Reunion

When I left Minnesota in 1998 due to a career change the thing I missed the most was my membership in the Decathlon Athletic Club (DAC). The DAC was created in 1968 as a full service private club with dining facilities, social programs, athletic facilities, tennis dome, and hotel rooms. Sadly the club burned in 2000 when I was living in Washington DC. As a result of the fire the club was subsequently sold and demolished. Today the former DAC property is consumed by a hotel and indoor water park. Quite a departure from the club life we enjoyed at the DAC.

Now seven years later the camaraderie that existed at the DAC is alive and well. Twice a year the former DAC members gather for lunch to renew our friendships, share news about other members, and tell a few good stories. Today was no exception since this was the first time I saw fellow DAC member, "Mickey" , who is walking with a cane now but is still full of life and humorous stories. The world would be a better place with more Mickeys in it.

As I scanned our meeting room today I noticed that, 1.) no women attended and that 2.) I was by far the youngest (age 41) person in the room. If you give some thought to the demographics of such private clubs this is probably no surprise. For me the friendships and great memories I had from my time at the DAC are treasured enough that I made it a priority in my work week to attend today.

If my readers (yes both of you!!) out there find themselves in a similar social setting such as the one we had at the DAC let me encourage you to enjoy the time!! Life is too short for us not to have cherished friendships and memories.

Call an old friend sometime,

Todd