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(Excerpt from Reflections of EL: In Search of Self)
September 1973 Regan and I were visiting Music & Art High School. A reunion was being held just before the regular classes got started. Regan graduated in the spring of ’72, so there were still friends in the current term that she could get together with. I had graduated two years ago and was feeling like the senior citizen by being back. After we got past the front door, we walked up the wide stairway that held the familiar five brown doors at the top of the stairs. There were mostly younger people moving around us and it seemed like school was already in session, but I knew that it couldn’t be. Everyone else had his or her own reason for being there prior to the fall term and ours just happen to be a reunion visit. Once in the main entryway, Regan saw some girls she recognized and she started heading in their direction to the left. I didn’t know these people, so I told her I’d be in the auditorium and I’d catch up with her in a few minutes. I stood for a moment in that crowded room of noisy people and felt sadly alone. I quickly shook off my gloomy feelings and concentrated instead on being nostalgic. It was nice being in my old school and I wanted to look around a bit. I went to the right and slowly moved through one of the heavy wooden doors. 
The auditorium still looked the same. The first thing that always struck me was the tall, double-layered royal-blue curtains that towered towards the ceiling on either side of the stage. They seemed a bit older, but perhaps they simply needed cleaning. As I walked down the left side of the three sets of rows of seats, I could see the maroon colored stage, looking well shellacked and as shiny as ever. I had noticed when I walked in that there was a girl seated on the left-hand side of the stage steps. As I got closer, I realized that it was Kelly, who I had met two years ago when I was a senior and she was a sophomore.
For the past nine months, except for the unhappiness I felt with Regan at times, I was pretty much in control of the way I was running my relationships. My head would later be spinning as I wondered what life would have been like if I had gone to the left in the hallway with Regan or if I had simply not come to the reunion at all. It was my time to learn that fate had a new plan for me and there was no way that I could have foreseen it.
“I’m starting at Baruch downtown,” she said as she twisted her mouth a bit. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, but I don’t know if I’ll like it. I’ll just transfer somewhere closer to home if I don’t. Hey, are you still seeing Regan? I remember you two were together back then.”
“Yeah. Some things never change,” I said with little enthusiasm. “We’re supposed to meet some people also. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Would you mind if I get your number? I’d really like to talk to you later.” “Let me write it here.” Kelly wrote her number on the small pad she had on her lap, ripped the page out neatly and pointed it towards me, all in one smooth motion. As I began to tug the paper from her fingers, she held on to it. “Don’t forget to call me,” she said, as if she were accusing me of something. “I won’t forget,” I said, acting as if I were apologizing. “But you’ve got to give me the number first.” She loosened her grip on the paper and I placed it in my pants pocket. After giving her another kiss on the cheek, I then turned and walked toward the entry doors. I wanted to check her out one last time, but I was trying not to seem too obvious. As I was walking past the rows of seats, I glanced over my shoulder. I found her watching me, and we began to smile at the same time as if we had both been caught. Once I got past the doors, I told myself I’d call her in about two days. Calling her sooner would seem a little too anxious, even though I really wanted to.
For the rest of the chapter and story, read: REFLECTIONS OF EL: IN SEARCH OF SELF
(FREE on Amazon Wednesday 5/29/19 - Friday 5/31/19)
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Thursday, June 17, 1971.
The surrounding dimness of the overhead lights helped cool the uncomfortably warm weather just outside the large auditorium. Me and my friend Albert were sitting in the third row from the rear of the room. A few minutes prior, Albert was absent-mindedly flipping through the Daily News newspaper, but he became focused after hearing my admission. "You've got to be some kind of a nut," he said while shaking his head. 
"I'm not kidding," I said abruptly. "This is the first time that I've ever cut class. Never had a reason to before. I mean, we're in school, we're supposed to be in class."
Albert went back to noisily flipping the pages. "We're going to be graduating in a few days. Nobody cares if you take a day or two off." Without turning my head, I could hear that others were filing into the rear doors. Albert was talking a little louder than I was comfortable with. If there was a way to dig a hole and hide in the floor between the seats, I would have. I felt torn. I knew it was ridiculous to argue about others hearing a conversation that I shouldn't be embarrassed but I was. I needed to say something.
Albert suddenly raised the paper barrier so I couldn't see his face. "Just seems weird that you didn't sneak out with Bunny in the last two years."
It was difficult not to hear Albert chuckling on the other side of the paper. I was happy that he was changing the subject and I happily followed his lead. As I answered him, I poked at the photo on the front page of some guy with a big grin on his face. "You know I've only been with Regina for about a year and half. I don't need to cut class to ..."
"Whoa, wait a minute," Albert said as if he had been startled. "Take a look at this article. It's got seniors from the school in it," he said. He folded the page and turned the paper in my direction so we could both read.
I first saw the Hotpoint washers and dryers prominently displayed on the right side of the page then my eyes fell on the title on the extreme left, NEWS MUSIC AWARDS GO TO 35 STUDENTS. "It's the All City High School Chorus and Orchestra," I said, reading hurriedly. "The Daily News put together scholarships for $5000 for students." "Let me see. Who is it?" Albert said as we suddenly found ourselves doing a tug-of-war to see the familiar names.
Recipients of scholarships from the $5000 grant from M&A:
The warning bell loudly sounded to let everyone know that the last class was over. It was suddenly imperative that we go to our next class. I quickly folded the paper and headed in the direction of the nearest rear door with my friend close by. We had formed an unspoken agreement. We had to share this information about these new-found celebrities with as many as possible.
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Lloyd A. GreenM&A was a blessing, which is difficult to forget. Let's talk about the good times. 
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