Short Story PT 1: "Where are you, Joe?"

I think I know why - not how - an idea popped into my head today and I'm glad I stopped what I was doing long enough to write myself a note: 'Finding Joe Umenetz (yearbook)'. I hadn't thought of Joe Umenetz for 43 years. I guess conditions were right.

Conditions:

I added a coat of white wash to several log cabin birdhouses in my small workshop

I ripped four strips of MDF board and clouds of fine dust floated in the air

I breathed some of it into my lungs before I opened the door and turned on the fan

I listened to the 5 p.m. news on CBC radio about a possible teachers' strike

I opened a bottle of Scotch ale because 5 p.m. is Happy Hour

I thought back to my year at Teachers' College

And then Joe Umenetz came to mind. I thought, I wonder where he is? And I made a 'note to self'.

Here's what I know about Joe: He has a tricky last name and I may be spelling it wrong. He's my age. He was someone I got along with at London Teachers' College in 1969 - 1970. He wrote a funny piece of prose - something about a lion swimming after a boat - in the back of my college yearbook. He was quirky (Did Joe live 'The Life of Pi'?) and I've always liked quirky. He was a clever cookie.

I think it will be interesting to try to find Joe and see if he remembers me at all. For starters I'll try to locate my college yearbook and check the spelling of his name. Then I'll try to find his phone number.

Anything else I could or should do?

Photo by GH

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If I can find Joe I will have a fine conclusion to this great short story.

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