Dear You,

I know, I know -- it's been awhile since I wrote something here.  Busy, yes; hardly out of ideas!  But I'm already off track.

The email from my high school class chronicler recently let me know that Joanne died -- the 38th member of BHS '60.  I wasn't surprised; after a half century since we sat in those classrooms, it's to be expected.  But it got me thinking . . .

Perhaps the first digits assigned to me (after my fingers and toes were counted) was my Social Securityerfff number.  And since then, so many others I won't bother enumerating.  Just add the credit cards, the driving license, addresses and phone numbers . . . you get the idea.  Some change, and others don't last long enough to remember: "You're caller 7; your call will be answered in 27 more minutes. Please hold."  "52?  52?  May I help you? (this at the deli counter, where I've taken a number for faster service.)"

So it's come to this.  When Bob sends out an eventual email about my demise (should he outlive me, of course!), I'll be assigned one last number.  I hope it's a big one.