NUTS ALL OVER

Yesterday I attended the 5th Annual Fredonia High School Class of 1967 Martin Luther King Weekend Luncheon at the Altoona Prairie Nut Hut. The two nuts I'm pictured with above are a psychologist and a bank president. We've been pals since first grade. Actually, the banker and I have known each other since we were barely out of diapers and I have a picture to prove it, although my memory doesn't go back that far.

Twenty classmates and nine relatives were present for the astute affair in a little town that is nine miles east of our hometown. One gal, Lady Kayle, came all the way from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to be there, although we've never been able to convince her to give up her virginity and dig in to a nut sandwich. I told her we should give her a prize for coming the farthest--perhaps a gift certificate for a Hopping Nut Basket--a load of frog legs and mountain oysters for those who just can't get enough of odd fried food. Until she breaks down and goes nutty, she'll never be able to wear an "I had a ball at the Prairie Nut Hut" tee-shirt, something I'm certain she's anxious to add to her wardrobe.

I presented the owner with a framed picture of a class gathering we had at the hut almost 45 years ago. She did a good job faking her excitement. Eight "kids" in the pic were at yesterday's gathering, and I was uber-pleased when some quail hunters at the bar correctly identified me right off the bat. "Great beehive you had there!" one said. "You must have done lots of teasing to get it to look that good." Since I no longer have a lick of vanity, or sense for that matter, I admitted to them that part of it was fake.

Well, anyway, it was fun to see the gang once again and laugh about old times and new aches and pains. Here's to the Class of 1967!!