“It takes a long time to grow old friends.”

Peter Crème drove 800 miles from Minnesota to surprise his high school sweetheart, Pat Duck, with a visit at Parkvue Community in Sandusky, Ohio.

Pete and Pat dated in high school. When Pete joined the Air Force, Pat graduated, moved to Sandusky, and soon became engaged to another man. Once when Pete was on leave, Pat went to visit him. She told him that if he would marry her, she would give her ring back to the other man she was engaged to. Unfortunately, Pete still had three and a half years left in the service, and he couldn’t get married right away.

Pat Duck, circa 1949

The two moved on with their separate lives. Pat married the gentleman she was already engaged to, and Pete went on to marry someone else as well.

Imagine his surprise when, 23 years ago, a woman who Pat used to babysit for called Pete and told him that Pat was still living in Sandusky. After first checking with his wife, Pete began to correspond with Pat via letters and cards. When Pat’s medical condition would no longer allow her to write, her friend June stepped in as ghost writer.

Pete lost his wife a year ago. He spoke with his kids and asked them if they would mind if he visited his long-time friend at Parkvue. His kids agreed it would be good for Pat and Pete to catch up and visit, but warned him not to come back married. Pete visited with Pat for a few days in late October, with both enjoying the simple joys of a friendship and fellowship.

It was the first time the old friends have seen each other since 1951.