever so discrete and ever the gentleman, declined, but did admit that if he had a few more beers, then he might tell the Shuffler stories anyway.

The way through this dilemma was to call Art and ask for permission. So, out came the cell phone, Art was dialed up, and upon reaching him, he was told that everyone wanted to talk about him, in his absence, but being the decent people that we were, we did not want to talk about him, without his permission. Art’s reaction on the phone seemed a little stunned. Art, being the quick wit that he is, first said that he needed to tell a story on Denny Jeter, which he proceeded to do. After hearing the story he was telling, and considering that Betty Jeter was sitting there, discretion again ruled, and the Denny Jeter story was not repeated, nothwithstanding that it was a terrible funny story. Anyway, Art granted permission for everyone, especially John, to talk about him.

At this point, John commenced to tell a story about him and Art that cannot be repeated here. Suffice to say, the theme of the story involved some girls from Pottsboro (or their pursuit thereof) and Art’s famed and noted ability to get girls to like him. There is no better witness to Art’s social activities, so to speak, that John Qualls, his lifelong friend. Becky Bryant declared that she also had some Art Shuffler stories, but her sense of decency kept her from telling the Shuffler stories. Art, if you are reading this, let me say that we all have a new appreciation of you.

Given that Art had granted permission, John held nothing back, but this story illustrates the point that attending the reunion in person is one’s best protection against being talked about. That statement is only partially accurate, for Melva did talk about her husband Danny, but to think about it, he had stepped away for a minute. Danny was actually gone for longer than a minute.

And so the wonderful picnic day wound to a close about sunset. A brisk north breeze came up and quickened everyone’s step as we concluded another fabulous reunion picnic of the SHS class of 1966. The friendships are deep and all of us declared that we can’t wait until next year. For those not attending, mark you calendar for the third Saturday in October 2007. The October picnic of the SHS 66 class is the place to be.