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OT: Really long friendships.

Southern Gentleman

All American
Aug 10, 2011
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Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
 
SG, I have one post high school buddy that I get together with every couple years. Friends for almost 40 years and we usually go to a Rutgers sports event or minor league baseball game here at The Jersey Shore. After high school friends started getting married and children, drifted in many directions. Sadly, I only see them at funerals. Count yourself very fortunate .
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?


My son has purchased property near Clarksville.

He was born in CA...

What's Arkansas like? Particularly Clarkesville and Morrison Bluff : my last name is Morrison- and I'm not bluffing.

Still in touch with my friends from 50+ years ago (74,75, 76_)....though we're more likely to email, ZOOM etc. Only see them when they hit the coast or I visit NJ (last time was 2018).

MO
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
I met my best friend as a roommate at Rutgers in the late 70's. We have spoken together weekly for over 40 years. RU tailgates were the primary means of get togethers, which just added to how special those times were, and hopefully will continue to be for all to create new memories. I'm 62 now and was fortunate enough to retire two years ago. It has given me (along with COVID isolation) a long time to reflect on things. I think what you refer to is what most of us eventually come to realize once you put the rat race behind you. What you have with your friends is priceless.
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
 
HS, no one. Moved up to NJ Oct. of my junior year, so few lasting friendships from that. However I get together with college friends often, always at the tailgates and at other times.
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
I actually work with someone I went to nursery school with.. have been friends ever since (over 45 years)
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
I met my four best friends to this day in Kinderdarten. I would say this is very unique.
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
I’m lucky to have two really good friends from high school who went to RU with me and we are all Rutgers Sports fanatics.

we all recognize we are idiot assholes.

Closing in on a 50 year friendship...
 
I just “reunited” with a childhood friend. Was my best friend from like 4-12 then slowly drifted apart as teens.

Now +30 years later and were hanging out a lot. As adults it usually takes a longtime to form frIendships but Ive found it funny how the familiarity has sped that along.
 
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Have two guys from 8th grade I still keep up with. Haven’t seen either in person since Covid. One lived about an hour and a half away in Jersey, the other is a musician who used to travel all over in his car. Has been staying with a friend in Arkansas for the last year.
 
Several friends from kindergarten still plus in touch with many from elementary school thru high school. Seemed like people didn't move as much back then. Many of us still have relatives or live near where we grew up. Just have very similar life experiences even though some became much more economically viable than others. How do you really measure success? It's definitely not how much money you die with.
 
My son has purchased property near Clarksville.

He was born in CA...

What's Arkansas like? Particularly Clarkesville and Morrison Bluff : my last name is Morrison- and I'm not bluffing.

Still in touch with my friends from 50+ years ago (74,75, 76_)....though we're more likely to email, ZOOM etc. Only see them when they hit the coast or I visit NJ (last time was 2018).

MO

Many people will tell you that I LOVE Arkansas and its natural beauty, despite the fact that most people in the state are politically to the right of Trump.

Mt. Magazine is gorgeous and not very far from Clarksville. The Buffalo National River is breathtaking as well. Visit the wineries in nearby Altus Arkansas. Hot Springs is an hour away with world class horse racing and casino gambling.
And, if you just need a getaway, Eureka Springs is gem in the Ozark Mountains.
 
There is great satisfaction in having long time friends. Mine go back to 5 of us who became friends between the 3rd and 7th grades. We do not see each other often but when we do it is like we were never apart.

I also have 4 wonderful siblings so I am blessed with a number of great relationships
 
I’m 54 and have a friend since 1st grade who also went to Rutgers. Some also from Rutgers too.

As we got older the one from 1st grade and I got season tickets for Football and also as we got older we seem to just get together there.

My younger Son who is a senior in HS has a close group of friends who have all known each other since kindergarten. Still together even after going to different high schools.
 
Sounds like a really cool thing, to have maintained such friendships over the years.

I remain friends with people from my childhood, but it's more the kind of thing where when we see one-another, we enjoy catching up. But none of us makes much effort to do so. We typically go many years without much, if any, contact. I do have a local friend who I was in cub-scouts with that I see somewhat regularly around town. Probably the longest-running friendship I have.

100% agree that friendships and relationships are more important things than money or the toys we acquire. I also think they're vastly more important than people's choice of political party or ideological affinity, although it seems more and more people define themselves by their choice of a political party or ideology - a thing I find entirely inexplicable, personally.
 
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Hard enough to find 10 good friends even as a kid. To keep that friendship going over nearly 50 years is incredible. Love to hear stories like these. Thanks for sharing SG
When you are my age there are very few long time friends who are still alive on Planet Earth. There is still one man from the start of college in 1947, and his wife, who live in Oregon.We get together by telephone from time to time.Other similar long timers have gone to their eternal rest in the last 10-20 years. Of them all ,I missed one in particular when he passed away.Met him in '78,worked together in the Newark school system for eight years,became life long friends.He retired as AD at Shabazz H.S.It is just that his life didn't last as long as mine is doing. He was 17 years my junior. I do speak with his wife,by phone, from time to time.
 
We have a in person fantasy football draft every year with about 18 friends. Draft is always at my brother's in Bayville and guys come in from NY, PA, Chicago, Florida, VA. Only 1 guy we didn't know from grade school. Drinks galore, best weekend of the year. We range in age from late 40s to mid 50s. My entire wedding party was grade school friends, all my best friends are still the guys I grew up with. A great mix, millionaires to common folks. I've lived in the Piscataway/New Brunswick area last 6 years and I still don't have a new friend here, don't really have room or need for new friends.
 
SG, if you have mentioned it, I must have missed it—were you a Razorback fan from childhood or are you an alumnus if the university? Most importantly, are you the only one of your group who didn’t know what chocolate gravy was ?
 
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7 of us grew up on the same street. We are all in our 60’s and all of us (maybe more remarkably) are all still in our first marriage - all of them well past 30 years. We still see each other regularly. It’s 3 brothers and 2 pairs of brothers, so I guess we are literally a band of brothers.
 
Interesting thread because I got involved as a Rutgers football fan almost 30 years ago. Here is the quick story. I started to work at a company on the corner of albany and george St. back then a bunch of us young guys who all graduated college within a year or two of each other. Most of the guys were either rutgers grads or associated with rutgers. We would tailgate at the home games, We would get free tickets from the Rutgers foundation which was in the offices below ours and back then the only reason to go was the tailgate and half the time we never even made it to the stadium. Fast forward almost 30 years and we still have essentially the same tailgate group going. BTW my group went from the depths of depression in Ashes last year, with lots of talk of giving up season tickets to renewed excitement with HCGS hiring and recruiting success! GO RU!
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
I entered RU the fall of 1968 and met about five guys that eventually began fraternity brothers and then life long friends
3 are season ticket holders for football and we tailgate with wives for each home game and have gone to some road games and bowls

Two, I ski with about 15 to 20 times a winter

we have five fraternity brothers that get together for New Years every year
Since 1969

our fraternity attempted to have a reunion for our 1969 pledge class and had about 15 or so brothers in that class ready to go, along with other pledge years thereafter
Unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the virus
 
Team mate at UNC, both transferred to Syracuse. Became roomies at Cuse. Both selected East West Shrine Game, Both Best Man at each other's wedding where we married 'townies'. Both drafted by San Diego. Both bounced for Art Stock's joints in NJ. Both joined NJSP in the same class. Became midnight riding partner's on the GSP at Holmdel Barracks. Both have a Son in Law Enforcement.
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?
Southern, sounds like some of your friends might be Waltons.
 
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My two good friends I met sophomore/junior year of high school and we see each other often. One of them I see once a week. We cook and watch This is Us...lol
I could never end that friendship, she knows way too much about me. 🤣
I'm also close with my first bf from HS which is over 20yrs ago. I guess when you spend so much time with someone and it ends in a civil way there is no need to burn bridges.
 
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My roommate and I from freshman year (Hardenburgh 6) had never met prior to the first day of school. Fast forward 38 years and we’re still close friends. I was in his wedding party and he was my best man. We speak weekly and hang out as often as we can, as families, and sometimes just us guys. RU has been good to me in a multitude of ways..
 
Last weekend was my 49th semi annual get together with my friends. Yeah, 49 years. Looking forward to next year! We used to camp out on rivers and lakes in Arkansas, sleeping under the stars, cooking fish we caught for lunch/dinner, embellishing stories of younger, more inebriated days. Discussing loves lost or won, fortunes made and/or squandered, kid issues, ex-wives, new wives, career challenges and politics. We still discuss many of the same topics, but we are all stable in careers and relationships now, thank God.

Most of us are 64-67 in age, about 10 people in total, many of us went to 3 different high schools in Central Arkansas. Some are poor and never made much money, 3-4 are worth over $20,000,000 each. Yet, we have stayed friends through thick, and thin.

just wondering, do any of you get together with friends on a regular basis? We get together twice a year, usually spring and fall. No kids, no spouses. Just the guys. Good food(yeah, I am the main cook), good whiskey, good stories, good poker playing, now great accommodations, decent fishing. No bragging, just fun. 4 have passed away in 49 years.

Do you do much the same? Or is this unique?

There's 5 of us that became friends my 1st day in the 4th grade at my new school. We all did Grammar school wrestling and Pop Warner football together from that day on through high school and wrestled with one of them in college. We've remained friends for 40 yrs.. 3 Stayed in NJ, one moved to N. Carolina and one to Virginia.

To this day the 3 in NJ get together regularly for Rutgers Wrestling and the two come up twice a year for a week. They all bring their families, as the wives have now become friends as well. They know how special the bond is and if they can't make it there's no problem letting the husbands go alone. There's been blowouts throughout the years but no matter what we all come back together.
 
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I have known my best man since Junior High School (1960). Until this past year we met for several RU football games each fall even though we live 1000 miles from each other. We telephone each other after FB and BB games, mostly after a win. BTW married my wife in 1971 and she just might be as big an RU fan as we are. His wife not so much.
 
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SG, if you have mentioned it, I must have missed it—were you a Razorback fan from childhood or are you an alumnus if the university? Most importantly, are you the only one of your group who didn’t know what chocolate gravy was ?
Funny that you should ask! I attended Southwestern at Memphis for 2 years(now Rhodes College), changed majors and graduated from the University of Arkansas. Lifelong Arkansan.

So I took the chocolate gravy to the camp out with me. Breakfast Saturday morning was bacon, eggs, biscuits, and chocolate gravy! Some of the guys have had it before, most hadn’t, but everyone loved it. Hell, even I had it, and although it will never replace good OL’ sausage gravy, it wasn’t bad at all.

Now, have you ever tried Chitterlings? Or a.k.a. Chitlin’s?
 
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Interesting thread because I got involved as a Rutgers football fan almost 30 years ago. Here is the quick story. I started to work at a company on the corner of albany and george St. back then a bunch of us young guys who all graduated college within a year or two of each other. Most of the guys were either rutgers grads or associated with rutgers. We would tailgate at the home games, We would get free tickets from the Rutgers foundation which was in the offices below ours and back then the only reason to go was the tailgate and half the time we never even made it to the stadium. Fast forward almost 30 years and we still have essentially the same tailgate group going. BTW my group went from the depths of depression in Ashes last year, with lots of talk of giving up season tickets to renewed excitement with HCGS hiring and recruiting success! GO RU!
Hope springs eternal! I am hoping my Hogs have a decent year!
 
Team mate at UNC, both transferred to Syracuse. Became roomies at Cuse. Both selected East West Shrine Game, Both Best Man at each other's wedding where we married 'townies'. Both drafted by San Diego. Both bounced for Art Stock's joints in NJ. Both joined NJSP in the same class. Became midnight riding partner's on the GSP at Holmdel Barracks. Both have a Son in Law Enforcement.
Wow!
 
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