Jenny’s brother had been keeping in touch with a few families from their old hutong neighborhood where Jenny’s family lived prior to 1993 when they were expropriated to a northern suburb of Shanghai.

Jenny made a phone call to a childhood friend and learned that a few school mates from her elementary and high school were gathering to celebrate the departure of another friend returning to the US. In those days, the classmates stayed as the same group throughout grade 1 to the end of high school (wow!).

The reunion organizer, a good friend of Jenny, arranged for a small group to meet in a karaoke facility. This facility is very unique. On the 3rd floor of a modern high rise building, there are dozen of specially equipped rooms rented out to groups for singing karaoke. These are very sound proof and come in various sizes. It is really neat. In the day time, the place appears to attract mostly teenagers (and some older ones).

Jenny easily recognized all her classmates. It was funny to see her Chinese friends enjoying singing in English more than in Chinese.

The group sang, chatted, danced, snacked, drank for two hours… it went by like two minutes. Then the group said “Good-Bye” ’till next time.