Cubs game falls on reunion

My 10-year high school reunion has come and gone. The very first column I wrote for The Herald News was about anticipating the reunion. Now I can reflect on it.

For me, JCA's reunion date, Sept. 27, will be more memorable than for most. It was also the day the Cubs clinched the National League's Central Division. I began working at Wrigley Field in April and started a journal for every game I worked. It's now being made into a book. It's also hard to believe that the Cubs were only five outs away from their first World Series trip in 58 years.

When I committed to the reunion and being on its planning committee, I had no reason to think Sept. 27 would be a day that would live in infamy with me. I had worked some 50 games at Wrigley prior to the 27th. I was there for the corked bat incident, all the Yankees games and down the stretch vs. the Cardinals and Astros. When the roller coaster ride slowed down, I was prepared for the Cubs to clinch on either Sunday the 29th or Monday the 30th.

But I was wrong. And when they did clinch by winning that amazing double-header vs. the Pirates, I wasn't on the ride.

Rather, I was talking at length with people I didn't talk to once in high school.

The reunion, itself, was fun. I was able to see people I hadn't seen in years and catch up with them. But my heart and soul were on Clark and Addison. Long before I was a Joliet Catholic Academy student, I was a Cubs' fan. It was my dream to play for the Cubs and then to announce for the Cubs, and now I tell jokes about the Cubs. But on Sept. 28, the joke was on me.

This isn't to slight the efforts of Mary (Russell) Ragusa, Kris (Crobie) Horn, Pete Bertino, Sue Callans or Trish Delrose in any way. They all did a wonderful job making the reunion memorable for all who attended. Tuckaway Terrace served as an excellent venue for our small but intimate gathering. Many of the same group of friends from high school gathered in the same groups 10 years later to reminisce and catch up on days gone by.

Instead of focusing on not being at Wrigley, I've been able to laugh about the bittersweet irony and remember my high school days when combing my hair was on my "things to do" list.

I talked with one classmate after dinner. "What are you doing now?" I asked Ben Henley, a graduate of Penn State University.

"Cancer research in Jersey," he said.

"Wow! Impressive. Good for you," was all I could say.

"How about you, Deininger? What are you doing these days?" he asked.

"Me? I tell fart jokes in Iowa," I replied with a smirk and a certain degree of uncanny pride.

"They fart in Jersey, right? Maybe I'll be out there soon."

Some people had changed considerably in their appearance, while others looked like they did on graduation day. Some were married with their spouses in attendance. Some had pictures of their children to pass around. Others spoke of their jobs as lawyers, personal trainers, teachers, police officers and actresses.

Later that night, at McBrody's in Joliet, I walked into the middle of a particularly humorous conversation.

"So, Clint, what are you doing now?" asked Marilyn (Offerman) Bennett of Clint Larson.

"I'm a drummer in a band down in Orlando. How about you?"

"I own a horse farm in Indiana," said Bennett.

For once I was speechless. We all had left Joliet to pursue other careers and there we were sharing a part of our lives. What a triumvirate of talent in that conversation: a drummer, a comedian and a horse farm owner. Sounds like the beginning of joke: this drummer, this comedian and this horse farm owner walk into a bar ...

If history is any indication of things to come, there will be more reunions than Cubs' World Series appearances.

Scott Deininger, who uses the name Scott Derenger for comedy work, is a comedian living in Shorewood. For his performance schedule, visit www.ShaveYourHead.com.

10/19/03