How things change! This was Leif's high school graduation photo. He was slim and had luxurious long hair that guys said he should cut and girls loved. Even then, his hairline was high and receding, but this photo was so mesmerizing that the photo studio that took it made a huge print to display at their studio.
In high school, Leif didn't have a fancy sports car yet. He had to drive our old 1983 silver gray Maxima station wagon, so he "souped it up" with neon green windshield wipers, a boom box, and the loud heavy metal music he loved.
He was one of the first to get a cell phone, paying for the account from his first job as a telemarketer for Idelman, a firm that called Citi group account holders with offers on their accounts.
He trailed around in a long brown leather coat. How I wish I had a photo of him dressed like that!
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this is how Alex looked when I first met him & Jason at one of Mike's parties over on Vattier back in 1992. there for a while the three of us were pretty much like the musketeers as we were almost inseparable. I remember the joint birthday party we had in his apartment over on Bluemont and how he had to remind everyone that it was my party too.(my birthday was 10 days before & his just happened to land on a weekend) I still have the monsterous brandy snifter that everyone pitched in on. :D I always have & always will count Alex as a brother & dearest friend.
ReplyDeleteSee ya when we get there, Mon Ami
Phil
Ah, yes... This is the Leif I remember. Yep, plenty of girls fawned over his hair and I remember several sopranos who would "do" his hair whenever they got a chance during choir! *laugh* I never really got to know him, which seems a shame now. I always marked him for the quiet, brooding, intense (and exausting!) type, while he probably pegged me as little more than an obnoxious geek. Now that I'm older and gotten out of the Kansas mindset, I'm sure Leif would have made nothing short of a kick-ass friend; I'm sorry I never got reintroduced to him once more worldly experiences broadened my mind enough to even begin to comprehend where Leif was coming from.
ReplyDeleteJerri, I know we didn't talk a lot about Leif when you and I worked together at MPL the summer after our graduation -- it was admittedly a little awkward -- but I do remember I could tell how much loved him. As a parent now myself, I can only imagine how devastating a loss it is for you. My sincere condolences.
From all I've read tonight, it looks like Leif grew into one hell of a great guy. I envy those of you who got the opportunity to know him well enough to miss him more, but I don't envy your loss of a good friend...
May Leif's journey continue on through the infinite...