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40th high school reunion

It was this weekend. Very good to see folks I hadn't seen in years, and in some cases, in decades. At mass this morning they read off the names of classmates who'd passed on. 22 names, plus one they forgot (Larry Brown, the Red Bandana Bandit, killed after release from prison). 23 out of a class of about 300.

Brown -- ah, he showed the benefits of a good Salpointe education! The judge who sentenced him told me he was the most polite armed robber, ever. One time he took his place in line behind two ladies, and only stuck up the clerk after they'd been helped. No cutting in line! Another time it looked like the clerk might make a move, and so roughly the following took place:

Brown: Wait a minute, let's talk.

Clerk (mystified): OK.

Brown: They pay you minimum wage, right?

Clerk: Yes.

Brown: And they don't give you health or life insurance, right?

Clerk: Yes.

Brown: Then why should you risk YOUR life for THEIR money?

The clerk testified the argument was utterly convincing, and so he cleaned out the cash register. After Brown got out of prison he was killed. Never was solved, but there was guessing that he might have gotten on the wrong side of some prison gang.

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