Interestedly Weird

One of the best parts of being old is being able to look back on your life and see illuminations certain spirits that made your life worthwhile if not valuable. Yesterday I had lunch with my old friend Lori Brock. Lori has been one of those people in my life have been steady. She has always been there.

I first met Lori in the arts. I was the community resource coordinatorfor the local Independent living center. I did not put the project together I don't think. I think it was either Alan Kimball are Larr Orr who have been the recreation administrator for the center or as we reffered to them as Rec Exec., I think they developed the original theater class/or acting class but somehow I got involved being the instructor which brought me into contact with Lori. I believe Lori was employed at the time by Very Special Arts (VSA). We developed the acting class which in turn became the acting company or more specificall the Second West Acting Company. Lori was relentless as acting coach and producer. She truly needed to be part of a real acting company. I saw being part of the acting company as part of my job. I went to the acting classes every Monday night and I tried to learn my parts but it was difficult and I was not dedicated like Lori. Lori Brock was there because she wanted to be there. She loved writing and being an actor. She was there as long as it took as long as she could get people to stay. Lori love being on stage in front of an audience. Lori taught me the real meaning of the term “dedication”. I've always enjoyed being around Lori.

Lori is now working at Salt Lake Community College or SLCC. Lori of course teaches writing and as always I'm impressed. Now that I live just down the street from the community college it makes sense that we are back in contact on a more regular basis. We had coffee yesterday for the second time. The first time I saw a messed up by having a bathroom meltdown. Lori had come in early to have lunch but we were not able to spending time together because of my inordinate amount of time in the bathroom. Yesterday was much better – – she actually came in on a day that she didn't have to work so we can spend as much time together as we like. We spent a couple hours talking about what was happening in our lives. It was fun but kind of weird linking up again this way at this point in our lives where we are both single. Just saying, interestingly weird.

There's a third person in our group and his name is Jerry I've written about them in the past. Jerry is a professional writer, retired from a local newspaper that somebody Lori and I have respected and enjoyed spending time with. We've not had one of our lunches in years. I think we were kind of a funny group if anything I was the stooge to the two professionals. Jerry had been part of the original writers group – – yet been a contract professional brought in to help teach the other folks disabilities writing. Sad as it was Jerry and other professionals were the catalysts that gave the group credibility if not respectability. It did not come up in yesterday's coffee that we should get together with Jerry. Maybe we should.