I have twice before been to Orlando, once for my honeymoon and once for a work-related
conference (just as the Gulf War started). This time is for a third different reason --
to visit a high school classmate from our days in Tennessee. I have not seen her since
those days (since I moved out of Tennessee just before my senior year started). A few
years ago while searching on the 'Net to see if my Tennessee high school class was
having a reunion (NO!), I happened upon a website that had the names and emails of
two classmates. One I did not know (and his email address was no longer valid).
The other I remembered she sat behind me in our world History class taught by our
mutual favorite teacher. Since that re-connection, we have regularly (almost weekly)
emailed. So we got to have a mini high school reunion in Orlando. I have no connections
with any of my other Tennessee classmates, or anyone else there for that matter.
Per my classmates' recommendation (and because she was having problems with her knees
thus was limited on walking for long periods) we took the boat tours of the lakes and
canals near Winter Park and Rollins College. Mr. Roger's home was along the shores of
one of the lakes as was one of the former great players of the Miami Heat basketball team.
Terra had brought our sophomore class yearbook so we could peruse it. I did not have that
yearbook but I do have the junior year yearbook (but did not bring it along on the trip).
It was fun remembering our classmates although we mostly ran in different circles back then.
She was not born in Tennessee and quickly moved away from there after high school. So she
did not really have a Southern accent although she thought I still had mine despite having
moved from Tennessee over 40 years ago.