Stomping Grounds

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Got a work call yesterday to be brought up to date on a new job.

In Erie, PA.

The guy gave me information on how far a drive it is and where the job was located.

“There’s a big college downtown,” he said. “I forget the name.”

“Gannon,” I said. “That’s where I went to school.”

“Really? So do you know the street I’m talking about?”

“No,” I said. “I was pretty drunk for 4 years.”

He laughed.

We solidified the plan and then, of course, I took a trip back through time to those years between 1982 & 1986.

Back then there were so many promises of one tomorrow after another.

So much hope and potential and unease and worry.

So much fun.

I have a lot of friends from those college years. Lifelong buddies who still know me pretty well…

…even 35-40 years later.

We used to leap over parking meters as we walked from the dorm to the campus.

There are street corners there where we walked and talked with young girls who are forever 18 in our memories.

I hope they all lived good lives.

“Dreary Erie, the mistake on the lake,” we used to call it.

Yet we all loved it.

“I’m sure it’ll bring back some memories,” the client said.

Ya’ think?

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