An Easter Surprise

I mentioned in my last post that I had a great Easter. But wait! There's more! I had a real Easter Surprise! My best friend in high school (Bellflower HS class of '55) was Don. We were together virtually all the time (except when we were with our girl friends -- this happened in our Junior year). Don had a troubled home life so he spent a lot of time living at my house. We were both good students. I remember as the Summer was ending before our Freshman year that we made a pact to be good students. We felt that High School would determine our college and that would determine our lives. I ended up number 2 in my class and Don was number 4. We were both on the tennis team (Don told me that he still plays). Here Don was number 1 and I was number one on JV or number 10 on the Varsity. He was a lot better than I was.

At graduation we went our separate ways. Don went to UC Berkeley and I went to UCLA. We kept in touch and saw each other on football weekends and such things. Then, during our senior year, Don decided to get married. I really didn't get that, but since he was my friend I accepted it. I even journeyed to Berkeley to be his best man.

Finally school ended. I went to Graduate school -- and then the military called. I entered the Navy's Officer program and received my commission. I saw Don once after my commissioning. It wasn't that great a time; we were moving in different directions. This was in 1961. I never saw, nor heard from Don again. I thought about him a lot. I never took the effort to look for him. Then, Sunday afternoon, Don called. It was good! Inside I felt like a kid again. We talked and laughed about the old times. Then we talked about what had been happening during the last 50 years. I had a Naval career and a ministerial career, a 44year marriage, two children and three grandchildren (this is the brief summary). Don had a career in social work and had spent time all over the US and abroad, he was on his third wife. None of that mattered! We were just young guys reliving our youth. Don was my friend.

He was a great Easter Surprise. (By the way, the picture really isn't Don and I -- just some Giraffe friends)