On Saturday, July 24, 2010, the widely-scattered West Mesa High School Class of 1974 (Classes of 1973 & 1975 welcome too) gathered at La Placita Restaurant in Old Town Albuquerque for our 36th year high school reunion!
These events are rare. There had been a reunion in 1994 (I didn't hear about that one) and now this year's event. This year's reunion is a trial reunion for the Big Blowout in 2014 (the 40th year reunion).
Left: My sister, Michelle, and Danny Villanueva.Danny Villanueva! It's Danny Villanueva! Danny and go all the way back to first grade! First grade!
Danny said, "I have a broken tendon in my shoulder." I said, "I have a broken tendon in my foot." Danny asked: "Do you think it has anything to do with age?" I replied "Naw! Not a chance!"
Left: David and Donna Brown.David related rock climbing tales, tales of sailing in the Navy's nuclear submarine force, and his chagrin that the Star Trek exhibit in Las Vegas finally closed.
Left: Lawrance Bernabo.Lawrance Bernabo was Class President, Newspaper Editor, Class Valedictorian, and all-around BMOC. These days, he teaches community college in Minnesota. It was great to see him again after all this time!
Lawrance achieved fame several years ago for writing more product reviews for Amazon.com than anyone living.
In early 2006, friend Walt stumbled across a strange article on the conservative Web Site, Townhall.com (registration now required) doubting that Lawrance Bernabo exists:
So, I think I have stumbled onto the great Amazon.com conspiracy. I think there is no such person as a Lawrance M. Bernabo. It’s all an Amazon.com sham. I point to the fact that "Lawrance" spells his name wrong as our first clue. No self-respecting Larry would spell it LawrAnce! Everyone knows it's LawrEnce! This is the telltale sign that Amazon.com is pulling the wool over our eyes. The subtle hint that "LawrAnce" is a myth, a sham, a FAKE reviewer, is impossible to ignore.Lawrance relates that his father gave him the unusual spelling because that's how the name is pronounced. And I can testify that he really exists, and that his verbal and writing skills are top-notch. If Lawrance didn't exist, Amazon.com would have to invent him!
Left: Danny Herrera, with his wife Sylvia.Danny is head of the editorial page for the Albuquerque Journal. Sylvia, Danny, and family lived a decade in Modesto, CA. Danny was always an affable character, and I'm glad to see the newspaper business has been good to him and his family.
Left: Dan Brummel and Lee Owens.I recollected how shocked I was when Dan Brummel won the class medal for Perfect Attendance (Dan never missed a day in school for any reason for four long years). Dan Brummel? Dan Brummel!
Dan told a funny story about how he decided, for the sake of irony, to deliberately ditch the awards ceremony and skip his award for Perfect Attendance. Dan, in turn, was shocked when a streaker unexpectedly interrupted the ceremony before Dan had a chance to leave the gym. Huffy school authorities closed and locked the doors to the gym, forcing Dan to abandon irony and humbly accept his award.
I didn't know that Lee Owens at one time was married to Brooke Bigney (whom I've known since first grade)! I never heard about it before. When did that happen? Whodathunk?
Left: Danny Herrera, Marc Valdez, Dan Brummel, and Lee Owens.I was also quite surprised to hear that Dan Brummel is active in northern New Mexico land grant issues. Back in the mid-1960's, my Dad was also active in land grant issues, to the point where he served several times as a temporary secretary during meetings of the Alianza Federal de Mercedes (headed by Reies Lopez Tijerina).
Left: La Placita Restaurant in Old Town features this historical mural.
Left: Ken Sanchez. I never knew him at West Mesa, but they say he's now on the Albuquerque City Council. The woman in black facing away from the camera (I didn't catch her name) confessed she was now a school principal. "I was the girl most likely to ditch class," she said. "What would Mr. Barefoot (Vice-Principal in charge of discipline) think now?"
Convivial time at La Placita Restaurant.
Fantastic post Marc! People think I was a rich anglo kid from Paradise Hills. I was raised that way, yet I am 70% Hispanic and 30% Apache. My tribe is the Chihen endeh Apache Tribe. There land was stolen when Elephant Buete Dam was built. My great grandmother Prajerez was an Apache from Lincoln County. She taught me the ways of our tribal family. Therefore I gave back our tribe some land in their traditional hunting grounds. As president of La Merced Pueblo/ Land Grant I was able to do so. I also acted as a sponsor to include the Chihen endeh to become part of the land grant Consejo. Our version of the All Indian Pueblo Council. That is what I do as a retired public school teacher and administrator. Daniel
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