Dumb jocks, mean girls, band geeks — nothing is harsher than high school labels. Teen insecurities put a spotlight on our worst instincts, creating sharp edges that match sharp tongues and prickly posturing. The shy receded; the bold got bigger. No wonder a high school reunion invitation is scary. I went anyway.
It’s been 40 years since I graduated from Highland High School in Medina. While I couldn’t make it to the actual reunion, I went to the night-before mixer with two close friends who graduated with me. I had a blast.
Forty years tends to wear down hard edges both in temperament and in appearance. We were softer versions of ourselves; I hardly recognized anyone. Over and over again I walked up to a classmate, tentatively asked their name, and was happily and instantly transported back in time.
I heard about careers, retirements, grandkids, illnesses and elderly parents. Hints of swagger from previous reunions were long gone. Forty years will do that.
We’ve had time to wrestle our way through the incredible highs and wrenchingly difficult lows of nearly six decades of living. It’s a privilege to be healthy enough and, let’s face it, alive to attend a landmark reunion — even if we dragged a case of nerves along with us.
There was nothing extraordinary about the Highland High School Class of 1978. Like every other group of high school kids both today and back then, there were labels both given and gotten. Some people sank; others soared. High school is a lousy predictor of the future and for that, I’m grateful.
We’re doing a bit of looking back in this issue of Boomer and Beyond. Ghoulardi was Cleveland’s most famous horror host. Our pop culture writer Mike Olszewski takes us back to a time when Ghoulardi’s schtick was a can’t-miss movie night for many of us.
Do you remember O.K. Potato Chips? The Akron-area company satisfied generations of salty cravings. The business has returned with a second generation of potato chip makers, who are working under the enthusiastic guidance of their cousin who happened to own the potato chip company 30 years ago. You might say chips are in their blood. Read about their Harville Potato Chip Company (PAGE 38).
We also have our Boomer Choice Awards winners in this issue. Look through the list and see if you agree on our region’s best places and things to do. I’m looking forward to visiting these gems, although several were already on my favorites list.
And finally, we’ve got our live theater preview roundup. From one end of Northeast Ohio to the other, on stages grand and modest, our region supports a dynamic theater culture. It’s theater season, and almost no place does it better than right here.
We’ve got a jam-packed issue with plenty of things to remember and new places to explore. Looking back is fun — Ghoulardi and potato chips are a terrific example — but today can be satisfying, too. Our past is rarely a forecast. I learned that at a high school reunion.
