I meant to mention in the previous entry another reason for my good mood. When I was in Hawaii, although there were no shipmates from anywhere near my class on the trip, there was a representative from the college alumni association who was at least near my age.
The guy who was supposed to go on the trip from my school had to cancel at the last minute because his wife was ill, so he had given the trip to a recently divorced professor who had just retired. Let's call him Ted.
Ted and I were about the only people on the trip who were alone, so we often sat together on the tour buses. I was determined to enjoy myself, but Ted was just so very sad, morose. Like he had left the job he loved to be with his family but his family had left him, and there was nothing left to live for. I felt sorry for him.
He took a lot of photographs, for the alumni newsletter, he said. He refused, however, to be photographed. I also refused - I don't look good in still pictures - never have. He pushed, so I made a deal with him. We'd have our picture taken together, "I will if you will". He declared that the picture would definitely be in the newsletter.
So, I've been watching. No communications from the college so far have even mentioned the alumni trip, let alone included any pictures. I'm not sure what newsletter he was talking about.
Today in the mail I found a large envelope from him, containing a copy of the photo. We are standing near the visitor's center at Haleakala. He has his arm around me and I'm leaning into him, and wonder of all wonders, he is smiling. The only smile I'd ever seen on him.
Isn't that sweet?
~~Silk
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