Mood:
coolTopic: Finding Someone Not Lost
Have you ever thought about someone from your past and wondered where they are? With that stated let me next say that "I love friendships!"
Well, I do! I often experience a restless mind that drifts back in time to friendships that were enjoyable, but due the paths life deals us, we somehow lose touch with old friends. Funny, I often wonder if other people think as I do. Do people from my past actually wonder where I am? Who I have become, what jobs I have held and did marriage/family finally suck me in?
Well, of those I have wondered about, none have surpassed the list I am about to create here.
CAROL MESSITO - Maplewood, NJ
She was a wonderful person to have dated. A teen of greater than average beauty that didn't deserve to have me break up with her. I have lived with the guilt of mistreating her, my first real girlfriend... and yeah, I am not proud of it. If I could change things, I would just want her to know that she didn't deserve what I dished out in our final moments described simply as: a doorbell ring, a few words and a walk down Springfield Avenue in Maplewood, NJ. It was a time when being a teen, insensitive to the feelings of others and being in love with playing non-organized football daily with friends consumed my life. Note to self and ALL others: Never rate sports and a lot of other things over the feelings of others. This I learned the hard way and it is defined as guilt. Being a runner turned triathlete, I often ran and/or cycled in the early hours of the day and as I would pass the apartment her, her mom & sister called home (I wasn’t a stalker – she lived on a main avenue - lol!) I can recall wondering where she was, how she was doing and always hoping she ended up happy in her life.
LAST KNOWN... I heard she dated the son of one of my S.B.P. (Newark, NJ) teachers. He was older than I by about, oh... I'd say 2 years... I recall his love for new wave and punk music so we were instantaneously friends. Later, I heard that Carol went to college in the D.C. area.
BARBARA BOYKO - Irvington, NJ
I met Barbara on my first day of senior year. She thought I was a teacher at the school, I thought she was beautiful. Shared memories were many, including: Getting busted at Short Hills Park after hours; Crashing into the bank; my nosebleed at a really inconvenient time; Picnic at her father's job in Caldwell? West Caldwell?; Bowling - It was my first time and our first date; Lisa Trotta's birthday party (Lyons Ave); Going to a basement on Stuyvesant Ave to meet a grandmotherly woman called (I am struggling here) Bacha (BAH-CHA). Odd thing was her boyfriend she dated right before she met me was there - I remember feeling uncomfortable; Her brother Joe Boyko was a guy I always thought was cool... Basically translating into I still do, I guess. Her mom a pleasant, short woman with graying hair... Fast Forward to August 2005: My mom and I were on a road trip to NJ from our new home state of Florida and somehow the topic turned to What Barbara Boyko's mother's name was... Hmmm... We came to an agreement that we think it was Ginnie... as in "Virginia Boyko"... But then again we were in Virginia... Wonder what we would have guessed if we were in Kazakhstan; I remember we made a trip to the top of the World Trade Center and took picture at Washington Arch in the Village (NYC); Her family had an Intelevision Video Game System; We cut school to hang out upstairs in Wayne Troxler's house; Silly, but she always wanted a dog called "DeeOhhGee" = "DOG"; and once I spun a record by the band The Polecats called "Red Ready Amber". Barb was quite a talented artist and she heard the lyrics from the song: "Red Ready, Amber Set, Green Let's Go" and she swore that what she heard "Amberset" and that it was a color. Lastly, I will never forget how good she looked at my birthday party in December of 1983 (I still have a blurry photo (from a 110 camera!) from that day (You can’t blur the leather skirt!), but regrettably I lost the H.S. Yearbook photo she gave me.
LAST KNOWN:
I was hosting a Super Bowl party or a boxing match party sometime in the 90's. One of my guests, Paul Fredette stated that he had seen Barbara that day and that he had invited her to my party. I was excited by the idea that we could catch up on lost time, but alas, she never showed up. Where ever she is I hope she is doing well.
UPDATE MARCH 2008: I found her via one of those High School schoolmate tracking sites. I sent her a message (which she could only read if she was a "GOLD" member of the site... <They gotcha>), read her story and from it I was able to enter her daughters name into MySpace. So at this point I guess I could e-mail her.
CARLOS "LENNY" DELOS SANTOS – Irvington, NJ
This guy was a friend and a half. I loved him like a brother and I guess I still do since I often attempt searches for him on the Internet . The spelling of his last name is blurry in my memory. It could have been Delosantos or DeLos Santos. His Family moved into their home on Grant Place (Irvington, NJ), back when "Air Coryell" ruled the skies over San Diego. I went over and met him as soon as he moved in. Turns out he was a huge San Diego Chargers fan as I was... and his birthday was the day after mine. His mom, Wanda and his step-dad Wayne were quiet professional types. His dad was in the Army National Guard or Navy Reserves (I was a kid, I didn't focus on friend's parents occupations) and I remember that he enjoyed hot peppers. In the mid-1990's Wanda worked at a huge car lot on Route 22 on the Springfield/Union border. I am nearly certain that it was called "Autoland"... Both my mom and dad really liked Lenny... they treated him like he was my brother... I liked that. We did everything together from watching cartoons (Chilly Willy & Woody Woodpecker) to swimming in Dell Avenue sandpit (Kenvil, NJ) way out in western NJ. Well, Lenny had moved to Florida, long before I did and on the day that my father died I called him. He told me he was sorry, that he was driving and would call me back. Ten to fifteen minutes later he returned the call and told me to pick him up at the airport the next day. That is a friend! Trying to remember his step-dad's last name is killing me.
LAST KNOWN:
He moved back to NJ and I heard he was getting married. His brother, nicknamed "Saboo" (I have no idea what his real name is) was in San Diego in the Navy, where he got married. Yesenia Delos Santos (not sure if that was her last name), who was that cute girl that you never wanted to date because it was your best friend's sister and she was much younger than you. Yet you would have if she was older and her brother didn't exist. Last time I saw her she was working on Route 22 at an optical store (1990's), which was in the same plaza as a grocery store that I think was a Shop-Rite (North side Rt.22 - west of Mountainside, NJ). Years later I heard she had a baby. In 1994 or 1995 he stopped past the house with his girlfriend and he and my girlfriend, Sara Lahasky, went to the top of the World Trade Center – Thi swas the first time the roof was open in all my visits there.
UPDATE SPRING 2007: He research my name on the net, found my mom. He called her, got my cell number then called me (I was out on a ride with my cycling club, luckily we were at our rest stop). He drove up (He lives 1.5 hours south of me) the day before I was to head to Guam for 4 months. After returning I ahve been to see him a couple of times.
BRIAN IGNAMARELLO - Irvington/Union, NJ
My buddy Bri! Bass Player; Macintosh User from back when they had black screen and just a green font; Dated a hot girl named Helene who lived in Maplewood for years; We attended school together at Immaculate Heart of Mary as kids; His sister (Carolyn Ignamarello), and his mom lived on Beaumont Place in Irvington, NJ before moving to Union; Brian and I hung out a lot and even made a trip over to the World Trade Center, shared the love of music, Ren & Stimpy, computer art & much more; Brian always respected my knowledge of New York City and my ability to navigate just about anywhere. He often came to me when he wanted to go someplace in the city, be it to Manhattan or to a Sam Ash in the Bronx... Yep, I got the call.
LAST KNOWN:
Married a wonderful woman named Monica and had a baby; Moved into a couple different houses in Union or Middlesex County, NJ; Worked for Star Ledger News Paper in Newark, NJ; He stopped by just before I left for a job overseas, he had cut his hair and I barely recognized him (My mom always said he reminded her of Wayne from Wayne's World... So this was shocking to me as well) we traded addresses and spoke at least once after I moved to Florida... I would guess it was in 2001. Where are ya Brian? I miss ya bro!
LUCAS "LUKE" PULVER - Zurich, Switzerland
A part time Holiday employee at the Short Hill Mall's anchor store - B. Altman & Co.
We worked together during the Christmas season of 1984 and 1985. We shared memories of gathering all my friends and playing tackle football "Mudbowl" in Maplecrest Park (Maplewood, NJ) in 1986 or 1987; There was a day in 1985 or 1986 where seven of my friends, including Luke, all went to New York City... A day that ended with us attending the laser show at the Hayden Planetarium. I still have many photos from that day and they are cherished. My work overseas took me away from many friends, including Luke. We kept in touch writing letter back and forth during his mandatory time in the Swiss Military (Remember this part for later) Luke returned a few years later 1988? 1989? I escorted him and his girlfriend through New York City including a trip to the World Trade Center.
LAST KNOWN:
I did a search via Yahoo and Google in 2004 and came up with a guy in Switzerland with the same name that raises military dogs (Luke was in the Military!). I contacted a place in California that also trains dogs and just coincidentally people from Switzerland were there. Just not Luke.
ANDREAS SCHLOCK - Germany
I met this crazy guy in Arizona. I believe the year was 1992. He was dating a beautiful woman and room mate to my then girlfriend (Jennifer - also a beautiful woman), named Monica Garcia... He lived in Germany and returned to visit the east coast and meet Monica's family in Massachusetts. Jen and I drove to Boston where Andreas and Monica followed us south to NJ. They stayed a couple of days and then headed north. I believe that was January of 1993. I still have a bandana of his... or at least half of one. He cut a bright green bandana in half (diagonally) to be used around his head... Somehow it ended up with me. I kept it because I never want to stop believing that I will one day see him again. The brief video footage I have of the girls, Andreas and myself touring New York City (Including a trip o the top of the World Trade Center) is absolutely hysterical. Perhaps we will meet again.
Funny Memory: Monica and Andreas were speaking of getting married and he began talking about slightly Americanizing his first name and taking Monica's last name making him: "Andy Garcia". Famous Quote: "It is always good to know someone who knows something!" Hearing him say it, ever-so-slowly with his German accent and extremely serious expression. You didn't know whether to laugh or take him serious... 13 years later... I still don't.
CRISSY WRIGHT - Big Island Hawaii/Redondo Beach, CA
I met Crissy while at technical school at a time when living on a ranch in Wyoming or Montana was supposed to be my future... She was from Hawaii... I thought who the heck would want to move there? Me that's who. Reflecting back, I have spent most of my career in Hawaii and the Western Pacific. Well, I met Crissy we got along great and slowly we became close friends. When we were finally ready to take the next step and make our friendship a realtionship, she returned to Hawaii. When I turned into a full blown triathlete I moved to Hawaii and began to seek her out. Everything was a dead end. Her friend Carol worked on the the Cruise Ship SS Constitution, as did I. One day while getting off an elevation I passed one of my 300+ co-workers.. who just happened to be Carol (I want to add that I had never met Carol before). Carol was heading to her room with a guest... Crissy. Our relationship started that day and went on serveral month. I really enjoyed the time we spent together in Hilo, whether it shopping, dining visiting with friends on the ship or strolling past the waterfront parks and shops.
LAST KNOWN:
Living in Redondo Beach California near her sister who was a belly dancer of some sort.
HONORABLE MENTIONS (MORE LOST FRIENDS):
AMANDA GAYE LEDBETTER - Colorado/Guam
GINA, HEATHER & TRACI - West Milford, NJ (Lake Melody)
BARBARA GLUCKSMAN - Cranford, NJ
HARRY CHRISTIAN - Record World, Short Hills Mall. Found phone number, called it. Got "HIS VOICE" mail/answering machine. Left a message, no reply.
LAWRENCE "LARRY" MCLEAN - Short Hills, NJ
TRACI, CHAD & GJ HAMBURGER - Carolina Ave, Newark, NJ
MISSY STALICK (MELISSA STALLICK?) - Mine Hill, NJ
CINDI JANECK - Madison/Lenox Aves - Irvington, NJ
UPDATE: Found her via USA People Search and Classmates.com or similar. Made no contact.
DAWN DRAKE SOMMERS – Irvington, NJ - Newton, NJ (?)
I am strongly hoping one of the people mentioned above - or someone who knows them – will decide to do an Internet search on their name via Yahoo. Furthermore I hope that, with any luck, it will guide them to this blog. From there… who knows… we may very well meet again. I have yet to look into how they can contact me. There might be a link on my page for replying or e-mailing me… and if not I will see if I can create one.
Well, that is all for now.
~John~
