Unioned, Again

Last night, my wife and I attended a reunion of people who'd worked at the EDS data center here. It was actually kind of fun.

There were about a hundred fifty people in the large room, which let us swirl around, uncrowded. The walls were lined with tons of pictures of the people and events from the last thirty (!) years. I have to admit, seeing the pictures was a combined delight and astonishment. Did I ever really wear three piece suits, and look that grim? Were there ever really that many serious people in one place? Did we really use big clunky terminals like that, send out multiple paper notes, have many many things sternly marked EDS PRIVATE that now are just curiosities, like seeing copies of US Army plans for the invasion of France in World War II? My golly.

There were some surprises in the people, too. At least one woman seriously looked as young now as she did when I last saw her, fifteen years ago. And one fellow, who'd had a series of devastating medical problems, looked forty years older -- spoke slowly, haltingly, and given to abruptly stopping and looking confused. One guy, who was always serious and clean cut, is now serious and shaggy haired; he donates the hair to Locks of Love. He said that its interesting to see that people treat him one way with cropped hair, and another with long hair. Short, and the guys in the plant are cold to him. Long, and he gets watched when he goes into a convenience store. One guy, who used to write code to maintain an automation system, is now a fish buyer for a local grocery store; he says he's much happier, and no one calls him in the middle of the night with a problem. (I offered to call if he'd give me his number; he declined.) Several of the attendees told me I hadn't changed.

People came mostly from the immediate area, but some came from as far as Utah, Florida, and (of course) Texas. We were lucky enough to arrive at the same time as two people we've always liked -- we ended up eating at the same table, and talking about getting together for dinner at a local restaurant. (They seemed surprised that I like to bake; on the way home, I mused that perhaps I'd make some brownies for them and ask my wife to transfer them at the office. She said 'Only if we get some, too'. Seems fair. ) Only one person came I really didn't care to see, while several came whose presence delighted me, and only a few whom I'd have liked to see didn't make it.

All in all, a pretty successful evening. Didn't hurt that I got to leave with the most attractive woman there. Maybe there's something to this reunion thing.