"I know that guy!"

Saturday, March 19, 2016

It was going to be a day of low activity as I tried to help Kimberly dealing with her fractured wrist.  She had a half cast applied in the emergency room, but would have to visit an orthopedic doctor to have a complete analysis and a permanent cast and that couldn’t happen until Monday at the earliest.  I’d gotten her some pain meds and they were helping, but hiking was out.

We went to an antique mall in Parkman, a sleepy farm community about 45 minutes from Cleveland and a favorite place of mine to take a walk down memory lane.  She seemed to enjoy finding items resembling those from her childhood, as well.  I rounded a corner from one of some 100 booths displaying all kinds of merchandise, when something jumped off the wall at me. 

“That’s a Willoughby South High varsity jacket from 1973 – which is the year I graduated,” I said excitedly.  I mean, what were the odd?

I took it from the wall noting the name ‘Rich’ on the waist band and thinking immediately of two different classmates to whom it could belong.  I looked inside the collar for clues as to its previous owner and then the pockets and struck pay dirt on the second one where a name tag was rolled up.

“Kirbus – I know this guy!  He was our all-state quarterback,” I said.  I laid it out on a chair and took a picture with my phone.  I was already planning the things I’d write when I posted it on Facebook and with whom I’d share the picture in an effort to get the information back to Rich so he could get the jacket if he wanted it. 

Exciting for me and a unique walk down memory lane, but for Kimberly, whose medications were wearing off, it was time to head for the car and more bed rest.  I did manage 10,000 steps for the day but sometimes in life you sacrifice a good workout for someone whose bones you’ve broken.

Bonus: 10,200 steps