Southwest High Reunion interview with Anina Bacon

T: Nix, first of all, set the scene. Where are we conducting this interview?

A: We are conducting this interview on a moody rainy mid-morning outside the Perkins restaurant and bakery amongst a crowd of people who are all waiting to enjoy the fine delicacies of said Perkins.

T: Do we rule the world right now? It seems like everywhere we go there is music from the 80s and that can only be comforting to us, a very specific slice of the world’s age spectrum.

A: It’s like Green Bay was waiting for us.

T: People our age must own all the businesses, even a dumb Perkins franchise. I bet the teen children of this owner have huge dumb cars.

A: I’m mourning the loss of all the greasy spoons.

T: It’s stunning how hard it was to find a breakfast place. We found all manner of liquor barn…

A: Look that Cub Foods is closed too. I feel like the main businesses, the booming businesses are bars and healthcare facilities. I bet there are a few cigarette depots too. Lots of people with mobility problems.

T: The man (sirens next to us). We placed a bet or two before we got to the….

A: Reunion. Not so much a bet against each other but choices made in confidence. You made the very wise choice of betting there would be a raspberry vinaigrette but it didn’t show up. I chose to believe there would be Chicken Kiev, and though the chicken we received was thin and seared, it was still raw inside. The red skin potatoes mashed with garlic were lovely as was the vegetable medley. We also predicted iceberg lettuce.

T: I predicted baby greens. See they’re moving through the list (names being called over the loudspeaker while we wait)

A: I bet those waitresses really know how to move the tables through.

T: What were your first impressions of the reunion?

A: The first thing I said to myself was, “Holy crap, I’m going to be really bad at this.” Meaning remembering people’s names. I could do a reverse aging process in my head and I could shrink people’s heads and add hair and remember. Maybe some guys had thinning hair and a bit of a belly but I think for the most part people look great. Lot of good skin, we commented on that a lot. Seemed like there was a lot of genuine conversation, people were happy to see each other, I didn’t sense a lot of falseness in the air, people weren’t trying to impress each other. People are doing wonderful things with their lives. Oh can we talk about the champagne fountain?

T: I never really got a load of it. Someone retrieved a glass of supposed champagne for me and it tasted like Strawberry Hill or whatever a sweet shitty wine is. Plus I expected a SHOW from that fountain, I wanted it to be bigger than me both physically and emotionally.

A: I would like to comment that a glass of wine, though a piece of crap, was $3.50. Who sells a glass of wine for that price anymore? The Ramada Inn in Green Bay, that’s who.

T: My Absolut and soda was $3.50. I was stunned.

A: Was Adrienne Hilt our class president? Who was our class president?

T: I don’t know. I have no memory of that. I know student government existed but that’s it.

A: What was most surprising to you, Tara Jepsen?

T: I think that I really enjoyed it. I didn’t realize that I would be so genuinely happy to see every person there. I just didn’t realize I would feel that way.

A: I agree. I experienced the same thing. It really reminded me of how much fun we had.

T: What do you remember that was fun?

A: I think just hanging out at other people’s houses.

T: What would we do there?

A: I feel like we drove around and listened to music a lot. I think hanging out without adults at that point in our lives. I remember laughing a lot, joking, I guess just being teenagers.

T: I think there was a lot of beer and weed in there.

A: We had a lot of good music in our lives. Going to shows was awesome.

T: We saw a ton of bands. Rich is still booking bands but in Minneapolis. Do you remember what any of your favorite shows were?

A: That’s a hard one. I loved seeing local bands. I thought that was very cool like at talent shows or battle of the bands, shows at school somehow. What were their names? Like Green or something. They liked to play REM covers of course. Greg Steffke had a good band, Covent Garden. Driving to Alpine Valley to see shows with you. Um I remember seeing Fugazi and going crazy.

T: We saw them a million times.

A: Big Drill Car. I want to say we saw Sonic Youth but I think that’s my imagination. We never saw Shudder to Think, that was a tragedy.

T: Totally.

A: Poor Ravi cat, he’s going to eat late today.

At this point our name was called over the outdoor loudspeaker and we were ushered into Perkins for breakfast.

Now we are in Anina’s Honda driving in a downpour back to my mom’s. We’re listening to Fever Ray because I’m so addicted to that album I can’t believe it.

T: Any concluding thoughts regarding our trip to Green Bay?

A: It was very comforting and nostalgic. A comforting nostalgia. I’m very glad we went. It was lovely to see so many wonderful people. I felt like I had a lot of really good chats. Heart stuff. And I’m you know not very surprised that everyone was so lovely.

T: I feel the same way.

A: It wasn’t a shocker that people were so great. I feel like there was a balance of people who spread out around the country. There were people from Florida, Oregon, California, Michigan, Colorado, from the metropolis of Milwaukee…are we really slowing down because we’re merging lanes? I drive rush hour to Chicago and this shit doesn’t happen. Maybe in one spot. How long have you been doing interviews with people?

T: This last round has been since February.

A: What do you do with your interviews?

T: I put them on my blog. I like to go back and read them sometimes because people say really interesting stuff.

A: I haven’t said anything interesting. I think I’ve used the same adjective over and over.

T: You’ll be surprised when you read it. It’s more interesting than you think.

A 41-second look around the room at the reunion