BUNNY SCHMIDT

 I was handing a stack of self-addressed
 and stamped envelopes to my helper, who
 was going to put them, with my personal letter
 into an envelope addressed to many of 
 the people I know, requesting money for
 a special project I was working on
  
 Suddenly, Bunny Schmidt, who died over 
 twenty years ago, showed up and said
 not to send him a note because
 he was out of work and did not have
 any money.  He smiled and walked out
 I sat there stunned not knowing what to think
  
 Okay, Bunny, I won’t be mailing you anything
 I remembered a time long ago when he was 
 involved in developing a pole vault that extended
 from six feet to twenty-four feet
 It was very flexible but not reliable
 When you are in the air reliability is important
  
 A few injuries ruined the promise of a great invention
 Bunny left the territory and went west
 I lost track of him, until I read his obituary 
 He had married and then divorced
 Had a few children scattered across the country
 His parents were both alive at that time
  
 When I woke up, I thought of Bunny
 His given name was Joseph
 I went to grade school with him
 He was one year ahead of me
 I saw him now and then in high school
 After that my connection with him was over
  
 The brain and mind are amazing 
 What we forget and remember are notable
 We forget what we know at inopportune times
 We remember things from the past 
 that have no current meaning or implications
 It is a lot of fun contemplating all of this
  
 Bunny would agree, if only he had a job
  
 Stanski
 November 4, 2019 ^