Gary's e-mail address: 
Contact information for Gary Baker Lions onlyFOND MEMORIES: Cruising Victory Drive. (Mitch Wagster's '65 glass pack Mustang, Gary Brown's '55 Chevy, Barry Bolden's '66 Galaxy 500). The Big Egg Fight at the Krystal. (Some were arrested - but not yours truly). Parking w/Debbie Butler at King's Pond. Boone's Farm Strawberry Wine. Swisher Sweets. Schlitz. Sullivan's Drugstore. Seventies music.Egging Arnie Angelo's car. Chattahoochee Valley Fair. Working w/ Mark Fuller (Is he still in he witness protection program?) at Super Foods (until it was robbed and burned).Sneaking in Drive-In Movies. Water Sking w/Barry Bolden, the Butlers, Greg Johnston, Pat Lynch, and others on Lake Oliver.
WORST MEMORIES: Having a minority student plant an ax handle in my head (5 stiches -- believe he had me confused for Henry Ackerman). Being arrested for shooting fireworks out of Terry Butler's car in downtown Columbus. Having my 8 track player stolen. (Zebreski not completely cleared as a suspect).Boone's Farm Strawberry Wine. Schlitz. Wrecking my parents' car (twice in one week). Being slammed against a wall and cussed out by a coach for causing a penalty in a football game (ran onto the field late because I was listening to Stump tell a joke). Coach Stringer (terrafirma's version of Captain Bly).
PROUDEST MOMENT: Winning Terry Nunnally, Carol Rhodes, and Conne Nelson stuffed animals at the fair (carneys finally banned me -- Haven't had such a thrill since).
MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT: Backing into Drivers ED car in school parking lot w/David Zamecnik as passenger (can still hear his long insane laugh; what institution did he finally end up in?)
RUNNER UP: Running Heidi Kirkpatrick off the road where her car ended up in someone's yard (Sorry, again, Heidi, but I always used both lanes on that particular curve).
GIRLS I TOOK OUT: Debbie Butler (Terry's sister), Diane Cavallaro, Maria Ritchie, and Kim Sykes (Columbus High girl).
GIRLS I WANTED TO TAKE OUT BUT LACKED THE GUTS TO ASK: Ann Benett, Robin Levitt, Conne Nelson, Sandra Nelson (Aw, hell, this list is too long to finish -- what a timid fool I was).
REASON I MISSED GRADUATION: Caught mono from the Columbus High girl (It was worth it though).
BEST FRIEND: Barry Bolden. (He left too soon).
BEST LINE: Barry Bolden, in Sunday School, after Saturday Nite date with Baker lass, who shall remain anonymous: "It was like wrestling with 'Big Bill Dromo'." [Famous wrestler at Municipal Auditorium]
MY SENIOR QUOTE THAT DID NOT GET PRINTED: "I could have been a contender."
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: Whatever happened to Richard Grassel who is not listed anywhere? He was in our grade and played on the football team and was one helluva nice guy. Did I make him up? And whatever happened to Tricia Willis? I last saw her in '74 or '75 in Destin or Panama City when I was in the Air Force? She was not the happy, bubbly cheerleader we once knew.
FOUND : Tracked Maria Ritchie down to Rome, Georgia. She's still an angel and happily married (Husband's name is Gary). Robert Evans, who turned up at Tom's Xmas party a couple of years ago, one sandwich short of a picnic. He looked like Grizzly Adams and said he'd been bumming around the Alaskan outback. Way to go, Robert.
HIGHLIGHTS: Interview w/ Gov. Zell Miller in '96 for Judgeship (he was in cowboy boots and we sat in rocking chairs--folksy, huh. Told him I felt like "Forrest Gump" - interview went downhill after that). Making the Atlanta televison stations and newspapers in '05 for prosecuting and putting a big shot politician in jail for his 2nd DUI (Ended his political career and used up my 15 minutes of fame).
UPDATE: Been a lawyer since 1989 (I have asked God for forgiveness). Retired from private practice after 16 years (and over 100 divorces) and I'm now a lawyer in the Cobb County Solicitor's Office. Survived two motorcycle crashes and one mid life crisis and have come to appreciate things taken for granted. I have given up on Bush & Republicans and I'm now listening to Cat Stevens again (he makes more sense the second time around).I'm still married (although I don't know why). My daughter is in high school and starting to drive (really scary--Metro Atlanta is no place to learn how to drive). My son is in middle school and still playing ice hockey (been to the hospital twice--broken hand and bruised ribs) (the boy's crazy). Pretty much eased off the hunting and fishing but not ready for shuffleboard. Enjoy poker, chess, reading, walking and, yes, growing flowers. Hell, maybe I am ready for shuffleboard.
June, 2006
Gary's e-mail address:
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