Four years ago on Reunion Weekend when we Lambda Chi's were hanging out in the middle of campus under a large tree on a park bench drinking what we drink best a gentlemen from the class of 1962 wandered by and joined us for a beer. That beer has turned into a lifetime friendship for many of us. Bob Matolka, class of 1962, has each year since found us and has joined us in our weekend of festivities. Bob is a delightful gentlemen and this during reunion 2014 the Sister of Sigma dubbed him "Gentlemen Bob", a name that is very fitting.
Over the few short years and few short weekends Bob has formed a bond with many of our brothers. We have and will continue to welcome "Gentlemen Bob" to all of our reunion events in the years to come.
After reunion 2014 Bob wrote the memo below. I thought this would be something to share with all of our brothers.
Welcome Bob.
Over the few short years and few short weekends Bob has formed a bond with many of our brothers. We have and will continue to welcome "Gentlemen Bob" to all of our reunion events in the years to come.
After reunion 2014 Bob wrote the memo below. I thought this would be something to share with all of our brothers.
Welcome Bob.
Alfred University Reunion 2014
This is a tribute to the Sigma Chi Nu sisters and Lambda Chi Alpha brothers to commemorate the wonderful time provided to me on this reunion weekend. The real meaning of this story is that an old man felt accepted as an equal into a much younger age group. He never felt for one minute that he was out of place. That is a beautiful thing. I hope the following story does justice to that feeling.
I have said many times before; I go to the AU Reunions to meet new interesting people. And that has been a successful theme……since I always meet interesting people! This year was no exception. I enjoy seeing old friends but they can be few and far between in any one reunion. This year the total number present from my class of 1962 was fewer than 10. None were “friends”. I did not spend any time with that small group. I knew a few from years bracketing 1962 but did not spend any time with them either.
This year I spent the bulk of time with young’uns who graduated 20 or more years after I did. They were brothers of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and sisters of the Sigma Chi Nu sorority. The sorority was celebrating a 90th anniversary and thus was well represented at the reunion. Both groups were very welcoming to me. They made this weekend very special.
The Lambda Chi brothers were already familiar to me. A “brotherly” relationship began 4 years ago after meeting Lenny and Frank sitting on a bench (next to a large cooler) under the gaze of King Alfred. We spent several hours commiserating, opening and closing that cooler a good number of times. We continued the “tradition” at subsequent reunions spending time together as “bench” people. I had a chance to meet more Lambdas as they gravitated to that location, at times having up to a dozen or so brothers hanging out. However in the end Lenny & Frank remain the core relationships. The Sigma Chi relationship was totally new. But knowing the Lambda Chi brothers helped pave the way to meeting the Sigma Chi sisters, which then led to my attending their celebratory party on Saturday night June 7th. That turned out to be the most outstanding event in all my reunion days….and I’ve had some good ones.
It all started on Friday afternoon when by chance I met a couple Lambda brothers near the “bench”. They were on their way to a fraternity gathering at the Terra Cotta on Main Street. They were quick to invite me to join them, which I did. Lenny and Frank were already there as well as 20 or 30 other Lambdas. Free food and drink was offered to me. A great start to the weekend. The Terra Cotta gathering was on the 2nd floor. I enjoyed Buffalo Wings, Grilled Chicken and assorted Beers on the balcony overlooking Main Street. It was a beautiful event, on a beautiful afternoon, with people enjoying each other’s company. I felt incredibly lucky to be part of it. This is where I first met some of the Sigma Chi ladies. They were well integrated into the gathering. I was told that Sigma Chi was having a party later that evening but was hesitant to go….feeling a little like an outsider. Uncharacteristically I passed up that Friday night gathering and went to bed at a relatively early hour. I heard some revelry through my Brick dorm room window. It probably was from the Sigma party. Can’t believe I did not roll out of bed to check it out.
Saturday luncheon gave me a positive lift. It is well known to family and friends that I use the “empty table” as a way to meet people. What that means is: When I walk into a gathering I look for an empty table to sit at. I am not interested for the most part to sit at a table that is already nearly full. The idea is to see who will sit down with me at “my” (empty) table. This has worked very well over the years enabling me to meet some very interesting people. I tried the same at the Saturday luncheon. After most all the other tables were full, a table running along the periphery of the tent (along the Main Street side) was essentially empty. A huge amount of seating was unclaimed. I went to the middle of the long empty table and sat down. My main wish was for some of the younger AU students working at the reunion to come and sit with me. That’s what happened last year. (To further clarify this thinking: I love to talk to the young people and hear what they are doing….rather than sit with the Golden Saxons and hear what they are doing…or perhaps what it is they are no longer able to do.) It worked out as hoped. Turns out the
table I was sitting at was essentially an overflow table from the Sigma section, which already filled 2 long tables. I got a plate of food and after the first bites I looked up and half a dozen or more young Sigma Chi sisters sat down next to me, to my right. My wish was more than fulfilled! We had a very pleasant conversation during the lunch. (I shared my “empty table” concept with them and got positive feedback.) Not sure if any attended the later party. They were fairly young…relatively recent graduates. Coincidentally a couple of AU students also sat down to the left of me shortly after the Sigma ladies arrived. A repeat of last year. A very pleasant start to the day. After lunch I joined a few Lambda guys at the “bench”. Several Sigma sisters stopped by to chat (and share a brew). It was clear by now that there was always a good connection between the Lambda brothers and Sigma sisters. Following that, at 4:30pm, the official AU cocktail party got under way. There was more mixing with the Lambdas & Sigmas. I was talking to a Lambda brother (Mark?) who I first met at the Friday gathering. I mentioned to him that in the last few years I enjoyed the time spent with his brothers. I wondered whether an official Lambda Chi cap might be available for purchase by a non-brother. In the blink of an eye, he went to his car (a vintage Corvette!) which was parked nearby. He returned with a fresh new cap emblazoned with the fraternity insignia. I asked “how much”? There was no charge! Handing it over he proclaimed I was “unofficially” an honorary Lambda Chi Alpha brother. How nice was that! I will wear it proudly. (Hope all the other brothers approve.)
Finally…let’s party. Of course that would have to come after dinner with the Golden Saxons.
We finally are at the crux of this whole dissertation……to express my brotherly (rather than fatherly) affection for the Sigma Chi Nu sisters.
I went directly from the Golden Saxons dinner to the Sorority house. (Can you imagine the time warp I went through?) Their party was already underway. To say I was swept up in it would be an understatement. Right from the get go I was dancing and dancing and dancing and…… At the start several ladies tried to instruct me in the Electric Slide. That was an outdoor activity (it was still daylight) on the lawn sloping beside the house. (I definitely will need more instruction.) It was a wonderful feeling at my age that I was getting so much attention from ladies well my junior. It does not get any better than that. As far as I can recollect I danced from about 7:30pm until 1:00am with only a few short breaks. (If anyone has a different view please let me know.) My memory is caught up in a whirl of activity. I love to dance but the last time of any significance was a family wedding ~ 7 years ago. That was no comparison to this night. It is quite possible that I never, in my entire life, danced to the extent I did on this wonderful Saturday night. I was in love with all the beautiful sisters that were willing to step out on the dance floor with me. There was no shortage of partners. Yes, as a (old) man, it is easy to fall under the spell of younger women who made me believe they enjoyed my company. I will always remember that night when some 30 women made me feel like a much younger man.
On Sunday morning I walked into the campus center breakfast room. As I entered I heard “Dancing Bob, how are you feeling this morning?” A group of women were sitting at a table near the doorway. They were Sigma Chi Nu sisters. They remembered me from last night. They made very complimentary statements relating to my participation in the party. I sat with them and told them how lucky I felt to be accepted by them. Two of the ladies said their names were “Cindy”…they had a big sister / little sister relationship. One Cindy said that I must have danced with at least 30 sisters (thus the reference to that number above). The other Cindy, sitting next to me showed me a video that was made of me and several sisters when they were teaching me the Electric Slide. WOW…….what a surprise that was. All I could say was “who is that old man prancing around in the video?” They were positive in that they thought it looked like I was catching on. They made my day….again.
A final thought. Is this the last hurrah of a Golden Saxon? I just can’t believe I will ever again have such a wonderful experience…me dancing with so many lovely women….and feeling so welcome to be part of their celebration. A memory to be cherished. Thank you….Thank you….Thank you!
This is a tribute to the Sigma Chi Nu sisters and Lambda Chi Alpha brothers to commemorate the wonderful time provided to me on this reunion weekend. The real meaning of this story is that an old man felt accepted as an equal into a much younger age group. He never felt for one minute that he was out of place. That is a beautiful thing. I hope the following story does justice to that feeling.
I have said many times before; I go to the AU Reunions to meet new interesting people. And that has been a successful theme……since I always meet interesting people! This year was no exception. I enjoy seeing old friends but they can be few and far between in any one reunion. This year the total number present from my class of 1962 was fewer than 10. None were “friends”. I did not spend any time with that small group. I knew a few from years bracketing 1962 but did not spend any time with them either.
This year I spent the bulk of time with young’uns who graduated 20 or more years after I did. They were brothers of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and sisters of the Sigma Chi Nu sorority. The sorority was celebrating a 90th anniversary and thus was well represented at the reunion. Both groups were very welcoming to me. They made this weekend very special.
The Lambda Chi brothers were already familiar to me. A “brotherly” relationship began 4 years ago after meeting Lenny and Frank sitting on a bench (next to a large cooler) under the gaze of King Alfred. We spent several hours commiserating, opening and closing that cooler a good number of times. We continued the “tradition” at subsequent reunions spending time together as “bench” people. I had a chance to meet more Lambdas as they gravitated to that location, at times having up to a dozen or so brothers hanging out. However in the end Lenny & Frank remain the core relationships. The Sigma Chi relationship was totally new. But knowing the Lambda Chi brothers helped pave the way to meeting the Sigma Chi sisters, which then led to my attending their celebratory party on Saturday night June 7th. That turned out to be the most outstanding event in all my reunion days….and I’ve had some good ones.
It all started on Friday afternoon when by chance I met a couple Lambda brothers near the “bench”. They were on their way to a fraternity gathering at the Terra Cotta on Main Street. They were quick to invite me to join them, which I did. Lenny and Frank were already there as well as 20 or 30 other Lambdas. Free food and drink was offered to me. A great start to the weekend. The Terra Cotta gathering was on the 2nd floor. I enjoyed Buffalo Wings, Grilled Chicken and assorted Beers on the balcony overlooking Main Street. It was a beautiful event, on a beautiful afternoon, with people enjoying each other’s company. I felt incredibly lucky to be part of it. This is where I first met some of the Sigma Chi ladies. They were well integrated into the gathering. I was told that Sigma Chi was having a party later that evening but was hesitant to go….feeling a little like an outsider. Uncharacteristically I passed up that Friday night gathering and went to bed at a relatively early hour. I heard some revelry through my Brick dorm room window. It probably was from the Sigma party. Can’t believe I did not roll out of bed to check it out.
Saturday luncheon gave me a positive lift. It is well known to family and friends that I use the “empty table” as a way to meet people. What that means is: When I walk into a gathering I look for an empty table to sit at. I am not interested for the most part to sit at a table that is already nearly full. The idea is to see who will sit down with me at “my” (empty) table. This has worked very well over the years enabling me to meet some very interesting people. I tried the same at the Saturday luncheon. After most all the other tables were full, a table running along the periphery of the tent (along the Main Street side) was essentially empty. A huge amount of seating was unclaimed. I went to the middle of the long empty table and sat down. My main wish was for some of the younger AU students working at the reunion to come and sit with me. That’s what happened last year. (To further clarify this thinking: I love to talk to the young people and hear what they are doing….rather than sit with the Golden Saxons and hear what they are doing…or perhaps what it is they are no longer able to do.) It worked out as hoped. Turns out the
table I was sitting at was essentially an overflow table from the Sigma section, which already filled 2 long tables. I got a plate of food and after the first bites I looked up and half a dozen or more young Sigma Chi sisters sat down next to me, to my right. My wish was more than fulfilled! We had a very pleasant conversation during the lunch. (I shared my “empty table” concept with them and got positive feedback.) Not sure if any attended the later party. They were fairly young…relatively recent graduates. Coincidentally a couple of AU students also sat down to the left of me shortly after the Sigma ladies arrived. A repeat of last year. A very pleasant start to the day. After lunch I joined a few Lambda guys at the “bench”. Several Sigma sisters stopped by to chat (and share a brew). It was clear by now that there was always a good connection between the Lambda brothers and Sigma sisters. Following that, at 4:30pm, the official AU cocktail party got under way. There was more mixing with the Lambdas & Sigmas. I was talking to a Lambda brother (Mark?) who I first met at the Friday gathering. I mentioned to him that in the last few years I enjoyed the time spent with his brothers. I wondered whether an official Lambda Chi cap might be available for purchase by a non-brother. In the blink of an eye, he went to his car (a vintage Corvette!) which was parked nearby. He returned with a fresh new cap emblazoned with the fraternity insignia. I asked “how much”? There was no charge! Handing it over he proclaimed I was “unofficially” an honorary Lambda Chi Alpha brother. How nice was that! I will wear it proudly. (Hope all the other brothers approve.)
Finally…let’s party. Of course that would have to come after dinner with the Golden Saxons.
We finally are at the crux of this whole dissertation……to express my brotherly (rather than fatherly) affection for the Sigma Chi Nu sisters.
I went directly from the Golden Saxons dinner to the Sorority house. (Can you imagine the time warp I went through?) Their party was already underway. To say I was swept up in it would be an understatement. Right from the get go I was dancing and dancing and dancing and…… At the start several ladies tried to instruct me in the Electric Slide. That was an outdoor activity (it was still daylight) on the lawn sloping beside the house. (I definitely will need more instruction.) It was a wonderful feeling at my age that I was getting so much attention from ladies well my junior. It does not get any better than that. As far as I can recollect I danced from about 7:30pm until 1:00am with only a few short breaks. (If anyone has a different view please let me know.) My memory is caught up in a whirl of activity. I love to dance but the last time of any significance was a family wedding ~ 7 years ago. That was no comparison to this night. It is quite possible that I never, in my entire life, danced to the extent I did on this wonderful Saturday night. I was in love with all the beautiful sisters that were willing to step out on the dance floor with me. There was no shortage of partners. Yes, as a (old) man, it is easy to fall under the spell of younger women who made me believe they enjoyed my company. I will always remember that night when some 30 women made me feel like a much younger man.
On Sunday morning I walked into the campus center breakfast room. As I entered I heard “Dancing Bob, how are you feeling this morning?” A group of women were sitting at a table near the doorway. They were Sigma Chi Nu sisters. They remembered me from last night. They made very complimentary statements relating to my participation in the party. I sat with them and told them how lucky I felt to be accepted by them. Two of the ladies said their names were “Cindy”…they had a big sister / little sister relationship. One Cindy said that I must have danced with at least 30 sisters (thus the reference to that number above). The other Cindy, sitting next to me showed me a video that was made of me and several sisters when they were teaching me the Electric Slide. WOW…….what a surprise that was. All I could say was “who is that old man prancing around in the video?” They were positive in that they thought it looked like I was catching on. They made my day….again.
A final thought. Is this the last hurrah of a Golden Saxon? I just can’t believe I will ever again have such a wonderful experience…me dancing with so many lovely women….and feeling so welcome to be part of their celebration. A memory to be cherished. Thank you….Thank you….Thank you!