Last night I ran into a long lost friend. We had not seen each other since 1980. Unfortunately I didn't recognize him at first...until he spoke. How odd that I can identify voices better than I can faces or names.
In 30 years this man has built his career to a position of prominence and respect. But to me, he is still just Andy! In a short time, we both managed to re-cap our lives and shared some delightful old memories of our years being schooled in a two-roomed school-house. We spent the first 5 grades being taught by Nuns; then in Grade 6 we were 'blessed' with a young male teacher named John Burke. He was fresh out of teachers college and he certainly made a huge impression on all of our young minds. "Mr Burke" spent hours playing football and baseball with us. No doubt these were things that the Nuns were not allowed to do. One of the things that I remember most about his unique teaching abilities was how he blended modern music into our education. How unheard of in that day and age...especially at a Catholic (or as they called it then: Separate) School. I remember learning all about Jesus Christ Superstar and thinking how cool it was to twist the ancient words of the gospel in with music of the era. I also remember listening to the Rolling Stones song Brown Sugar and trying to interrupt the lyrics. Perhaps this man was the one who developed my intense craving for music?
So getting back to Andy...he had moved out West when most of my friends from the area did and I don't think I have seen him since. It is ironic that was our (Billy's and mine)plan as well! Bill's Mom asked if we could get married before we flew the coup, so I asked Bill to make an honest woman out me and we got married 6 months later. By that time, Bill had a good paying job with his brother in an auto parts store and I had started my short lived career in radio. This was our reasoning for staying 'at home'. As I said to Andy last night, I didn't think I had a choice to leave Bath :) My grandparents and parents worked so hard to make our village a better place to live...someone had to stay to enjoy these virtues. Many times I wonder what life would have been like had we moved out West. Would I have come back 'home' often? Would my hometown be a place I would have been so proud to be from? Would we have still had only one child? Would I still have been working in the radio business and would Billy have found his fame and fortunate in the oil fields? Maybe I would have crossed paths with Andy sooner, instead of later.
As we chatted last night, I asked him about his life & what it was like living so far from 'home'. He mentioned how proud he was of his wife and children & that the prairies were 'home' for his wife. That was when he said how lucky *I* was to still be here...still able to take in the beauty of great lake every day and the ability to stay in close contact with those we had known since childhood. I have to agree, he had a point. I spend every weekend with those I have known forever. So as Andy gets ready to travel back to his home, I will think of him fondly and hope his short trip 'home' was rewarding and filled with pleasant memories of a childhood in a much different world than we live in today! Thanks for the memories Mr McG :)
So getting back to Andy...he had moved out West when most of my friends from the area did and I don't think I have seen him since. It is ironic that was our (Billy's and mine)plan as well! Bill's Mom asked if we could get married before we flew the coup, so I asked Bill to make an honest woman out me and we got married 6 months later. By that time, Bill had a good paying job with his brother in an auto parts store and I had started my short lived career in radio. This was our reasoning for staying 'at home'. As I said to Andy last night, I didn't think I had a choice to leave Bath :) My grandparents and parents worked so hard to make our village a better place to live...someone had to stay to enjoy these virtues. Many times I wonder what life would have been like had we moved out West. Would I have come back 'home' often? Would my hometown be a place I would have been so proud to be from? Would we have still had only one child? Would I still have been working in the radio business and would Billy have found his fame and fortunate in the oil fields? Maybe I would have crossed paths with Andy sooner, instead of later.
As we chatted last night, I asked him about his life & what it was like living so far from 'home'. He mentioned how proud he was of his wife and children & that the prairies were 'home' for his wife. That was when he said how lucky *I* was to still be here...still able to take in the beauty of great lake every day and the ability to stay in close contact with those we had known since childhood. I have to agree, he had a point. I spend every weekend with those I have known forever. So as Andy gets ready to travel back to his home, I will think of him fondly and hope his short trip 'home' was rewarding and filled with pleasant memories of a childhood in a much different world than we live in today! Thanks for the memories Mr McG :)
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