The other day I was going through all my old comic books. I loved them when I was a kid, and devoured them as fast as I could get my hands on them — Superman, Batman, Richie Rich, Casper, Eerie, Creepy and Archie. It was like opening a time capsule onto the 1970s. I found my old National Lampoons, Cracked and Mad magazines with biting satire on the politics of the time. And the memories and feelings of the 1970s came rushing back at me.

I remembered the insecure child I was, trying to navigate the social scene in the tackiest decade of them all with orange wall-to-wall shag carpeting, leisure suits, Sonny and Cher, and Grand Funk Railroad on the record player, wanting nothing more than to be Marsha Brady. Gosh, that girl was perfect.

Then I pulled out my old high school yearbooks. I graduated from Trinity Day School in 1975 with 25 classmates, most of whom I had been in school with since nursery school. And with Natchez being such a small town, I had friends at other schools, too. We were — and still are — an extended family, and at the end of that last summer as I slammed the trunk lid on my powder-blue Mercury Montego and said goodbye to my family, I was unutterably sad. Excited about going off to college and about what my future held, yes, but I knew I might not see many of my old friends very often anymore, some of them perhaps never.

And that is why I’m so excited about this summer’s huge Reunion of the 70s at the Natchez Grand hotel on July 16, 17 and 18. This is no ordinary class reunion. This reunion is open to graduates from 1970 to 1979 who attended Natchez High, Trinity, Cathedral, Adams County Christian School, and Thomas Jefferson. Have I left any out?

Basically, if you went to school in Natchez in the 1970s, you’re invited.

The reunion kicks off Friday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. with registration at the Natchez Grand Hotel. Registration will be followed by a meet-and-greet social hour from 7 to 9 p.m. Food, cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages will be served. At 9 p.m., follow the crowd to Bowie’s Tavern where Natchez musicians of the 1970s will play all their old favorites.

Proceeds from Bud Lite sales at Bowie’s that evening will go toward several charities chosen for the reunion: the Sunshine Shelter for Abused Children, the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society and Pleasant Acre Day School.

On Saturday, Beau Pré Country Club will host a golf tournament for both ladies and gentlemen and on Saturday night the convention center will host a dance and silent auction featuring the popular Vicksburg band, The Chill.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit the above-named charities.

Sunday morning starts off with a brunch at the Natchez Grand Hotel from 9 to 11 a.m. Then it’s off to Lake St. John for a lake party complete with catered food and music. All you’ll need to bring is your ice chest with drinks, folding chairs and sunscreen. Oh, and a boat if you’ve got one.

I’m so looking forward to seeing some of the people I remember so fondly and sharing those memories with them and hearing about the lives they’ve built and their families.

The cost for the entire weekend is $130 with an extra fee for the golf tournament.

Payments for the reunion may be made by mail to Matilda Ogden Stephens, PO Box 17806, Natchez, MS 39122 or by PayPal at mostephens@cableone.net.

For help in finding accommodations in town, visit the Natchez Visitors Web site at www.visitnatchez.org. To talk about and learn more about the reunion, visit Natchez, MS Reunion of the 70s on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com and search for “Natchez, MS Reunion of the 70’s.” See you there!

Elodie Pritchartt is a Natchez resident and Trinity Episcopal graduate.