Boys in the bar
Sightseeing
A group of 60 former Dhahran Rugby Union Football Club (DRUFC) players and other ex-Aramcons attended a reunion weekend in Chester, England, in July 2017. The event, known as “Not the May Ball II”, was based on the original Rugby Club May Ball, which was one of the highlights of the Dhahran social calendar.
Formed in the mid-1970s, DRUFC enjoyed sporting success in Saudi Arabia and around the Gulf States. It was also renowned for its after-match socializing. As expats, our lives have taken us in different directions and to all corners of the globe, but this reunion reminded us of a time when we were younger, more carefree, and perhaps not quite so wise!
Jean, Drew, Lesley Williams
Karen Jennings & Ceri Farr
The event was organized by Jean Sullivan (née Griffiths) whose sense of humour prevailed throughout the evening. There was an expertly presented audio-visual walk down memory lane, an award ceremony, and an entertaining skit, followed by dinner and dancing.
Despite their advancing years, the attendees are still young at heart. They may walk a little slower, and their sight and hearing are not quite what they were, but this gang is far from “over the hill”. They danced into the night and the party continued until dawn, 5.00 a.m., when the hotel cleaning staff arrived for morning duties. Nothing has changed there!
After a weekend of golf, sightseeing, and renewing friendships, culminating in a formal ball, the group once again have a sense of satisfaction knowing that they are up to date on friends’ lives. The reunion was nothing more than a moment in time. It’s only in these moments that many of us realize how much we miss those days and the friends we made.
Here’s to the next time - date to be announced.