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This strapping lad is Michael to his father (since he can no longer be appropriately called "Small Boy", a Nigerian term of affection inherited from his older brother, who WAS "Small Boy" in Nigeria) or as Mike, the name with which he usually introduces himself. Michael and I have "been a fur piece" together from birth to his wedding in June 1993. To recall some details he would rather have me forget, I remember toilet training, standing on a little wooden step his grandfather had made for him and which we carried on the earlier road trips (none recent, although I might be able to find it if needed for training any new recruits.) From the earliest of the outdoor adventures (see Mount Monadonack in "Climbing"), to his trekking with his own little backpack up Old Rag in the Shenandoah, through the scuba diving lessons, white water rafting and many if not most of the Adventures of this Home Page sequence, Michael Man has been his father's most frequent adventure companion.
Michael chose to go to James Madison University after our first visit there in making the rounds of college applications, and he brought away a cum laude degree, but more importantly a young woman named Judy. Among the Hispanics at St. Mary's University in San Antonio Texas where they now live, they are known as the "Surfer Couple" as two blondes along the border. Michael is now graduating from the Physical Therapy program from the University of Texas Health Sciences with an interest in Sports Medicine. His father hopes he will be ready to give an aging endurance runner advice about a medial meniscus tear from a packhorse kick, but I first have to check to see if there are any professional courtesy discounts.
You will be able to follow along the further developments in the Lone Star state in these pages, but you might also be able to detect a bit of pride in the achievements of both these great young men!