Dennis Gruwell... August 10, 2009 2:23 PM

I have been searching high and low for an old ANS yearbook so I could dust off the cobwwebs and remeber one of my previous lives. I was 12 and 13 years old when we lived in Nicaragua. I will have to say that those two years were two of the most fun years of my life. It was a wonderful environment in which to grow up. School was in the morning and I played all afternoon. I went places and did things with with many on this e-mail string, but that was because I was a "tag-along" little brother to Neil. He was ( and you all were) kind enough to put up with me. I had a great time at our socials and get togethers. I have an old video of a party we had at our home one Friday night. I need to convert it to DVD format - no one in the world has an old projector. My memories: John Spencer was my best "hang around " friend. We spent many afternoons fiishing and exploring. Several week-ends we would go to San Juan del Sur and get a tug boat pilot to take a few of us out for salt water fishing. We caught lots of barracuda and dolphin fish. We spent the rest of the week-end at John's home in Casa Colorado exploring and fooling around. We often went to the Spencer's finca to help control the rabbit population- we became very good at it, using headlights and a 12 gauge. There was another good freind by the last name of Caranza who went with us.My other best friend was Danny Carp. He was very bright and pulled me through many an exam. My hormones must have kicked in while we were there. I had a crush on several girls- but especially Neil's girlfriends - he had good taste. I did like a little girl by the last name of ?Bloomquist? - her father was American and her mother was Nicaraguan. I walked with her at our 8th grade graduation. My biggest crush was for Bonnie, so I was more than a little sad to read through a few e-mails and find out that she didn't have a clue who I was!! Such a disappointment that I had made such a lasting impression. I remember that we never had enough athletes to have a full basketball and baseball team. I managed to play on the high school teams while I was in the 7th and 8th grades- I really felt like somebody. I felt like one of the "big guys" -John Wickersham, Mike Murray, Bruce and other upper classmen. To catch every one up on Neil and myself. Neil returned to the states and attended Utah State U. After his feshman year he went on a two year misssion for the Mormon church to Venezuela and Honduras. He majored in political science. He was student body president for his senior year-lot's of controversy, but he changed this conservative homogenious college for good. He then entered the Army. He was set to go to Vietnam, but when his orders came he was sent to Germany as a liason between the Army and the German government. He loved this time. Upon his return, he was accepted to Harvard business school. During his second year there he was found one morning in his bed deceased. All the usual studies were done, but no cause for his death was ever found. He lived more in his 27 years than most in a lifetime. When our family returned to the states we settled in New Orleans. I attended high school here, Tulane for ubdergraduate school and Tulane Medical School. I practiced for 32 years and recently retired. I married Missy in 1977. We were blessed with 7 children, 4 grandchildren and many happy times ahead of us. I have so enjoyed reading through people's memories and recollections. Dennis Gruwell