I can’t quite remember the first time I met Dawn Weller, but my guess would be that it was on the school bus. That’s pretty much where I first met all of my friends in the old plat. She and her family moved onto Pine Bluff during April of 1979, a full year after we moved in, but she didn’t start attending Fairbrook Elemetary until the Fall. For a young ‘un like me, Pine Bluff (the street in front of the Dean house pictured behind Dawn above) was on the other side of the galaxy from Winterset Drive where I resided, so I didn’t begin venturing up there too much until later. Besides, you had to ride your bike up quite a hill to get there.
Dawn and I were off-and-on friends for pretty much all of the years that we attended school together. She most notably took on the role of the older sister to my friend Mike Weller, as well as the best friend of the sister of my best friend Chris Demeter. From what I remember, Dawn was often the voice of reason – but could also be quite an instigator of the mischief that us boys would find throughout the neighborhood. One very important thing that we had in common for a year or so was our mutual love of the Beatles in the early 1980’s. Her love for them was eventually surpassed by Michael Jackson, whom she always claimed she would marry.
She didn’t marry Michael Jackson. She married Max Laufersweiler just a couple of years ago, and although I didn’t attend the wedding, I heard all about it from her Mom Sue, whom I work for in Krogerland. After all of this time – and after meeting up again with her brother Mike last year – Dawn and I finally ended up in the same place at the same time when Sue invited both of us to attend a free concert at the Kettering Fraze Pavillion on Wednesday, July 23, 2008.
Sue and Dawn
Although it was smack between my European vacation and Michigan / Ohio road trip, I still made the point of attending along with Jackie. First of all, Sue is fun to hang out with. Secondly, the concert was a Cincinnati band named Over the Rhine and Sue had been raving about them forever. And thirdly, and most importantly, I never pass up a chance for a reunion of an old friend, particularly one from the old neighborhood.
Over the Rhine
Between the leathery vocals of the folksy / country / rock stars Over the Rhine (whom incidentally I greatly enjoyed and are getting shortchanged in this posting), Dawn and I were able to catch up for a bit, mostly reminiscing and talking about the old neighborhood days. For instance, I never knew her first kiss was with my old chum Lee Ballinger. In fact, I was astonished. Dawn looked great and was just as I remembered her (if a bit more tolerant of the adult me than the teen me), very funny, dry-witted, and with a sharp memory of the tomfoolery of our old plat.
Dawn and me, former denizens of Country Acres 9
As a bonus, she had her longtime friend named Ed Crowder with her. I knew him better as Eddie when he attended grade school at Fairbrook Elementary with me. We were in Mrs. Smith’s class together in the fourth grade and got in a fistfight on the playground while playing football in the sixth grade – but never mind that. He was extrememly nice and friendly and it was great to see and reminisce a bit with him as well.
Pals again – with Eddie Crowder
Continue to the next reunion…
Ed Crowder at a concert? How odd. Kidding! Back in the late 90s I think I saw Ed at every Phish show I went to. Actually spoke to him at one of them. Nice guy.
John
September 20th, 2008