Ace Thompson….

I never knew Ace’s real first name. Ace Thompson was a custodian in our school district for many, many years. Ace was very minimally mentally challenged - but oh what a nice man. Nowadays, with all the weirdos out there, he’da undergone close scrutiny (unfair, not warranted)- but the man had a heart of gold. He always packed a smile along with his lunchbox for the day.

I remember in 3rd grade, he gave my friends and I each a little Chinese ring with some inscription we had absolutely no idea what it meant - but - we all treasured it.. Ace gave it with a smile, and he got more out of the giving, than we probably did the receiving. We all wore them, and were proud to call Ace our friend.

Ace knew the first and last name of every kid in town - as well as their parent’s first names.. It was a treat to see Ace out in public - and it wasn’t unusual to see him getting hugs from little ones no matter the locale.

Upon retirement, Ace regularly frequented the local Piggly Wiggly. There’s a bench there, right next to where you exit the door to go to the parking lot - and Ace would sit there for hours upon hours - in hopes of seeing someone he knew - to simply give them a hello and a smile.

Today’s quite literally been yuck for me. I actually thought about that game.. I dunno if you remember.. It’s a rectangular box thingy, there’s a plastic maze path atop it (with small circular sized holes in the path), you have a marble ball, two round ‘controllers’ on the side of this box, and you try to guide the ball around the maze without falling into the holes. I felt like that stupid ball today. Not in control, ‘boxed in’, and not fun for me.

Then I gotta comment on MySpace that said “Are you doing okay? I hope this week went better for you than the short week went last week. Enjoy the rest of the weekend my friend.” How do friends know?

I want what I want and I want it now. That’s the real sucky MO of some of our youth today - but - spank our butts, it slips into our lives/attitudes as well sometime. It’s admittedly financially tough for me right now. I refinanced the house, paid whatshername her portion of the equity, and what once was “ease of making payments” is now an admitted struggle. Payday comes, bills are paid, and “oh shit, how do I make it the resta the time until payday” happens. Buck up cowboy, it’s part of it. Don’t hang your head, hold it high, and thankfully, friends come outta the woodwork (like the MySpace comment lady) and shame sets in. Ace was way worse off financially, and ya never woulda known it.

I bemoaned the fact “I actually had a date and I learned (or she learned me) ‘nope, it ain’t her.’” I believe I even held a baby pity party here. Victor, you dumbass. Yes, alter ego, for once (and once only) I agree with you. Don’t let that shit go to your head, hear?

I go through this temporary “down” then I get a comment from a very nice recently widowed lady who relates (about the blog) “you have managed to get me though some really difficult days.” Muther dubber. Am I an idiot for bemoaning temporary ‘down.’? I’ll answer that, tyvm alter ego, yes. Hella yes.

Some wouldn’t say Ace Thompson, being a custodian in a school district, didn’t work in education. I highly disagree. Ace taught it didn’t matter, what you had, who you were, it mattered simply “that you were.”

Back in the dinosaur days, I taught Elementary PE. I got to learn ‘close up’ from Ace’s shoes. I, to this day, love children. They don’t see color. They don’t see socio-economic status. They’ve hearts that ain’t been tainted. In the backa my office was a parachute. I wasn’t really attune to whatinthehell that parachute was for.. Then I found an old record album entitled “Ripples and Waves”… played it.. It described how all the kids gather around the parachute, do this, do that, causing all kindsa cool movements of the parachute.

I’ve been like that parachute. Sitting around, not doing hella much, just sitting here - wrinkles mebbe deepening. Thanks to memories of Ace.. Thanks to notes like I received from Lilli and Charlee - I’m Rippling and Waving. Parachutes just sit there if there are no hands attached. Friends will just sit there if there are no hands attached.

Life, it be good. Again quoting Norman from “On Golden Pond”… “better now.”

Loveya, thanks for your hands. I miss you Ace. Love, Victurd