Funny how long-ago things stick in your head. Someone you haven’t thought of for years pops up, or an old phone number of a long forgotten friend or an old pal’s birthday.
It’s weird to me that I have trouble remembering my grandkids’ birthdays but I remember my buddy Catfish’s birthday.
This year I decided to call ol’ Catfish on his big day. Never mind that the last time I saw or spoke with him was 25 years ago when he turned 30 years old.
Catfish was a good pal when I was growing up. Catfish taught me my first bad words and the importance of adding headers and mag wheels to your car. He had a way with charming the girls, something I never quite got the hang of.
Catfish told me “the facts of life.” Back when I was a kid you had to have a blood test before you could get married. I thought they saved that blood, mixed it and that’s where babies came from.
Imagine my wide-eyed surprise when Catfish told me how it was really done.
Through that wondrous tool of the 21st century, The Internet, I found Catfish. It turns out he and his wife had their own business. I rang them up. Catfish’s wife answered.
“McGee? We thought you’ve dropped off the face of the earth,” she said.
“I’m out west in New Mexico,” I said.
“Like I said, dropped off the face of the earth.” We laughed and she gave me Catfish’s cell number.
So I called up my long-lost pal. I wished him a happy birthday, chatted about what we’d both been up to these past couple of decades and asked him to give my kindest regards to his parents…they were good to me when I was a kid.
“Hey McGee,” said Catfish, “You made my day.”
Catching up with my oldest friend made mine too.
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