The OLD thing that I talked about earlier in the week comes into play HERE.  Because you see, when I made my Blueberry Cobbler last week, it sent me down memory lane.  It always does.  And you know what?  That lane is getting longer and LONGER and L.O.N.G.E.R.  I can’t believe it’s been 24 years since I first tasted my friend’s cobbler and she told me how simple it was to make.  I can’t believe it’s been 24 years since I met my neighbors upstairs from me (the Joneses) . . . because I was only 24 years old at the time.  Crazy how time flies.

We were living in Atsugi, Japan at the time.  Ex was on a ship 95% of the time that we were there.  Chris was just a baby.  Adam was just a bun in the oven (he was born before we left though).  And we all lived in this little apartment out in the economy.  (That’s what they called “off the base”)  

That’s MY apartment there.  And as you can only imagine, I had Japanese neighbors for the most part.  Duh!  But there were two other American families above me on the third floor.  We all stood out like sore thumbs.  Chris and I with our snow white hair, and my friend, Winnie, with her bright red hair.  Yeah, we couldn’t help but notice one another.  And because I was so extremely quiet and introverted back in those days (it’s true!), I’d never introduced myself to her and her husband.  We only waved in passing.

Until one day.

See, Chris was just over one year old.  Such a cutie pie, he was.  And such a little boy!  While I was in our funky Japanese bathroom, I saw him toddle into the sink area and I saw him toddle out.  I thought absolutely nothing.  I finished taking care of my “bidness” and walked out into the kitchen. . . where I saw him!!

My baby had picked up one of my disposable razors from the sink and he’d been walking around knawing on it like it was a damn lollipop.  He was standing there acting like he hadn’t a care in the world while bleeding profusely from his mouth and his hands.  Blood was EVERYWHERE!  I can’t even tell you HOW MUCH blood there was.  And he was FINE.  Me, on the other hand, freaked OUT.  [It is only one of two times that I freaked out in my little boys' lives]  I scooped him up and threw him under the sink trying desperately to wash it all away. . . AND figure out where ALL it was coming from.

This child had hundreds of tiny slivers in his lips, tongue, fingers and hands – like huge paper cuts.  Apparently they didn’t hurt because he wasn’t crying.  (Well, he wasn’t crying until I freaked out on him.)  I tried and tried to stop all the little cuts, but there were just too many.  I scooped him up with a towel around him and RAN up the stairs to my redheaded American neighbor’s (whom I had only waved to in passing) apartment and banged on her door.  When she opened it, I simply THRUSTED my child into her arms and frantically said, “Make it STOP!” 

This girl calmly and quietly took my baby, walked into her kitchen and started gently washing him up, putting pressure on each of the cuts (or group of cuts) while walking around the apartment showing him her trinkets and stuffed animals and such.  All the while talking to him so sweetly.  ME, on the other hand, melted onto her kitchen floor in a giant pile of goo.I asked her, “HOW can you remain so calm??!”  She said in her angelic little voice, “Well, he’s not MINE.”  I loved her instantly.  Then I introduced myself.

Turns out that she was a pediatric nurse.  I often said that it was fate that put our two families in that same apartment on the other side of the world at the same time.

She, her husband, Micheal, and I became steadfast friends!  (This is them with my mom when she came to visit)  Then sadly, the day came when they had to move back to the states.  We kept in touch for several years, but I haven’t spoken to her or Micheal since the mid 90’s when Micheal was here in the area for some military reason.

He called when he was in town and we got together for a bit to catch up.  It was so good to see him and for him to see how the boys had grown.  (Looking at this picture, I’m guessing about ‘93 or ‘94 timeframe.  But sadly that’s the last time I saw either of them) 

I miss my friends and would love to find them.  And believe it or not, I’ve found LOTS of old friends on this here Internet thing lately.  So hopefully, I can find Winnie and Micheal Jones.  Last known to have lived in Fort Campbell, KY around the early to mid 90’s.  If you know either of these terrific people, please leave me a message.

I’m having quite the time trying to locate such a common name as Micheal Jones.  (I only remember that he spells Micheal slightly different than most)