In April of this year I decided to sign up for Facebook (*FB) with hopes of reconnecting with some of my old Rockingham High School friends and classmates. What prompted this move was a recent invitation I had received in the mail inviting me to the 45th Reunion of the Class of 1964 from Rockingham High School. It was to be held on October 9-10 in Southern Pines. I thought (FB) would be a good way for me to locate some of them. It was!

I had also recently discovered Joel Bailey’s (RHS ’66) ‘Rockingham Remembered’ and ‘Rockingham Memories’ websites. After finding them, I was constantly on the computer “walking down memory lane” with all the entries and pictures. Here I began to see and read about some of my old friends and classmates I had grown up with.

My first (FB) contact was Donna Tuthill (RHS ’64), and through Donna’s contacts I was also able to find Charlie Yow (RHS ’64). Donna and Charlie were encouraging me to attend the reunion. ‘Encouraging’ may not be a good word. Donna was absolutely ‘POUNDING’ me every time we communicated to, in her words, ‘BE THERE! - NO EXCUSES!’ You see, I had never been to a reunion before.

Never been to one of your reunions in 45 years? Nope!  Never went! I always came up with an excuse! Honestly, I was scared to go. Don’t ask me why! I just was! The only reasons I could ever give anyone for not attending were that I worked all the time and “life just got in the way.” These indeed were to be proven just excuses, and in my own mind and heart, they would become VERY, VERY, LAME AND SELFISH EXCUSES. However, (FB) would thankfully play a major role in helping me to rectify this selfishness.

The following sequences of events have all occurred since April of this year (2009) when I first subscribed to (FB). Since then my (FB) friends, both old and new, have all made a most profound impact in my life. Since then, reconnecting and staying in touch with old friends and classmates has become a very important part of my life. It has also allowed me to realize how selfish I had been all these years for not attending any of my many previous reunions. My Mama (Theo Smith) used to tell me that during my life’s journey there would be some times and events that would touch my heart in a very special way. As she described it, “THEY’LL JUST REACH DOWN AND JERK A REAL TIGHT KNOT IN YOUR HEART!”

My next (FB) contact with Charlie would be one that really threw me for a loop. Honestly, unbeknownst to Charlie, what he was about to tell me would in fact prove to be one of those times Mama told me about. This would indeed become one of those times that really jerked a big knot in my heart. This would be news that brought tears to my eyes (yes, real men cry).

Charlie informed me that his mother had last year celebrated her 90th birthday and that another of my classmates, Bonnie Poplin (RHS ’64), had driven all the way from her home in Tarboro to Charlie’s Mom’s home on Deweese Avenue in Rockingham to help celebrate her special day. That didn’t surprise me at all because Bonnie was always kind and thoughtful to everyone, plus she lived directly across the street from Charlie while growing up on Deweese Avenue. What Charlie told me next left me speechless and with the most hollow feeling I have ever experienced in the pit of my stomach. He informed me that Bonnie had just been a “Real Trooper” to even think about coming to his Mom’s birthday celebration. He said that she had been diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her right leg (non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and had been taking lots of treatments. Charlie told me that Bonnie was really not doing well and he was very, very concerned about her. He said, “Ken, you really need to remember Bonnie in your prayers.” Charlie’s news made me stop in my tracks, look up toward heaven and say,

“Please God! Not Bonnie!”

Suddenly, it really hit me like a ton of bricks. “YOU ARE SO SELFISH!!! How can you use such lame excuses as ‘I work all the time’ and ‘life just got in the way’ to two of your old friends and classmates as an explanation of why you have not been to a class reunion in 45 years? How could you be so selfish as to not desire and even look forward to spending time with all your old friends and classmates? Why would these two beg you to attend this reunion after all these years? Why did they even care? But they did care! - Just like Bonnie! - Look at Bonnie! Still not selfish! Still so caring! She’s even thinking about Mrs. Yow even though she’s so sick. Suddenly my excuses became very, very petty to me.

Why did this hit me so hard after all these years? Why was I crying? Well, you see, Bonnie was not just “somebody” that was sick! Bonnie was not just “Anybody Else” that I didn’t know and fondly remember! This was Bonnie Poplin! Bonnie was one of the sweetest girls that I have ever known in my life and still is to this day! She had been my neighbor! She was a playmate in my childhood! Annie Laurie and Bill, her Mom and Dad, were good friends of my parents! I used to go to parties and cookouts at her Dad and Mom’s cabin on Ledbetter Lake! I learned to swim off the dock of that same cabin and lake! Bonnie was the very first girl I ever took to a dance at the Richmond County Country Club when we were still in elementary school. We were not boyfriend and girlfriend, but we were ALWAYS FRIENDS! At that very dance, Bonnie would become the very first girl I ever shagged and slow danced with (which she may not know to this day)! Bonnie always was kind and gentle to everyone! This was not just somebody else with an unknown face and name that was sick. - This was Bonnie!

Bonnie was not on (FB), but I had to contact her. I had to find out how she was. Fortunately, I did get her email address from Charlie, and was able to contact her. I was able to hear in Bonnie’s own voice that she was doing much better as was her husband, Bill Gainey (whom I’ve never have the pleasure of meeting, but if Bonnie married him, he is a very good man). Bill had also unexpectedly had a heart attack during that same year. But somehow, just talking to my friend made everything better. I had a peace within. Bonnie and her husband Bill both were on the mend. In fact, as I remember, after speaking with her, she said she had to go outside and spread several bales of pine straw.

“THANK YOU GOD FOR WATCHING OVER MY FRIEND BONNIE AND HER HUSBAND!”

What does (FB) have to do with Bonnie? Well, had I not reconnected with Donna - had Charlie not sent me a (FB) message with this news - had they not both pounded me about attending the reunion, I really do not know if I would have gone. Therefore, I would most likely have never seen Bonnie again. I would have never been able to talk with my childhood friend and classmate again. I would never have been able to just hug her once more and tell her what a special person she was. I would have never realized how selfish I had been, if to no one but myself, for making such lame excuses for 45 years as to why I had never attended any of my previous class reunions or to stay in touch with my old friends and classmates.

Thanks to (FB), and God willing, I will not miss another reunion. I told Bonnie the last time we spoke before departing from this reunion that if she ever needed anything, all she had to do was contact me. I promised her that I would do anything for her that I could. She patted me on my shoulder, hugged me and said,

“I REALLY BELIEVE YOU WOULD!”

“YOU’RE RIGHT BONNIE, I WOULD!

THANKS FACEBOOK (*FB)!

THANK YOU, BONNIE FOR BEING MY FRIEND!