Paul

This past week I was sent an email from a person who was quite an impact on my youth. I have not heard from this man since we graduated from high school in 1984 -- 22 years ago!

I first met Paul when I was in 5th grade. I had moved from South Sacramento to a whole new universe ... Fulton/Fair Oaks area. We moved mid-year from the place I had lived all my life, new everything -- school, house, way of life, and of course no life-long friends. I am a reserved person even to this day, and back then my reserved nature caused me to be thought of as a Bitch even then to these new people.

Most of these people had their own cliques formed, with life-long friends, and here I was -- newcomer -- with no social skills.

I had a rough 10 years to start out with... my mother's dying in a car accident where she was the only fatality, living with my broken father, the nanny/housekeeper to raised us for 3 years, my fathers marriage to my 3rd grade teacher, the step-child hating the step-mother, and a brother who was a royal pain the ass and the cutie that never did any wrong. I was a very grown up 10 year old, tall and well-read. I did not fit in with the new school, or the new classmates.

My step-mother would kick me out of the house because I would just stay in and do homework and read books, but would not get out of the house to socialize, so she would literally lock me out of the house.

I would then get on my bike an ride around the neighborhood for hours, or to the library where I would read for hours. One of my frequent bike rides was past the cutest boys house -- I was a stalker at 10! I would hope upon hope that he would be outside and I would be able to talk with him or just see him. This was Paul.

He was also the tallest boy in school, I was the tallest girl. We would joke about who was tallest each saying "I am tallest" (I really was though!) When I was sitting on the bench during recess at school Paul would always come over and talk with me, see what I was reading, asking how I was, actually being interested in me and my life. I remember one time when I was sitting there feeling sorry for myself, crying on the sidelines, and he came over to ask what was wrong. I told him about my mother dying, making it sound like she just had, so that he would be sympathetic. He was but then when he asked when this happened and I told him it was 5 years earlier, he basically told me it was time to snap out of it, which I needed to hear at that time. Pity party cancelled!

One of the most memoriable times was Valentines day, I think it was 6th grade. Paul brought a Valentine to my house and personally delivered it. I still have that Valentine. He was my hero. I had such a crush on Paul, which I don't think was reciprocated, but I was ok with that.

Even thru jr high and high school we still had that old connection, even tho we were in different cliques. He would stop and say hi how's it going... A very special person.

So, need-less-to-say, I was extremely happy to hear from him after all this time. I have searched on-line for any mention of him, hoping he was alive and well. I have expressed an interested in getting together to talk about life, catch up on 22 years of "stuff" ... I hope that we can retain that special friendship we had 30 years ago when we first met.

In Jesus' Loving Arms...