Thursday March 27th

Lately I have been running into people I know, unexpectedly. I was at the bank the other day and I saw Mr. Eaton, my old Jr High counselor. I was always getting in trouble at school, Mr Eaton's office was always where I would end up. He always told me he saw my potential and that I could do great things if I wanted, everyone else thought I was a fuck up. He always went to bat for me and was the reason I lasted so long at school. He really wanted to see me succeed, because he knew what I was up against, and he knew I could. I always thought that Mr. Eaton was like my guardian angel. Later in life I would see him around town in his big powder blue car from the 70's, or at the supermarket. It was like he was still there, looking out for me. But for some reason anytime I would see him I would never say hi, even though that is all I wanted to do, and I usually had a perfectly good chance to.

So there he was at the bank, he walked right passed me. I recognized him immediately. He was old back when I knew him, bald hairy nose, hairy ears, thin. I could see that he had aged well, he did not really look that much older, maybe just a little thinner, and he seemed just as lively as ever. He was wearing a suit that looked like it was made the same year his car was produced, like he got it at the second hand store. So there I was, the last time I had seen Mr. Eaton was a few years ago, probably before Keaton was born. When he walked passed me I wanted to say hi, and to give him a hug, and to tell him how much he has meant to me all these years. I wanted to ask if he was still trying to pull kids out of the gutter. The idea that he was my guardian angel was reinforced, and suddenly thats how I recognized him there in front of me, because LORD knows I could use him now. But I did not say shit. I looked him in the eye as he walked by, but that is about it. I watched him walk across the parking lot toward See's Candies before he disappeared.

After that I was driving home, and I heard a car honk behind me. I looked in my rearview ad saw my brother in a truck behind me. We waved at each other, and I went to turn into a parking lot, but he got on the highway. Later that day in town I saw Lyle driving with Tony, Lyle looked surprised to see me waving at him at the intersection, but I just kept driving. That is unusual because I thought those fucks never left Kenwood.

I have had this happen before. I should probably remember to check the obituaries daily. I would hate to miss Mr. Eaton's funeral.