I 'Thought' I Recognized You Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

It's not me that forgets,
The life I live or my experiences.
But often it seems,
Anyone I haven't seen in YEARS...
Like over fifty of them?
Wishes to take me back to the 5th grade.
To visit schools no longer physically there.

'I know you remember Arsenal School?
It was in between Canton and Pavillion Streets?
Northeast Junior High?
On Westland? '

Uh...O-Kay!

And I wouldn't mind the doing of it,
If I could remember those days and where I sat to sit.
Or what I said back then that had the kids chuckle a bit
And even a hint or clue from the one I speak to,
Who is more comfortable living in the past than I am.
Yet expects me to pull a rabbit out of a hat.

And...
Your name is...?

'Aw comeon, man. You don't remember me?
I'm Arthur. But they use to call me 'Goo-Goo'.
You don't remember sitting next to me in the cafeteria?
I don't believe this! '

Uh...uh...oh? Oh, oh yeah. Yeah, Parker.

'No. Arthur. 'Goo-Goo'? '

LAWD! Goo-Goo is that you?
What a small world.
I 'thought' I recognized you.
You still got that same...
Walk.

'Well...
I didn't have arthritis in my knees or a cane back then.
Or a hip replaced. Nor these back spasms.
How about you? '

Uh...hey. What can I say?
You know how it is.

'You don't have to say nothing to me.
I know.'