Sue Kingdom, David Chapman

Dear Classmates,

Some people can just completely disappear. Of course it is hard when it is a woman and her name changes. It is also hard when a person has a common name. I searched for a few years without luck for Mike Hall. That is a common name. Luckily, he eventually found me.

David Chapman is a mystery. His is also a common name that complicates things. However, as one of the best liked and respected members of our class and a sports star it seems difficult to imagine just how completely he could vanish. However, maybe I have just asked the wrong people and one of you will know.

Sue Kingdom and I read the morning bulletin on the Newark High School closed circuit TV. It was fun while it lasted. I don't know how many people ever actually listened to our broadcast on purpose but I do know one person who did and that was Mr. McLaine.

I remember how I got kicked off the station and I certainly deserved it. A couple of times too often, I read a weekend advertisement for the band "Blueberry Jam." Today, I can't even clearly remember which of my friends was connected with the band but it may only have been that they played at "Eat at Joe's Coffee House" at least once. I also inserted weekend advertisements for "Eat at Joe's Coffee House."

All announcements had to be cleared through Mr. McLaine and these were definitely not approved. Each time I made an unauthorized announcement, he came down to the set and talked me about it. After one too many infractions, he must have concluded that I was unmanageable and removed me from the station staff.

The one good thing is I already remember that as an activity that ended before it got boring. I enjoyed it while it lasted and I think that I enjoyed the renegade aspect of flaunting authority.

mike m.