Ron Bostwick’s (1977) July Fourth Weekend 1999
(From the September 1999 MSO Newsletter, Subject: My PHS July 4th weekend…)

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
(some names are changed to protect the guilty and the innocent)

You see it all started out so innocently, officer. I had planned to go to a simple Colorado Rockies baseball game in Denver the afternoon of July 3 with three of my friends from my high school…Nikki Wantling (’85), Janet Peters (’80) and Felicity Shagwell (’77). I headed home after work that Friday afternoon not knowing what lay ahead of me. A nice peaceful, long weekend with a baseball game Saturday afternoon and my radio shift on Saturday night was all I was expecting. Honestly, I had no idea I’d end up in trouble like this. Can I make my one phone call yet? No? Not til I finish? OK.

So I get home to find a message on my answering machine from my “long lost friend, Kaki Blevins” (’77). She’s in Boulder for the weekend with her friend Pat Ketchum Bahr (’83). What’s that? Do I know this Pat Ketchum? Well, not exactly. You see, when I moved out to Colorado, Kaki gave me Pat’s name and number. Because I didn’t settle in Boulder, I didn’t call. We emailed a couple times but she’d already moved to Los Angeles and gotten married. So I guess I KINDA knew her.  Huh? Yeah, I guess I COULD pick her out of a lineup if I had to. But really, she’s not involved in this, HONEST.

Next thing I know I’m meeting them for drinks after dinner. It was some quick catch up (or katsup, if you’re from the midwest) then off to the Mexican joint Juanita’s for margaritas. And here’s where the trouble started. You see, on the way there, I tell Pat about the PHS West group, our crab feasts, and the other PHS grads in the area. When I get to Andy Torri (’81) she wants to call him to say hi. Even though it’s now 11:15pm, I get us both on the phone to Andy.

Pat Ketchum Bahr (’83), Ron Bostwick (’77), & Kaki Blevins (’77) at Juanita’s, Boulder, CO

Even though it was late, I knew Andy lived alone and besides, this was a special occasion. Special because I was drinking margaritas with two beautiful women late on a Friday. Excuse me? Uh, sorry officer…just the facts.

When a woman answered I was pretty embarrassed. When I stammered out the message that I was his friend Ron and Pat Ketchum from Peary High was with me, the woman asked, “Is this Ron Bostwick?” Now I was embarrassed AND mystified. It turns out this was Andy’s younger sister. She and the whole family were in Colorado to celebrate Andy’s brother’s wedding.  And it turns out his sister Terry was going to be calling me.

Well, I felt like I was walking into a “Multi-Class Peary Reunion Dream” at this point. Yes, Sergeant, maybe it was the margaritas. Because Andy was in Denver seeing a concert, I made plans for Terry to visit me at the Boulder Farmer’s Market the next morning.

On Saturday morning, in the span of one hour, Kaki and Pat showed up, Terry Torri Hoffman, her husband and kids, her sister and brother-in-law and their children, came by. Then Nikki showed up at 11:30 for us to go to the Rockies game. Yes sir, the game I mentioned in the beginning.

 

Ron & Terri Torri Hoffman (’78)
Boulder Farmers Market

With all these PHS grads in Boulder, I was overwhelmed with memories of the Bell Tower, the Senior Court and many other PHS stories.  At Coors Field (foreshadowing here), I tell my sudden and out-of-left-field story to Nikki, Janet and Felicity. As you can imagine, this gets us talking heavily about our PHS days. A few Coors were enjoyed.

 

Felicity Shagwell (’77), Janet Peters (’80), Ron, & Nikki Wantling (’85) at Coors Field

After the game we decided to find a bite to eat before heading home.  And lo and behold, not 2 blocks from the park, we come upon a brand new restaurant in Denver…Anita’s Crab Company. Crabs! Our decision was made.  In we went to finish off lotsa crab legs & claws and a few bowls of steamed, spiced shrimp. Oh, and a few more rounds of alcohol. Again, we spoke of our Maryland days.

Now officer, you gotta believe me on the next part. I’m tellin’ the truth. Someone, NOT ME, brought up the subject of “wrapping houses”.  What’s that? Well, it’s where people take toilet paper rolls and fling them through the trees on someone’s property and around the bushes and sometimes even around the cars in the driveway.

Why do this?

Back then we didn’t know. We just knew it was a sign of honor, kind of.  You only did it to people you liked. Yeah, I guess it’s a funny way of showing it but don’t teenagers always have funny ways of showing affection?

Next thing I know, these 3 women are saying “hey, we should wrap someone’s house tonight.” I just kept eating. I wasn’t going to add to this conversation. Besides, I had to be on the radio until 1am. But in just 4 minutes, plans were made to meet at my place later, toilet paper in hand (so to speak), ready to go. We were going to wrap the house of a PHS grad, Dr. Evil.

And sure enough, when I got home at 1:10, there they were. Drinking beer in my living room with 20 rolls of Charmin on my dining room table. (they had bought out the convenience store down the street) So out comes the camera and off we go.

Ron, Felicity, Nikki, & Janet

The Crime Scene


Yes officer, I know it could be considered vandalism but do I look like a vandal? Let’s talk about that Janet Peters! Yes sir, they took my mug shots from drinks with Kaki & Pat, Terry Torri Hoffman at the Farmer’s Market, the baseball game and wrapping the house.

And this put an end to my ephemeral PHS reunions. It was 28 hours, 8 PHS grads, 3 margaritas, 1 Crown Royal and 20 rolls of Charmin. Oh, and countless stories of life in Rockville and on Arctic Avenue.

What? Someone posted bail? I’m free to go? And the charges were dropped? Oh thank you officer. Thank you.

Uh, excuse me…anyone gonna eat that creme filled?