World: Small and Larger

I took John - who apparently calls himself Terry - and his wife Diane, home near Howard and South Lake Drive to a street that is two blocks long.

Terry used to teach reading to fifth graders in MPS. He started talking local history and I told him I'd heard about a guy that wrote a book due out early this December about the Town of Lake. (Check with the Tippecanoe Library for details.)

“Yeah, that's Ron Wilson.” Terry said.  “He was a student of mine.”

Small world.

The next day I meet Kris and recognized the street name on the slip of paper I'm given.

“I can probably drive you right there without any help. I went there yesterday with John and Diane. He was a school teacher for MPS.” I said.

“I didn’t know Terry’s name was John.” Kris said in surprise. “They live across the street for me.”

Kris is graduating from UWM with a degree in urban geography.

“Welcome aboard.” I said. “Never heard of urban geography.”

We talked about Milwaukee park land and green space, socialist mayors in Milwaukee, cemeteries, Doors Open Milwaukee and, what was once known as, the Town of Lake.

I do not collect or even notice all the paradoxes that pop up. The small world / larger world is one that haunts me. It probably does not even rank on the official list.