Death of a Classmate Drips With Irony

I have always been someone who looks for irony in life.

This week, in one of the more ironic twists in recent memory----I was doing a broadcast about old high school classmates at the same moment one of was meeting the maker. The irony was thick.

For weeks I had beat around an idea with my Texas colleague, Geron Scates. Geron graduated in the class of ’76….I barely squeezed through with the class of ’75 at Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto, Illinois. Geron came to Texas to run the college radio station at Western Texas College, where I am the CEO.

I’ve been messing with Internet radio now since the beginning of the year and I wanted to do a show where we could dust off our old yearbooks and see if we could find some of our old buddies. We did it and it was at least entertaining to the two of us. The replay of the show is running on www.mikedreith.net.

So, here’s the irony.

We each had stories about former classmates who had passed on.

The irony was that while Geron and I were talking about the topic, trying to pay homage to some of our lost friends-----another one died.

The very next morning I saw the obit for David Laird. David was an old friend on Neunaber Street in Cottage Hills where he lived next door to my grandparents. We spent some serious time together as kids.  David was a talented musician. That was his thing. Truth is…..he was probably far better on the trumpet on a Friday night---at halftime--- at Rhine Field--- than I was playing in the game. He most certainly hit the right notes. I likely didn’t hit the guy from Jerseyville carrying the ball before and after Dave’s performance.

Dave was 54. Only a month older than me. He reportedly had a massive heart attack.

The whole ironic episode triggered a discussion on Facebook that brought about some stunning details.

We had lost at least twelve classmates since 1975.

Jane Jarnigan, Bill Swift, Mike Rogers, John Walden, Jim Birdsong, Terry Hand, Randy Emmons, Cindy Crider, June Scheldt, Walter Young and Shelia Voyles…….and of course…….Dave.

I’ll be 54 years young in two weeks.

My mind hasn’t processed this information well.

Where the Hell are MY grandkids?

Why are my sons such goldbricks in the art of procreation?

 This whole ironic set of circumstances has had an impact on me. Tomorrow morning’s workout will be expanded and include a little more cardio. I’m not ready to pack it in yet.

And I promise to not become the undertaker of the Class of ’75…..posting all the bad news as it comes in on Facebook. I hope it is a good long time before I have to add another name to the list provided in this blog.

When my time comes….I have one request.

Someone mention that I did score two touchdowns against Roxana my senior year. One was called back because Austin Opp was clipping a guy all the way across the field. I would have scored anyway.

Somewhere in the obit…….just mention…….I had TWO TOUCHDOWNS against Roxana.

It won’t be true….

But then I doubt anyone will be around who was there to contradict my obit.

Except maybe Austin Opp.

Now that would be irony.