This past Tuesday (12AUG), the wife and I hit up our first Redwings game since the first couple weeks of the season. We were fresh from the doctors office where she had her hard cast removed from her foot (she had ankle reconstruction surgery, but more on that in another blog). We got to the park early, got our seats and once inside the gate, found out we had really good seats in a stadium that doesn’t offer a bad seat.
As game time approached, we sat there, drinking a couple beers and throwing down some peanuts and sunflower seeds when all of a sudden the guy who had taken his seat behind me slaps me on the shoulder (scaring the crap out of me as well) and starts telling me that I better have good reflexes and catch any ball headed towards him etc. He was breaking balls and that was cool, but I was still amped up from some stranger patting me down. As I listened to him the voice sounded familiar. When I turned around he looked familiar. After talking for a bit, I was pretty sure I knew who he was, but that’s right about the time you call him by his name and its not who you thought it was and you look like an asshole. So I say “what’s your name, you look really familiar”. He responds not with a name but “well I used to teach at Fairport High School“, where I cut him off and say “Mr. Camiola, my 10th Grade Biology teacher.” His wife smiles as does he and asks who I am, and I tell him and after a bit he does remember me. Especially when he said later in the night that I wasn’t highly motivated but I did good”. Yup, he remembers me!
Mr. Cam was one of the teachers you have in school that you always remember even down the line. I actually ran into him 4 years after I graduated in 1998 when I was home on leave before I went Korea. I ran into him in Eastview Mall and he remembered me then as well. Add another 10 years and there we were. And I can’t lie, upon first hitting Mr. Cam’s class, I wasn’t sure I was down with him. He was very energetic and had a large presence in the classroom. It was intimidating maybe, or I could have just been whacked, who knows. However it wasn’t long until I was down with Mr. Cam and Bio class was one of the few classes that year that I looked forward too. Having the opportunity to meet up with Mr. Cam again later in life really helped drive home the fact he was a great teacher and one of the few that always remains in a persons memory. And now at 32, I can fully appreciate the kind of teacher and man he was and is.
Mr. Cam is a huge baseball fan so we talked quite a bit throughout the game. Baseball, 10th grade Bio class, all kinds of stuff. It was like I ran into a long lost friend. I shared some stories that my lab partner and close cumpare William Shannon had from that year. He seemed genuine in his appreciate for the fact he had an impact on us. Although I’m not sure Bill nor I have ever fully recovered from his story about the dime sized catheterhe received one time. He also offered Bren and I a chance to get in on a ticket deal he and some others have with the Wings. Good seats, discount on the price etc.
Before I knew it, with the Wings up big, Mr and Mrs. cam had to head out. We shook hands and hugged goodbye and said to keep in touch. He did grab my number so we could figure out the baseball ticket thing. I’m an overly sentimental guy. I admit it. So running into one of my old teachers from school, one of the very few I remember and having a good time at the ballpark made my night.
The thing that struck me most about the now retired for 5 years Mr. Cam was this. he seemingly had the world by the balls…in a good way of course. He was just as I remembered him from High School, just slimmer. He was full of energy, had stories, loved to talk with you or anyone, had that larger than life presence. he had the perfect attitude about retirement, life, money, enjoying the little things etc. Even at 32, he has lessons for me and my miserable ass. I hope in time I work myself into a position where my attitude on things reflects his.
Thanks Mr. Cam. Hope to catch you at a ball game again soon!
