How We Met

It all began in 1982 at First Covenant Church in Jamestown, NY. At the ripe age of four, a brave and forward Jim decided to pursue a new friend.  (Even at a young age, he knew what he wanted!)

"Will you play on the slide with me?" he asked. I ran away, afraid because Jim had a patch on his eye. Given my knowledge of Peter Pan, I naturally thought he was a pirate!

Ten years later, we crossed paths again as we became members of the marching band at Jamestown High School. I was a flautist; Jim was a percussionist. At one of our first band rehearsals, a mutual friend, Eric Lyons, introduced us. Neither of us was aware that we had met before.

It wasn't until we were sixteen that we became friends. Jim called me often, but I really wasn't interested. Jim was a bit of a "geek," and  didn't have much in common, in my eyes. However, as the phone calls continued, I began to enjoy them more and more. I quickly realized that Jim was a kind and warm person with a good heart, and we had a great deal to talk about.