Class of 1990:
All the (WOBU) President's Men

On the 17th of August 2010 a group of fine "young" men descended on Pastis Restaraunt in Constantia for a school reunion. Entrepeneurs, businessmen, professionals and civil servants among them they shared a special bond of brotherhood - Wynberg Old Boys and classmates from 1990.

Former teachers Keith Richardson (now current school head), Kallie Pretorius, Philip Kriel and Larry Moser joined the revelry as did Alastair Cross who, despite having to negotiate the dodgy electric security gate he had "custom" built by Trevor Flint and Warren Carew in our matric year, still managed to make it. A notable absentee was Mr Jonker. Despite several assurances from Steve Doidge that he would spare no expense or effort in tracking him down, "Hannetjies" managed to elude capture. Even the odd crank call to his house proved less successful than they had done in the late 1980's.

Most people were surprisingly recognizable though there were a few mistaken identities, myself included. Is it any wonder given that so many of us have baby photos as our Facebook profile? Receding hairlines and expanded waistlines were on show but generally we seem to have improved with age, much like the good wine on offer that evening. Former headboy Adi Badenhorst made the treacherous journey from Malmesbury to "Die Kaap" bringing with him several cases of Badenhorst Family plonk for our drinking pleasure. Adi had employed similar methods of bribery years before, with obvious success, when he coerced us to vote for him as headboy.

The usual iconic Wynberg stories all made an appearance - hissing in the quad before assembly, to the infuriation of Mr. Blom (Steve Doidge you know it was you who instigated this!), footsteps on Dof Louw's ceiling, Adam Porters 21st birthday celebrations at the tuck shop and just about anything on Mr. Jonker to name but a few.

Sport stories were also high on the agenda. Highlights included the hilarious account of Joel Merris' first ball duck at Herzlia in our final cricket match for Wynberg and the day Mr Jonker's under 14E side were bowled out for 14 at Swaanswyk.

Our numbers had dwindled somewhat by the time we met up again for the Old Boys dinner the following evening. Work commitments and the night before had taken their toll. Neil Cartwright, who flew out from the Isle of Man especially for both events never made it to the Old Boys dinner courtesy of a late night/morning pub session with Jeremy McLaughlin at Peddlars. Jeremy still looked fresh and showed no ill effects from the night before when he turned up at the dinner but Neil was never to be seen again. I do wonder if he made it back home.

Before going into the hall we decided to take a short tour around the school corridors for old time's sake. It was interesting to see how the school has adapted to the changing face of education. Various speeches including that of the slightly "jolly" Professor Kader Asmal, clearly a welcome recipient of the Wynberg spirit, were followed by dinner and a final chance to chat and catch up on twenty years of people's lives.

All too soon the evening was over and we went our separate ways.

Stephen D'Alton, class of 1990