Charles Rimpila

Tom and I became good friends during high school and afterwards.

We had some good times together doing things or just hanging out together.

I remember one time we went to an Italian festival or fair during the summer.

He bought fried snails and I probably had an italian beef sandwich.

A few hours afterwards Tom developed a terrible case of food poisoning,

and got really really sick with a lot of vomiting and retching.  I did fine.

Since then I have never eaten snails for food

and when I see snails on a menu, I think of Tom.    

I stood up as a groomsmen at his wedding in1965 or 1966.

He and his wife had a baby son shortly after.

Unfortunately he seperated from his wife, they both were very young.

He was drafted into the Army and served a tour of duty in Vietnam and survived.

By that time our paths went in different directions and I lost contact with Tom.

I am sad that he is gone.