October 31 is by far the most in demand date on a juggler's calendar.  This year I was asked to do two shows at a party hosted by our home church, the Bridgton Alliance Church.  Although Rose had her final drivers' ed. class that evening, she and my wife were still able to get to the church on time.  After a quick meal of left over stew in the church kitchen, the party began.

Rose and her friend, Joey manned a booth in which they took turns getting pies in the face.  There was also a bounce house, face painting, games and lots of candy.  All the events were shut down at 6:30 and again at 7:30, at which time Rose and I did twenty minute shows in the sanctuary.  The shows were pretty routine, no pun intended, and a good time was had by all.

The big moment for me was when I recognized a young twenty something man with a goatee and obligatory baseball cap that all guys in rural Maine seem to wear 24/7.  He was Craig, a kid who had gone to the school I used to teach at over 20 years ago.  At the time I taught at the elementary school in Fryeburg, Maine, and I remember him as a second or third grader.  He wasn't in my special needs program, but for some reason I remember him.  Stranger still, I recognized him all these years later.  He was there with his wife and little girl.  We caught up briefly, and they caught our second set of the night. 

I learned later how much it meant to him that I remembered him after all this time.  The woman who invited Craig's family is a friend of Sue's, and she told us afterwards how pleased Craig was.  I'm glad it was a blessing to him, but it was honestly nothing special on my part.  When I saw him, I just knew who he was.  There's no doubt scores of students, if not more, who I wouldn't have recognized under the same circumstance, but, as God would have it, Craig I knew. I hope he visits our church again with his young family.