I was attending a play put on by local kids when a very funny woman sitting next to me struck up a conversation. She wanted to know what school my daughter was in, and if she knew any of the kids on stage.
As we continued talking, this woman explained that she had attended Toms River High School, back when it was the only one. It’s now referred to as High School South. I don’t know how old she was, but if it’s any indication, she said her brother would have been 90 this year.
She said her great-niece goes to High School North now, and that was who she was there to see. She joked that it’s OK for them to go to North, even though she’ll always have a soft spot for South. It occurred to me how long you maintain a loyalty to your old school, as long as the memories there are good. After all, she probably hadn’t been to high school for about 70 years, and she was still speaking fondly of it.
I told her that I went to East, so that school has a soft spot for me. However, my daughter will eventually attend South.
She nodded. “It doesn’t matter what Toms River school they go to,” she said. “…as long as they beat Brick…”
So, I guess friendly rivalries last a lifetime, too.
Chris Lundy
News Editor
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