A Youth Sailing Adventure

My parents allowed me to solo in our small day sailer (a Sunfish) when I was 11 years old. I enjoyed the freedom of the water. My adventures on Lake Michigan went well. There were a few exceptions. One involved a friend of mine, Howard Westbrook. We met in kindergarten and stayed friends even after my family moved to Peru, Indiana. Howard showed up in West Lafayette unannounced a few days after both of us graduated. I went to Purdue, and Howard went to Indiana University in Bloomington. In 1982, jobs were not plentiful. My business degree qualified me to work at a local store called Arth Drugs, at the cash register. While ringing up an order, this guy with a beer can hat looked at me and said, “Don’t you remember me, Dan?” My reply, “Holy shit, Howard Westbrook! What are you doing here?” Howard decided to stop by West Lafayette on his way home to Long Beach. I don’t remember if he was looking for a job or if he’d gotten his gig at FedEx. (Howard worked there for 32 years.) He was like…