I got an email this afternoon from Howard Epstein in New Hampshire. I don’t know a Howard Epstein in New Hampshire, but I did know a Howie Epstein in Flushing. Same guy.
Oh, Internet. You’ve got the power (you may sing that sentence if you wish).
Howie and I went to high school, Brooklyn Tech, together. But there was something that stood out more which I remembered. Howie knew his way around mechanics and cars.
That was totally foreign to me. We lived in an apartment with limited off street parking available, even if I could have afforded a car (and I couldn’t). I took the bus. I took the subway. I didn’t get my drivers license until I was 19!
Junior or senior year, Howie bought and then rebuilt a Model ‘A’ Ford. Granted, cars were pretty simple in the Model ‘A’ era,. but that was still a substantial piece of work. His email tells me there were more after that, though none recently.
As I remember, he also put the Model ‘A’s’ transmission in backwards, giving the car one forward and three reverse speeds! My memory could be faulty, but it’s a good story anyway.
There is no one from high school I am in contact with on a regular basis. I suppose that’s sad. I didn’t go to the neighborhood high school, so it’s also understandable.
The Internet allows people from your past to find you. So far that’s been nothing but positive for me. So far.
Blogger’s addendum: In a follow-up email, after seeing some video, Howie said, “Would never have recognized you.”
So, it seems I’ve changed in the last 40 years.
I just looked at a photo of you when you were 13. I think you look like a mature version of that young boy. I can’t believe anyone would have trouble recognizing you.I on the other hand, look totally different than I did at age 10.
There is also the question of whether my clothing threw him off. I wasn’t wearing a lot of suits in high school.