It was 55 years ago I last saw him. As I stood in the entrance way to Takara Sushi, waiting, I saw immediately who I was waiting for, crossing over the parking lot and heading toward me.
I smiled to myself and wondered what should I say first, maybe: “And as I was saying…” no, that would be too funny, maybe, “Hey! Great to see you again!”, no too boring. As he entered and saw me, he recognized me immediately too.
“Mike!” was all I could get out! It must have inspired him, because he said the equally inspiring: “Joe!”
Fifty-five years is a lot of time. One would imagine the memory fading on any 64-year old! Funny thing is, we both remembered so much, particularly what the other guy forgot! We were up to speed, and running, talking is more like it, standing toe to toe, remembering great days gone by. Mike never changed, he was as I remember him, loving to laugh and smile, and we had a terrific time. Closing the years and remembering people and places: telling stories and relating our histories, he began by asking if this should be like an interview process, and I thought, why not, we are interviewing our past!
I think everyone should reach out to their past, and get a view from another perspective of how one becomes who he/she is. We reshaped an old neighborhood, sometimes replacing it brick by brick, sometimes having to reintroduce someone else, but always focused on the innocence of childhood, and the marveling of who we are.
On Saturday, May 8th of this year, I wrote a blogue about Mike. http://delbloggolo.blogspot.com/search?q=sloppy+John
Thanks, Mike, it is great to be back in the old neighborhood with you!
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