It’s a gray, rainy day here in Portland, a good one for another movie. It will be the third movie this week, taking full advantage of our annual Regal Unlimited passes and Trimet Hop cards to get there. It’s affordable retirement entertainment that shows our practical side – in total contrast to the unavoidable, excessive spending when traveling. I’m watching an early morning basketball game between Oregon and Michigan, while still shaking my head about last night’s I.U. ugly victory over Nebraska. It was with all the horror of a Friday the 13th thriller. I guess we could also blame it on the recent “Cold Moon.” Hopefully, the Ducks will play better than the Hoosiers.

Yesterday was eventful, as I shared lunch with a friend that I hadn’t seen in over 50 years, and most likely the longest time apart between conversations. I recognized him right away and enjoyed our conversation, although I think he was leery of my intentions. He told me that he’d been contacted by two other people from his past and they wanted to sell him something. I assured him that my motive was strictly friendship, but in researching the tragic death of his wife I now understand his paranoia. I took a picture of the two of us and posted it on my Facebook page, along with two other group sites including “I Grew Up in Elkhart, IN” and “Elkhart, IN Class of 69.” The response was incredible from people that I hadn’t heard from in years. My personal page only generated 54 reactions but the other two combined were well over 300 and seemingly going viral. I heard from other home-towners that either live or have family in this area, and those curious about our whereabouts all these years. Most were enthralled with the coincidence of both of us living here and finally getting together 50 years later.  

My friend did not remember the Playboy story about his mom cutting out the pictures, but said it sounded like something she would do. (See Post #1154). He was not into social media, so I will have to relay some of the questions and comments that people posted about the two of us. I hope to get back together with him after we get back from Florida. I have never gotten this much interaction on Facebook, so I’ll be busy following-up with all these “flashes of the past.”