A Certain Fondness

Do you have a fond memory of an event or a person from your past?

True Story: A long time ago. Maybe fifteen or sixteen lives ago, I attended a Community College near where I lived with my parents. I was just 20 years old. I was engaged at the time, but in hindsight, realize I was not nearly mature enough to get married. The C.C. held classes in the High School building. I attended the C.C. for my sophomore year and made fairly good grades, as I recall. (Remember that I sometimes have poor recall.) Between classes, a few of us would sit around a table in the "break room" and play cards. One game was entitled "high, low, jack and the game" -- I guess it was similar to "hearts" except that you had partners and verbally announced what "tricks" your team would win when you played the game. If you didn't win those specific tricks, you lost the game.

Anyway, one of the card players was a male student with whom I developed a friendship. We'd drive to McDonald's in his Austin Healey for a Big Mac & Fries (back when a 'Big Mac' was much smaller than it is today and actually tasted like food instead of cardboard). I remember that it was definitely a "cool" car and I enjoyed riding around in it.

Well, I recently reconnected with the Austin Healey owner. My recall was fond memories. He couldn't place me.

I don't know what that means exactly. After all, I got married in June and he went on to a 4-year college and a career and marriage. We didn't even exchange addresses or connect in any other way than the C.C. What was I expecting?

What was I expecting? Now that I think of it, name recognition at least. "Oh yeah, I remember you. We used to drive to McDonalds for Big Macs." Or something.

Back then, I was a bit shy (really) and unsure of myself. If I had it to do over again, I'd have attended the C.C. for the first two years of college and then gone on to a 4-year college, gotten a degree, worked for a couple years and then thought about marriage.

So, I can understand why someone would not remember another student who was 'just' a card-playing, Big-Mac-eating friend for 2 semesters of college education.

It was interesting to read about his accomplishments and to see that politically we're in the same neighborhood.

(Otherwise, he'd have hated this blog.)
Later . . . Auntie Coosa