Jimmy Vimont

Haven't seen any classmates in the last 40 years or so. It took me a little longer than most to climb out of "stupid" mode and get some sense of direction in life. I went into the Army after one semester in college - no money and the draft lotto number of 54. In the middle of MP school my orders were changed from Vietnam to Arlington, VA and a few months later ended up in Ethiopia (I'm convinced it was the result of my Dad & Mom's prayers.) I spent my time there putzing around in a little green VW with the Ethiopian police, mostly herding drunks back to post. I finally finished college on the GI Bill and moved to Denver where my brother Burt was living.

I bounced around at different jobs, mostly in accounting, but hated it. I married the love of my life in 1979 while living in the Denver area. Looking for a change of pace, I went through the Ironworker's Union apprenticeship program in Denver, but after five years of seasonal layoffs, watching guys fall, and needing a reasonable, stable income, I went in the Border Patrol in 1984 and was assigned to beautiful Laredo, TX. I transferred into an I&NS agent position in Wichita, then on to positions in Yakima, WA; Ketchikan, AK; Wenatchee, WA and ended up back in Yakimreached mandatory retirement age in mid-2007.

For the foreseeable future we're staying put here Kearney, Ncountry. We still have my 100yr. old father-in-law close by so I putter around w, building projects, helping in my church, visiting my four children,12 grandchildren and enjoying life.

In a brilliant scheme to get out of typing class with Mrs. Price I skipped and then presented a beautifully forged note, supposedly from Mr. Crocker, excusing my absence. Upon receiving the note and suspecting foul play, Mrs. Price informed me that she had worked at a bank for many years and was trained to spot forgeries. She then marched me over to the band room in search of Mr. Crocker. To my relief he wasn't there, but his assistant, Dale Ratcliff, was. And, he happened to be in the middle of directing the orchestra. She interrupted Mr. Ratcliff, and showing him my forgery, asked if that was Mr. Crocker's signature. All the while I stood behind Mrs. Price nodding my head up and down in a panic, hoping that he would understand my plight and rescue me. Instead, he just laughed and shook his head saying, "Sorry Jim."

To add insult to injury, my brother Burt, the Osmond brothers, Mike Jones and a few other delighted observers were in the front row just convulsing with laughter. As a matter of fact, the entire orchestra was getting up to speed of the spectacle before them and took great enjoyment at my predicament. The next stop was a visit to Mr. Milner's office. Not only was I going to get booted out of typing class, but if the story of my idiocy made it home to my Dad, the pain had only begun.