90. All she wanted was the sax

90. "Goodbye Stranger" by Supertramp

The Marsh Valley High School student newspaper often featured an interview with one or two students. I don't ever recall being interviewed for the paper, nor do I recall anything that was written about any of my classmates in these interviews, except for one--Piney Votezal Votesel Votzul -- okay, I give up. Let's just call her Piney, shall we? There was only one Piney in all of Marsh Valley, so there's little chance of confusion.

Anyway, I remember Piney's interview because in it they asked her what her favorite band was, and she said "Supertramp." And I remember thinking, "Hey, I like Supertramp too! I've got something in common with Piney!" And then I remember thinking, "I've got something in common with Piney?!"

What's the difference between real tramps and supertramps? The sax?

I saw Piney twice after high school. The first time was right after my mission when I went to the grocery store in Downey to get a root beer. She was the clerk at the register. As I bought my sodey-pop, she asked me what I was doing with my life, and I told her that I just got back from Sweden, and that the family was moving to Twin Falls. I asked what she was up to, and she said she was married and working there at the store. Then somebody else came up behind me, so I said goodbye and left so she could keep doing her job.

The second time was at our class reunion--the only one I've attended. I remember she got up and gave this hilarious speech where she said that she was really sorry for what she had done in high school--and she said, "Yes...THAT too!"--after which a lot of people laughed. I had no idea what exactly THAT was. But I wondered if THAT is why the lady is a Supertramp fan.

Now some they do and some they don't,
And some you just can't tell.
And some they will and some they won't.
With some it's just as well.