SOUVENIRS D'ENFANCE- You and I have Memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.
Points to Ponder: I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve. Jesus, does anyone? – The words in the final scene in the movie: Stand by Me.
Story Line:
About nine months ago, I got a call from the childhood friend. He and some other friends were arranging the 50th anniversary celebration of our high school class of 1969 on January 9th, 2020. With the power of technology he connected classmates who are all over the world.
Except for five, I had lost contact with most of the friends from the Class of 69. I had not realized how much joy it would be to talk to them or see them on Facetime. And the sweetest surprise was that each one of them recounted so many fond memories of those good old days. One common memory was about two classmates who were most mischievous and created a lot of interesting episodes with the teachers and others. (Name withheld for privacy reasons but about one of those two guys, your guess will be as good as mine.J)
Reflection:
Stand By Me Similarities.
Listening to stories told by friends brought back memories of the movie our children had introduced to me in late 80s. Stand by Me is a 1986 American film based on Stephen King's 1982 book. Stand by Me tells the fictional story of four boys in a small town in 1959 Oregon, and the experiences and leanings they go through coming-of-age.
Though some things in the movie have a cultural context, there are many similarities with my childhood days in India. The theme has a universal appeal and many incidences in the movie occur in every culture and country.
Most of the 60 students in the class of 1969 were together from Kindergarten to Grade11. Seven of us lived on either side of one railroad track and used to walk on the tracks just like the kids in the movie. We would also put stones or coins on the railroad tracks to flatten them when the train passed over them.
In school, when one of us got in trouble with a teacher (yes there were a few mean ones), others would console him just like what Gordie does to Chris in the movie. We also stood up for one another if older kids tried to bully our classmates. Yes and we did our share of silly mischiefs, joyful playing and innocent mistakes just like the four kids from Castle Rock, Oregon in Stand by Me.
In the summer of 1969, just after graduation, five of us barely 16 years of age, went on the major expedition to Himalayas, the northern most part of India. While in the town of Pahelgam, we got tempted to track to Amarnath Cave (13000 feet elevation) surrounded by snowy mountains. In those days the tracks were not as good as now and only a few thousand people would visit in the season which was late June to August. It was May and the state government had not officially approved the roads “Open for Travel”. We trusted the local guides who provided horses and accompanied us. There were two couples and three other men in their twenties who also were on that mission with us.
Without proper clothing, or proper food or shoes (one of us in slippers) and without informing our parents, we took off with few bottles of brandies, some food from a local grocery store. The journey was majestic with very early morning sun light reflecting on the snow and two times our horses sinking to their chest high in the snow. But we made it safe to our destination. Just like the in kids in the movie, we didn’t care about the credit for successful expedition but we heard from the fellow traveler that our successful mission was announced on All Kashmir Radio with The Government announcing the season as ‘Officially Open’.
Looking back, with all the training I have received in the adult years (FMEA, Risk Assessment), it was a very high risk mission (may be very foolish by some opinions). Fortunately, everything turned out OK in the end. Since we made it home in one piece, it was the great joy for our parents to talk about it in the town.
This reunion has rekindled many memories. I took this opportunity to draw similarities with the wonderful movie, Stand by Me, to express my nostalgia.
For those friends who are attending the reunion:
We're on our way home We're going home You and I have memories Longer than the road That stretches out ahead- from the song Two of Us by The Beatles
SOUVENIRS D'ENFANCE: Memories of Childhood