Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-07-31


to face. There are few things>nore
shocking to the morale Of a man
than to bump suddenly into a man
he hasn't seen since boyhood or
college days.
This happened to me twice in the
last week, and have yet to recover
fully from the shock. One more
meeting OF the old friend and
am going to apply for my Social
Security pension, retire to some
quiet old mems home. and rock
away my few remaining years on
the shady side of the porch.
That's how old and decrepit run
ming into Charley and Homer after
all these years made me feel.
Charley kept staring at me as I
waited in line for a ticket at Grand
Central Station. As I turned away
from the window and started for
the gates. he stopped me.
Pardon me-" he said, 'fbut I
believe know you. There's some
thing. something about your face
that is familiar. You couldn't b
Henry McLemore, could your"
I admitted that was.
1t Didn't Seem Possible.
He let out whoop that froze
the red caps in their tracks.
Hot dog! My bunch was right"
he said. you know me, don't you?
I'm Charley Keller. Went to high
school with YOU Boy, have you
changed! I'm pretty good little OIL
detective to recognize you at ALL"
looked at Charley's bald head,
his horn-rimmed glasses, his COM
Portable wide shoes. and took great
pleasure in informing him that !
never would have known him.
It didn't seem possible that this
obviously middle-aged man had gone
to high school the same years
had. The Charley Keller re-
membered had curly blond hair, was
q whale Of basket ball forward,
and did the hottest Charleston in
| town.
Nothing would do Charley but that
we have drink together, and be-
tween sips he laughed heartily at
how Father Time had chopped
away at me during the years.
"You used to be the skinniest thing
in school," Charley said. Gould see
your ribs through your sweater.
Look at you now. And, where's all
that red hair you used to have?
Boy. you used to have . mop Of 1t.
How old are you now, Henry"
I told him.
"Quitcha kidding" this man, who
looked old enough to be my father,
said. Il would have said you were
around 40"
held my tongue as to how felt
Charley looked, because when
fellow, has aged and changed as
much as he has. it would hardly be
cricket to rub it in.
He Didn't Remember.
Homer got hold OF me on the
telephone and dropped by to see me.
I was still figuratively stroking my
beard from the meeting with Charley
when Homer arrived, and he made
me feel like an octogenarian, even
though he lied through his teeth
and said hadn't changed a bit.
Homer turned out to be the old
friend type who starts every sentence
with DO you remember when
we -
There is nothing that will make
man feel older than to be unable to
remember the doings Of his child
hood. I couldn't remember any,
thing. Homer remembered every
thing. He remembered the time his
aunt spanked US for taking her best
hen and nearly killing 1t by trying
to hypnotic 1t by holding its head
on chalk line on the sidewalk. He
remembered the time we dropped
hockory nuts from the balcony dur
ing church services. He recalled
with relish the time Roman candle
backhred and went up my brothers
sleeve. He made it obvious that he
felt my mind must have slipped
from age not to be able to recall,
in detail. everything ever did be-
| tween the ages of 8 and 10,
Homer remembers every person he
ever knew or met.
Remember Birdie Lee?" he'd say,
and before I could say NO" he'd
go right on. We'll, thisU shock you.
After going around with Clem-you
remember old Clem-all those years,
she ran of with Happy WEIGH.
They're living in Greensboro, now.
Happy's got a grocery store. Re-
member the Doodle boys? One OF
ems dead, and the other is still at
home. That's Pete Doodle. He
married what's-her-name. Oh, you
know, that girl who played the
piano so well. Margaret--you know
well, I'll 60 crazy If can't remem-
Der it. Oh, I know. Margaret
Smith. She's living up in Massa-
chusetts somewhere"
Charley left me feeling DID, physi-
cally. Homer left me convinced that
my memory was gone: I've given
up old, old friends for the duration.
| Distributed BY McNauEht Syndicate. Incl
Allied Ship Grew Soved
After Collision Sinking
| BY the Associated Press.
AN EAST COAST CANADIAN
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