Greetings, gentlemen

You’re probably wondering
why I’ve called you all together
Yeah, I went for the cliché
but would any of you
expect any less?

Even a cheap laugh is
better than
lesser alternatives
One of those concepts none
you never taught
but I did learn.

I hope you are all doing well.

A group note not best
but hey, I figure you all
ended up in pretty much the
same spot –
quirk-purgatory for
inflicting me on life

That cheap laugh thing again.

Jocularity aside
I need to thank you all

If it weren’t for all you guys
I wouldn’t be
where I am today which
is honestly a pretty good
place to be

Much like you guys
most people would say
I done good.

You can correct my grammar
bemused in irony that I
teach English to
rambunctious teenagers
a few eye rolls, facepalms
would be grammatically correct

Truth is, I wish I could
convey to students
what you guys did to me
Not so much the
nuts-and-bolts but
all that intangible stuff
how life works
how to handle it
why how you do it all
counts for something

There is rarely a day
where I
don’t pull something
out of my hat that
one of you guys stuck in there

Words of wisdom, advice
reinforced ideals
common sense
some obtuse skill I need to
employ to fix something or
explain an aspect of life
to someone else.

I hope all you guys
find some pride
personal satisfaction in
some of what I have done
things I have accomplished
hell, even in some of the
things that I have tried that
haven’t gone
according to plan

As you all noted I would at
one time or another
I have learned more from
the screw ups than successes

How I have carried myself
has been noted
you can take collective credit

My life has, thanks to all of you
been so far more
sweet than bitter
in proportions larger
than what you predicted

That’s all I wanted to say.
Hope this finds you all okay.

Be well guys
Thank you.

Love,
Me

– Mark L. Lucker
© 2020
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