Memories

His memory popped into my consciousness. He was a professor at UAB. Bacall and both had him. No one who had a class with him will ever forget him. I had him for a course on the history of the Spanish in the SW. It was my senior year. I missed one question on the midterm. It was school tradition that graduating seniors who aced the midterm were excused from the class with an A. Fuck that; he was my Wednesday night entertainment. I missed one question on the final about a caballero who killed some Indians. We were to name the mesa in New Mexico where it happened. Nothing in the library about it. He told me no one aces his exams.

We unexpectedly came across him socially a few years after graduation. I would tell tales of that, but smoke and booze muddled my memory. He wrote a book telling the history of New Orleans through cocktails that were developed there. There is a challenge for a young man. Take a walking tour through the French Quarter, drinking one cocktail at each bar that specializes in it. You will be crawling by the time you get midway through. Ask me how I know.

I looked him up today. Found that his middle name was Lazarus. And that he had been knighted by King Carlos for his research into the history of Spanish rule here.

Here's to you, Jack Holmes.

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We had a big soirée for Bacall's 50th. Probably 50 guests. Family, friends, co-workers. Had heavy hors d'oeuvres catered. A memory for me was a game of Pin the Macho on the Man. The man was a 3 by 3 poster. For an hour or so the women were sharing scissors, calmly cutting out cardboard penises to pin on the man. I kept wincing.

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We raced a small sailboat all over the eastern side of the country. From Maine to Coconut Grove and as far west as KC. Most of the regattas were at sail clubs, cousins to yacht clubs. Yacht clubs are a different breed. I recall one that had a helicopter landing pad, and the family arrived from NYC for the weekend. The daughter deplaned carrying her formal gown.

At another club we walked the docks looking at the yachts. A gold platter pulled in. A uniformed crew made the boat fast to the dock. A middle-aged woman emerged and did exercises on the dock. When she stepped aboard the yacht, the crew again emerged, cast off lines, and they were gone. It's a different world.

Most clubs have reciprocal arrangements. Our membership from our sail club allowed us entry to exclusive clubs. The women always wore gloves to dinner.