The First Annual Reunion of the Commodores September 13, 2008

Six Commodores attended. Two - Jeff and Don - who had not been at the mini-reunion in January and one - Eli who had attended the January event but could not make it this time - flying to Denmark to pick up puppies.



Quoting Jeff, "our reunion was a blast.... a hell of a good party(great food, drink and company)"

Great Conversations

As Terry commented, even though it has been 45 years since we have gotten together, it seemed like it was just yesterday that we had all left high school. Our mannerisms and patterns of speech had not changed. We never lacked for conversation and there were no awkward moments. We talked about the past, the present and future - Leventhal, Harding, Dave V's liquor business, Dave P's pawnshop, Jeff's rent to buy, Cherrywood Lounge and Torrinos, Ed Schmidt and Lee Zolet, Terry's teaching at Aldephi and coaching, Don's buying memorabilia at yard sales and selling on Ebay starting at $9.99, our health and our pills, illegal aliens, the presidential election (Dave V took a poll on who we thought was going to win - not who we wanted to win- McCain 4 Obama 2), betting on football games, and on and on. Absent contact for 45 years, we were still great friends. As one of the boys wrote in my high school yearbook, "COMMODORES FOREVER."

Great Food

The food was great. Don's secret to great hamburgers is to buy fresh meat - in late afternoon, after starting the grills, he and Kathy went to purchase the hamburger. We all had at least two burgers. Dave P was particularly impressed with the fresh tomatoes and Dave V out did himself by having 4 ears of fresh Long Island corn.

At Days End - USC vs Ohio State (Dave V.'s Pretender)

At the end of the day we watched the USC - Ohio State game on a fuzzy screen, using rabbit ears which pulled in an ABC station from Hartford CT. However, we were not just watching a football game, a bet was at stake here. Daves V and P have continued the high school tradition of gambling which often began with the refrain "How much do you wanna bet" They had placed a bet on a three game teaser (Instead of betting on one individual game, they were betting on the results of three games and given more points than you would get just betting one game. But, you had to win all three games, lose one of the three and you lose). They had won the first game, and had bet that USC would beat Ohio State (a pretender to be a top BCS team according to Dave V).

They went to sleep happy as USC overwhelmed Ohio State. They woke up worrying if in their third game, the Giants would be victorious, beating the point spread. This time they ended up winning their three game teaser - How much do you wanna bet that they did not continue their winning streak the following weekends.

The following morning we took the Dieners out for the "Hungry Man's Breakfast" a a local bagel deli. Then we departed, going our separate ways - Dave V to Kansas, Dave P to Wantagh, Terry to Levittown, and John to Scranton PA. Jeff was not able to stay the night but returned to his son's home on the Island to help Shelly babysit two grandchildren. Kathy Diener was to fly back to Florida the following day to meet her sister, and Don was to follow in several weeks.

It was agreed that we should make this an annual event and the second annual Commodore's reunion may be held in Manhattan, at Dave Vs condo on the east side. The goal of the second reunion is to have at least one Commodore who did not make this reunion to attend the one in 2009 - Glenn, Peter, Phil, Nick, Eli, Ace????

Kudos to Don and Kathy Diener

Thanks to Don and Kathy for hosting the first annual Commodores Reunion, providing great food, good accomodations, a place for conversation and above all, wonderful hospitality. They met all our needs including Third Base Is My Home when nature called.