A Chatcolab Memory Stream
By Stewart White
Being on the Chatcolab board as a young man of about twenty-three was exciting. It as the first day of lab, early to mid-May. My partner and I were driving out of Camp Easter Seal under a blue, sunlit sky to set up ‘Burma Shave’ signs to reassure labbers that they were still on the right gravel road, all seven and a half miles of it!
I was expecting to meet Nancy E’s little sister, Patty. After setting the ‘last’ two signs, in reverse of-course, we saw a light-colored sedan approaching. As they passed by, I caught the license plate – those were the Montanans and the driver was Nancy!
Failing to warn my passenger, I spun my truck around in a smooth-but-fast 180 degree turn and pulled over behind the then stopped car. I guess Nancy noticed the truck. Ladies started climbing out of the car and a series of hugs were exchanged.
Out of the rear passenger side of the came a pretty darned short gal. “You must be Patty,” I said. She replied with a definite and somewhat snarky, “No.”
“That’s okay, you deserve a hug anyway,” I replied. I proceeded to a bear-like E-hug. That’s a serious hug that often elicits an “eee” sound.
I guess it was a pretty good hug. We got married a few years later and we’re still together after nearly 41 years. Oh, and we celebrate our “monthaversary” on the 21st of each month.
Stew White wrote his memory stream at 2:14 a.m. on the last day of the Chatcolab Northwest
Recreational Laboratory as he ended another stint on the board, this time as Vice-Chair. He and
wife Mary are integral members of the Chatcolab family, and for those who don’t know, Stew is
still giving hugs to Mary and others who are lucky enough to know this couple of sweethearts at
Chatcolabs during the past 40-plus years.
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