ON THE TRAIL

Last Summer we hiked the Appalachian Trail. Not like Bill Bryson. We didn't have the time.

But we had our two oldest grandkids along with us and a group of people to catch up with, but we had a taste, a sip of the old trail.

A few people, not in our group, we encountered along the trail. Lots of them dog walking. One fairly young couple, early 40's (Wow, and I just called them "fairly young") with their dog, an indiscriminate breed like most. His name was Arty. Maybe with an ie, who could know.

Not forty-five minutes had passed when we saw them on our way back into Harper's Ferry. "Hello," I said and added, "How ya doin', Arty?"

"How'd you know the dog's name?"

"We just met you. Remember?"

Silence and puzzled looks from both man and woman.

"Just as we were walking by the river," I pressed, unable to let it die.

"Yeah, ok."

But I could see they had no recognition of any of us or the initial meeting.

And that's the end of the tale. Except, if you go out on the Appalachian Trail and you meet up with a couple...