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LETTER TO ALUMNI
FROM WAYNE RITCHIE
HELLO FELLOW CLASS MATES
FROM MIAMI CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 1969
First let me explain the fact that I'm so sorry I am not there in person. When I was first contacted about this reunion, I told Pat in an E-mail that I would definitely be there. Funny how life works, in April of this year I left the company I was working for since 1989, To take a position with the Home Depot Company in Rocky Mount. This was an offer I could not refuse. Because of this move, I am unable to visit with you today. However, thanks to my life long friend Mike Atherton, through this letter, I will be just where I really want to be.
At the conclusion of this I will include my address, phone number, E-mail address and a link to the web site I have made. At this time I would like to get you all up to date with the weird old wacky wonderful Wayne.
The guy, most of you remember, as the guy, who made the girls go EWEEEEE, and all of my teachers that went Oh no not him again…. The male classmates all accepted me for who I was. The king of the nerds, but I had potential.
I found a lovely person to marry me in December 1974. Her name is Pamela maiden name is Burgess. She is a graduate of Hialeah HS class of 1972. We will not hold that against her, though I often do when we reminisce about our HS days. We have two lovely daughters. Arianne and Amanda. Arianne is 25 married 1-1/2 years and Amanda is a rising senior in HS with plans to become a teacher. Arianne graduated from East Carolina University with a major of professional acting and theater.
In the fall of 1986 I re-located my family to North Carolina.
We live in Rocky Mount. A quiet little city right on I-95, 138 miles north of South Carolina and 40 miles south of the Virginia state line. We live a very normal life. My wife works for BB&T insurance as a commercial underwriter. She is the account office manager for her branch. We both love living in NC except for one thing; this one thing was the most difficult reason for leaving Miami. WE MISS ALL OF OUR DEAR FRIENDS THAT WE GREW UP WITH.
Funny how when you look back in retrospect that 3 years of high school or maybe add 2 more years of Junior HS in those 5 years you can build relationships that last forever. We build memories that we will carry to the grave. 35 years later we meet again. Thanks to a wonderful person like Pat who does such a fine job with our class web site, I find myself visiting at least once a week. It feels just like yesterday once more. (I know sounds like a line to a song…) The only things that change are the hair color; the sizes of the cloths, added in are little wrinkles. What stays the same is the warmth in your heart, the happy times locked away safe from harm in the memory bank. Close your eyes, and we are in the halls waiting for the bell to ring. Can you hear mister Wargo's voice warning us not to be late for class? Can you hear Ms. Berkowitz telling us this is a pop quiz?
I sure can. Close your eyes, can you smell the aroma emitting down the halls from the cafeteria. We hated the food then, but how good it tastes in our memory. Close your eyes, listen to our marching band, it is half time at the football game. The score is of little consequence now but how sweet the music sounded. Listen as the cheerleaders bark out one last HIP HIP HORRAH. We were there then, and we are there again. Today
I sincerely hope that life has treated you all as well as it has treated my family & me. Remember that through faith in God all things are possible. My visits to the web site of Miami Central have been fun trips I enjoy all the pictures of all the events. I really appreciate the updates, weather it is good news or bad. I hope that within your meeting today that you all stop & think about the class mates that are no longer with us. Please do not let it place a dark cloud over your festivities that are planned, take heart in the thought that once again we will meet them at Heavens door. Sorry I got to deep, but it had to be said,
I want each and every one of you to know that I remember it all.
I want you all to know that I am who I am today in part thanks to all of you. You all in a little way helped shape a nerdy little kid into the man I am today. To all the girls in the room please cross your arms placing each hand on your shoulder. Give yourself a nice big hug. I just wish that I were there to deliver it personally. To all the guys in the room I give big thumbs up. I did it. I became a man, I have prospered, I have found wealth, and happiness.
Now let me indulge myself in a little bragging. I am now 53 years young. Married for 29 years, have 2 lovely daughters as I have said. One dog four cats, and a bunny. I have acquired a pick up truck (Mandatory equipment for living in NC) I have a red neck from the sun but I am not a redneck. There is a difference. In the past 35 years I have had 7 jobs.
I feel very fortunate that the Lord has blessed me. I still write poetry and short stories as a hobby. I still play my guitar, but now only when the house needs to get fumigated. I still play for my ears only. Sometimes I forced the dog and one of my cats to listen, Most of the time it is when I'm alone.
I have a newfound hobby; some of you will think that it only stood to become a reality all things considered. For a year now I have been going to several Civil War re-enactments, doing a first person living history of Mathew B. Brady. The man responsible for the pictures we have today of that great American Battle. I dress in period costume. A friend of mine has made an antique camera look-a-like and with the help of some false facial hair I become the man. At the end of this I will also include the web site address I have created that displays some of the pictures I have taken at just a few of these sites. We travel around Virginia, NC, Maryland, and Penn. to different events. Florida has several events each year also maybe we just might meet at one of these events. It is a lot of fun especially when young people come up to you and know just whom you are. I told
the curator at one of the events earlier this year I often feel like it is Halloween so many times a year. I get to dress up and be someone different and no one knows but me who I really am.
On the planned days of this re-union, I will take breaks often and imagine that I am right there. I'll share in that toast "Here's a drink that seals our friendship now and forever more". I will be sitting in the empty chair at the table. My glass will be filled with ice water, & my heart filled with warm memories. Later on at the dance, I will be the crazy shadow on the floor, with my hands waving around in a spastic fashion. Put another quarter in the jukebox baby… play a slow song just for me…. No on second thought I want to hear "Psychotic Reaction" I want my bell-bottom pants out of my closet, where did I leave my peace symbol medallion. I want my long black hair to get into my eyes, and my mouth. Better that then my foot!!!
But alas, I'll find myself in jeans, my bell-bottom pants now hang upon some mannequin in the Smithsonian Institute my lucky neck ware has become the coke can your sipping out of right now. Our songs are now Golden oldies. Some of the songs, this generation does not even want to listen to. Such a pity… We had it good back then.
Well this brings me to my final thought…. As Spock said every week "Live long and prosper". Another favorite alien of mine… Remember I AM an Alien I was born in Canada Well anyway Mork would say, Na-Noo Na-Noo. And I will just say it again. "Thank you to one and all. High School was a blast. Miami Central was the BEST. 1969 was a wonderful year". God Bless each and everyone of you.
Wayne Ritchie
Wayne & Pam Ritchie
817 Greyson Road
Rocky Mount, NC 2784
252-985-2468
E-Mail: inkmantoo@aol.com
Mathew Brady Web site address:
http://members.cox.net/civilwar
GO ROCKETS!
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CONTACT
Miami Central High School
Alumni Class of 1969 Web Site
miamicentral1969.com