I’m letting the dust settle from several “blasts from the past” over the past few days. First, I got a Facebook message from the sister of a grade school and high school friend of mine. His father was my family’s physician growing up, and we had stayed in touch up until about 20 years ago. It was great to see his picture, as it brought back many memories – good and bad. On the awkward side, I vividly remember spending the night at his house when I was very young, and being too timid to walk down the unfamiliar halls in the middle of the night to the much-needed toilet. It was not a pleasant experience to wake up in wet sheets. I’m sure his mom was livid when she discovered my little “accident.” I don’t remember being asked to come over again, but I can assure you that this has never happened again.

My friend’s younger sister, who I did not know as well, made an inaugural business trip of mine to New York City in the mid-eighties an unforgettable memory. She was Director of International Relations at the luxurious Plaza Hotel, and upgraded my reservation to a massive suite with a walk-in safe, 5-large windows overlooking Central Park, a conference table, multiple television sets, and a bathroom larger than my apartment at the time. There was oddly also an access panel to the plumbing that contained stacks of porn magazines that I doubt were supplied by hotel management. When I finally got the chance to thank her for the stellar accommodations, she apologized for being put in charge of Prince Rainier’s three-week (turns out it was actually King Rainier III) visit to the city, which totally consumed any possible free time she might have had to get together with me. She did say that his majesty was staying in a suite similar to mine on the next floor, so on my first visit to the Big Apple I was definitely treated like Royalty. She also confidentially told me that “The Prince (King)” had given her a huge cash tip and some diamond jewelry for her efforts, items that hotel policies prohibited her from accepting. I suggested that she keep the cash and turn in the jewelry, and told her that I could only afford flowers as a thank you. It’s still by far the best hotel room I’ve ever experienced. I think she followed my advice after I ran into her a few years later.

At the same time I was responding to her Facebook messages, I found some Portland area pictures posted by an old acquaintance of both my wife and I during our years in Indianapolis. I made impromptu arrangements to meet him and his wife for dinner and drinks tonight, even though I can’t really remember how we actually met. I know we were both involved in the radio business, joined Ad Club together, worked with my wife when she was with an advertising agency, and partnered with BRG Sports Marketing, the racing group I was once associated with, on some Indy 500 sponsorship deals. I’m sure we’ll uncover the root of our relationship that I think dates back to South Bend, Indiana. My wife and I have know him for a long time, but not well, so I wanted to take advantage of his coincidental time in Portland thanks to Facebook. It’s one of many re-connections that I’ve made through social media sites. (See Post #232).  

Last night, in this spontaneous flurry of messages from long-lost “pals,” I also heard from a much more recent co-worker through Linked-In who wants to get together for drinks next week. We’ve already have reunited twice since I’ve retired, but in the process of changing jobs he had not responded to a message I had sent over a month ago. The timing of his note, along with these other re-connections has been one of the joys of retirement. By the way, this all was happening while we were meeting the “boyfriend” of my wife’s daughter for the first time, another new connection in life that we hope continues. 

I’m not seeing the same people every day at the workplace anymore or doing business networking, but rather renewing past relationships and making new connections through websites like Ancestry.com and 23andme that are assisting me in solidifying family ties. My wife, someone that I do see every day, has been very supportive of both my curiosity and social nature. It keeps me busy, while reminding me that friends and family are the most important things in life, even though they may come and go like the wind.