I never met him as a baby but
my mother did
and thought him quite special.
He had the right number of f
fingers and toes.
She pronounced him "right handsome."
Nor did I know him as a child
My playmates did
and thought him one of the gang.
He always wanted to be liked.
They considered him
to be "quite a regular guy."
I didn't meet him as a teenager.
His teachers did
and thought him to be somewhat dull.
He lost too much sleep delivering
newspapers.
Teachers figured him,
at best, to become a mechanic.
I didn't know him
in the Marine Corps but
several of his comrades did
and named him "Book".
He read pocket books
day and night/
The troops knew
he would never make it as a Marine.
We didn't cross paths in college but
some fraternity men did
and found him a splendid pinochle player.
He seemed excellent fraternity material,
but they discovered
he was not the type.
I didn't meet him as a teaching colleague
but his students did
and found him to be fun.
He liked the drama of teaching,
and they considered him a good,
but forgettable teacher.
I didn't see him
as a father and husband
but his kids did
and found him intense and distant.
He was always working.
They pegged him
as " high goal setter."
Nor I did meet him as a dean but
graduate students did
and thought of him
as a money tree.
Because he loved the power
of funding students.
They said he was a soft touch.
I have seen him
through others eyes
and they saw him as mostly ordinary.
I don't know that is true.
I will take the time
to know him better than they did.
I finally met him
in his retirement and
he was older and sadder
than I had been led to expect.
I told him I would like
to know him better.
But when I looked again
in that mirror,
he just smiled
and stared back at me.
To get to know him
may be tough so
I have my work
cut out for me.
revised 964