me looking out at the lights of Las Vegas, age 16

Today I had lunch with my childhood BFF Susie.  Her birthday was last week, a day ingrained in my mind for life.  We often check in with each other at birthday times.  October will be the next time we might see each other, my birthday.

Her parents have both now died and just last week on the actual day of her birthday, like a gift, escrow closed on her parents’ house.  Susie told me she had a box of memories saved for me.  She brought them to lunch.  There were pictures and letters and other souvenirs.  She claims she has no use for any of this memorabilia.  No kids to hand it down to.  I’m family, it now belongs to me.  With these photos I can create all new blogs.   With other photos, I can fill in for blogs I didn’t have just the right photo for.  But, it is this one small eighth grade class photo of me,  I had given to her– that was just stunning.  I wrote these words on the back (look below)

And here we are all these years later, doing just that, talking about our memories.  Not to mention, that is the whole purpose of my blog — now celebrating it’s third anniversary — memories.

the 8th grade pic with my note written to Susie you read above

Here is a story about Susie and me at age 16, at least I was 16, and she had turned 17.  It was the same time of year as our recent lunch.  We were tripping.  Kidding.  We took a trip.  First to Vegas.  My brother was working that summer for a man named Morrie Stevens at his TV station in Henderson, Nevada — KHBV. (more…)