Boy's Night Out.

Well I went for my OBA dinner for the first time last night. It was an eye opener really. We're 118 and the atmosphere was pretty good I thought. It brought back memories, having people who were passionate about the school and school spirit was at an absolute high...which was kind of brought down by a sense of dread about the coming week. So I did the only thing that made any sense and left before the leaving got difficult.
ANoises, Jayse and I left immediately after the fish course (what more is there after fish really..?) and made our way down to No. 5 Emerald Hill and chilled there with chicken wings and wedges with a couple of other, initially unwilling, colleagues. It was fun especially since No. 5 really is a place built for chilling.
Ultimate therapy for overworked teachers: 2 hours of 80's music, a couple of drinks and Jayse spilling his guts about the women in the staffroom.
All that said, I really enjoyed the OBA dinner. On the one hand: Forced to go...not too good. On the other, I haven't seen such great school spirit since we owned Stamffy Institution in the rugby finals in my graduating year. The school anthem was sung with great gusto and there was a whole load of fun that was had ribbing da Man about his affiliations. :) Of course, I didn't actually see anyone I knew from school. But I did manage to mingle with a boatload of people that I haven't seen for a while. Students, staff from the college I never went to and some old family friend. I also bought a brolly for the greater cause of the ol' alma mater. And the whole old boys thing...quite true. This was also the night of reunion for the graduating class of '74 and there were people who were old and greying, there were high powered lawyers, doctors and even a speaker of the house (what house, I do not know)...but it was a night when they all just took a step back and remembered what it was to be boys (and girls) again.
It was fun.