August 26th 1985… A nervous 13 year old Tom Bissell started his first day at Hayward High School. Most of my friends from elementary school went to either Sunset HS or Tennyson HS after we graduated from 7th grade at Harder Elementary. I didn’t know many people at Hayward High. And I was scared to death.
In my hometown of Hayward California, way back in the mid-1980s, the decision was made to close the junior high schools in order to save money. Seventh graders stayed at elementary school for one more year, and 8th graders started high school a year early.
And I know it was August 26th because I found an old itinerary that listed my classes, room numbers, etc. So I know my first day at Hayward High School because it’s an important date. It’s the day that I met Scott.
And on that first day of school, and in my very first class of the day (which was Mrs Pickell’s English) I picked a desk and sat down. And the others filled in the seats. I didn’t know a single person in that class. Man, was I frightened! I thought if I’m going to survive this (there were 18 year old young men, seniors, on the campus, and here I was this lowly 13 year old 8th grader)…if I’m going to survive this, I’m going to need friends. So I turned around at looked at all the boys my age, that were sitting around me, and I made friends with them all.
This was when I met Scott. And Dave, and Ange, and some others. We still keep in touch, but not as regularly as I wish we could. I see Dave at least once a month–he lives just a few minutes away from my house in Reno. Scott lives a bit further away, about 100 miles away, in Roseville. And Scott and I see each other several times a year (I wish it were a lot more!)
That was forty years ago. Wow. Forty years of friendship. Forty years later we’re still friends, still drinkin’ and stinkin’, still blowing off steam, and still getting excited about childish things. I always admired my father’s 60-plus year friendship with his buddy Walt, and here I am at year 40 with Scott and Dave.
I’m incredibly blessed.
