Fall Atlanta Reunion
There is an old saying that behind every dark cloud there is a silver lining. Well our reunion this past Labor Day weekend suffered from a low turnout due to the two hurricanes that whisked the coastal Carolinas. I guess that the memories of Katrina from last year placed a cautious twist on those who would have attended. Nonetheless, the faithful made the trek to Atlanta to hang out, and catch up with each other.
The Friday night started with a late night Bar-B-Que at Curtis “Big Reds” home in Lawrenceville, Georgia. For some of us turning into the neighborhood we all adopted the British accent of Robin Leach from the television program The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. For many of us in attendance all we can say to Big Reds was “well played” my son. We had one faithful brother who traveled all the way from New York City (big up Alton “Mice” Brown), and another brother who traveled all the way from southern Florida (big up Robert Scarlett). However, the atmosphere for the evening was perfect, as many of us rolled up to find another long lost brother the great “Easy” in attendance. Some of us had not seen Easy since the tenth grade. It was such a joy to see him, and to know that all is well with him.
One thing that stood out for all the brothers was the gathering of the wives and children. Many of the wives have never met each other, and each one could only sit in amazement that their husbands took them from all parts of the country to hang out in someone’s backyard to reminisce about high school. A place they have not been for almost twenty plus years. I don’t think these ladies will ever understand the “Purple Connection.” Ample food was available, and the music and atmosphere was simply great.
One of the things that shows the level of commitment to each other was the fact that Richard Jobson and Christopher “Boom Head” Williams had brought a youth soccer team all the way from south Florida to play in a tournament. Chris took the time to get out of bed, and made the trek over to Big Reds house. In his words, he had to see his colleagues.
With the rains threatening, Saturday was set on the calendar from months before, therefore, rain was not going to subdue the spirit that permeated the place from the night before. Big Reds reserved for us a special place at one of the most pristine and beautiful public parks many of us ever saw. With everything set and in order, the festivities began. Food galore, fun and games for the kids, and social quiet time for the wives, however, you know no reunion cannot be complete without a game of scrimmage. Just like last year’s reunion, the competition was fierce, and it all boiled down to the big belly versus the fit. All had a great time, however, Bengay was the order of the evening.
The rains that threatened all day long finally came down, and the venue had to be switched back to Reds home. As the partying continued, one could feel a sense of brotherhood, as everyone wanted to make sure that each other were okay. Like last year, a big respect goes out to Mr. Michael “Ratimore” Francis who traveled all day simply to get to Atlanta, to see the brothers. This time his fourteen-year-old son accompanied him. If you recall, Ratimore traveled to Charlotte last year to catch up with his KC family even though his father had passed. That level of commitment to the well being of his sporting family must be applauded.
To many the weekend was harsh because the turn out was not what was expected, however, the silver lining in this cloud was that the families of those in attendance got to know each other. Over twenty children were at the festivities on Saturday, all of varying ages. However, they got an opportunity to see how their fathers formed a close-knit bond around the sports they played, and how throughout the years the bond has not broken. Friendship like that does not come overnight. Winning together for KC, losing together for KC and enduring all the highs and lows has left an indelible mark on us all. Despite the circumstances that we all face, the fact remains that there are still people out there who cares about each other’s well being.
A special thank you goes out to Big Reds and his lovely wife Marcia for allowing all those rowdy people to invade your home. The preparations and the sacrifices were truly appreciated. I know for the wives that it is a hard thing to open up their homes especially when it has to be cleaned when everyone was gone. However, Marcia was the most gracious, humble and kind host. We are now looking for another home to invade next year. Maryland looks like a good destination.