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Class of 1988 - 35 Year Reunion
Thursday, 9 November 2023
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A very warm reunion took place on Saturday 28 October 2023 at the Sussex Hotel, Sydney with around 30 Old Boys attending the gathering. Many amusing moments-of-recognition rang out from kick off right until close after two schoolboy-lifetimes-on from the better remembered fresh faces of adolescent years past. Who would have expected that the original bonds made in the classrooms, in the rank-and-file, on the ovals and courts and in the swimming lanes of the bygone era were so strong even through such a long jump in time as 35 years? Not a single hug or smug of the modern man to be had but, instead, a tangle of arms fought each other to grip a welcoming hand back to the Class of '88. The arrangements for the reunion came late in the year, but, with the clock ticking it allowed six weeks’ notice out in the ether of contacts, and we snagged a weekend to come together before the silly season of work, social and family affairs. Starting in the afternoon at the Bungalow Bar on King St Wharf, a flag was raised, with three black and blue balloons tied to a trellis above an outdoor lounge area as the first beers flowed under the sun with around 10 partakers. This was followed by a short migration to the Sussex Hotel at 5:30pm for the main event, where a friendly bar manager kept up on the tap, and cooks in the bistro ran table orders late into the evening. The party maxed out with 30 young-men-in-their-prime, before closing at 9:30pm. We navigated in group consultation as to the right pathway, towards the Lord Nelson Brewery at the Rocks which closed the evening’s informalities. The Winners: A very good turnout from Bryden House Old Boys and the swimming team, although Gillespie Old Boys topped the points’ board for attendance. Importantly, to all Old Boys of any year, please encourage friends to register their updated contact addresses with the OKGA Office to streamline the next event. A very special thanks to Lachlan Liao (OKG98) for polling Old Boys on interests for the reunion and handling bookings, including from respondents for the abandoned Harbour-cruise catch-up. Ant Thomson |