"Reunion" is a short story by W. St. John Taylor. The story revolves around the main character, a man named Charles, who is attending his school reunion after a long time. As Charles makes his way to the reunion, he remembers his school days and the people he used to know. He is particularly interested in seeing a girl named Margaret, with whom he had been in love during his school days. At the reunion, Charles sees Margaret and is struck by how much she has changed. Margaret is now married and has children, but Charles is still drawn to her. He tries to talk to her, but she seems distant and uninterested. Charles becomes frustrated and leaves the reunion early. As he walks back to his hotel, Charles realizes that he has been living in the past and that he needs to move on with his life. He realizes that he cannot recapture the past and that he needs to focus on the present and the future. "Reunion" is a story about nostalgia and the desire to recapture the past. It explores the themes of regret and acceptance, and how people can become trapped by their memories. The story has a bittersweet tone and is often regarded as a classic of short fiction.

1. Reunion - W. St. John Taylor
W.St. John Taylor's one act play ‘Reunion’ brings out successfully how a man changes and
become selfish. In this play soldiers had decided and promised among them that they should
sacrifice their lives for the nation in the process of its rebuilding. Soon after the war, all their
promises and moral values were kept aside for their personal growth and development.
Four friends —George Carter,Reverend Philip Rowlands, Mark Tallis and Peter Ransome —
meet in an exclusive West End Hotel to celebrate their ‘Reunion’. They have come here to meet
after ten years to honour their promise that they had made to one another as soldiers fighting
together in the war. Ten years ago, exactly on this particular day, seven soldiers had fallen in a
great risk being surrounded by enemy armies from all sides. There was no hope to escape from
the attack of enemy armies. Defeat and death was almost imminent for them. In that hour of
crisis they made a pact: if they survived the war, they would all meet again after ten years to
share their experiences and contributions to the society as citizens of the nation. The four
friends share their experiences of the their intervening years and the audience learn that George
Carter is now an important public figure, Mark Tallis has become London’s most successful
playwright and Reverend Rowlands has risen in the church as a clergyman. These three persons
are well settled except Ransome.

2. Reunion - W. St. John Taylor
Ransome, the youngest among four, is embittered and disheartened with his life, informs them that he is about emigrate to United States
in search of an opportunity. In the course of their conversation they wonder whether their other comrades Sergeant Smith and Colin
Grayson have been able to pull through. Reverend Rowlands recalls Colin Grayson’s sacrifice, after cutting the lowest value of cards
according to their agreement, in venturing into enemy territory to save other’s lives. The situation has become very grim and serious when
they recall how Grayson had received fatal wounds from the enemy’s bullets and how he had been taken away by them as a prisoner of
war. At this juncture, a rather changed looking Grayson makes his entry. All four are startled at Grayson’s appearance. They thought that
the Grayson’s appearance is an apparition. After a little while, they believe that Grayson is still alive against their belief of his death in the
enemy camp. Grayson enquires his friends about their lives after the war. His penetrating questions lay bare how their success is a shame,
and how they have failed to live up to their ideals. He reveals the shocking truth that George Carter’s corrupt practices, unknown to Carter
himself, have led to Sergeant Smith’s suicide. He also exposes how Mark Tallis has compromised his intellectual integrity to win easy
fame and popularity. He shows how Reverend Rowlands has abandoned his East Mission and Ransome his motherland.
Finally, he proceeds to make the most startling revelation of all: that he is not Colin Grayson, but the brother of their dead friend. Before
succumbing to his injuries in the enemy camp, Colin Grayson had written letter to his brother (John Grayson) about his comrades, their
lives and future aspirations, and also directed him to attend the promised ‘Reunion’ in his stead. The dead Colin Grayson’s brother John
Grayson confronts with Colin Grayson’s friends about the futility of Colin’s sacrifice. They have survived the crisis of war on the
sacrifice of their friend but dishonoured their friend’s heroism and sacrifice by forsaking their nobler goals for their personal ambitions.
At this point John Grayson leaves, hoping that, at least in the future they would be true to their promises, by leaving their personal means
and ends.