Just found out a schoolboy crush of mine passed away yesterday, 64yo, from cancer. She also had advanced dementia.
I mentioned before that my parents farmed me out to work as a child, and I started my first job working at a Christmas tree farm at nine years old, in 1975. My job was basic errand boy/gopher, and I ended up running change back and forth between the field shacks and the main house.
Well, Sherry worked there as well, and she was 16, nerdy farm girl, and I was in love instantly.
I worked with Sherry for the next 10 years, doing year-round farm work with her, and that crush turned into deep respect and real affection for her.
Once I moved away at 19, I never saw her again, but she went on to get advanced degrees in history and natural sciences, stayed single and childfree, started a nationally-recognized/awarded natural sciences education program for kids, and had a pretty spectacular life. That made me happy to read in her obituary today.
My first job in a band, at 17, was playing guitar in a local university-sponsored dance band, organized by my guitar instructor, who included me as an act of charity, I’m sure.
I was nervous as hell my first show, as it was the very first time I ever played on stage. To say I was
’ing bricks is an understatement.
Looking out at the crowd on the dance floor in front of the stage, getting even more jittery, who did I see but Sherry, still in her work boots and baggy jeans, waving enthusiastically, and I smiled, remembering that I’d told her a few days before that I’d be playing that Friday night and was already scared to death about it. I smiled, waved back, and instantly felt better.
I played in that band for nearly 18 months, two dances a month, most months, and Sherry was at nearly every one.
Funny what comes back to you from 40+ years ago. RIP Sherry, a lot of people are missing you.
Granted, I keep loads of stuff in the `fridge that he could easily grab `n eat, but he will gravitate towards the 
