As I was growing up I couldn't remember when Mark wasn't a part of my life. We were in elementary school together, junior high, but we parted in high school. Mark was brilliant throughout school, making straight A's and even A pluses. I hated him! Just kidding.
Mark was one of the rare Jewish kids who grew up speaking Yiddish as I did and we had a ball conversing. He was also fluent in French and Hebrew. I always liked spending time with him and his family.
Later in life we didn't see each other as much. He competed for a scholarship to Harvard, and he won it. He went on to become a congressional aide. Mark would have made a great Senator or even President.
Even with all of his intelligence, Mark and I had the same friends throughout our school years. We stayed up all night at various houses playing board games and simply talking about our futures. We always had enough food to gag a horse!
Mark's last name took on a form of his grandfather's vocation. His grandfather made prayer shawls to support his family in Europe.
I've lost touch with Mark for over sixty years. He's either teaching at Harvard, or decided to carry on his grandfather's vocation of making prayer shawls!
