The One They Couldn't Find

by David Levitt

When I came back in 1996, they had a reunion of all the old basketball teams. One of the players missing from my era was a fellow from Buffalo named Steve Sklar. I was told that he lived in California, but that they couldn't reach him, couldn't find him to invite him back. And I hadn't seen him in forty years, since I had graduated.

They said California, and I had a daughter who lived in San Diego, so I had her look in the phone book to see if she could find Steve Sklar. Sure enough, she found a Steve Sklar. She got me the phone number, and I called him.

I got a recording that said, "This is Beverly and Steve," etcetera. Well, I knew that he married Beverly in Buffalo forty years ago. I think I even attended the wedding. I knew I had the right Steve Sklar, the one they couldn't find. And so I left a message that I'd be coming out there because I was visiting my daughter.

That was four years ago. As a result of that contact we bonded together, and every time I go out there, we spend time with him and his wife. We pulled out our old scrapbooks one evening, the first time we got together. . . my poor wife and daughter had to sit through that. It was a nice experience.