One of the most amazing things about the Internet is the way it has enabled people who have lost touch to find each other once again – and one of the most recent and most popular conduits to achieve this is www.myspace.com. With over 125,000,000 people as members – those who lost touch are almost guaranteed to reconnect through this ever-growing virtual community.

Since I created my myspace page, I have had many people from my past find me. I have received “friend requests” from several people I worked with at Pathmark in 1992, people I have met at Applebee’s both in Brooklyn and San Diego – and Gayle – a former Sheepshead Bay High School classmate of mine nearly twenty years ago who I was very happy to hear from again and reconnect with. But of all the people I expected to hear from – I never thought it would be Jimmy.

Jimmy Maher was my best friend when I lived on East 29th Street between Avenues I and J from the ages of three to fourteen. As friends, we were inseparable. We would hang out almost every day and sleep over each other’s houses almost every weekend. We hung out in my basement, my bushes in front of the house, my backyard, our respective bedrooms – and even in the alley behind the Waldbaum’s that was adjacent to my backyard. I would say I spent nearly my entire childhood with Jimmy – and that he was one of the dearest friends I have ever had.

After I moved in 1986, we began to lose touch and eventually lost contact altogether. I saw him once many years later and even ran into his little sister Danielle at a bar about eight years ago – but never heard anything from them since. But despite the fact that I assumed we would never find each other again – I always thought of him, his sister and the friends on that block with great fondness. Very often, I would tell stories of our adventures and even write columns about them – because while they were out of my life – they were never out of my mind.

Then, on October 1st, I received an e-mail entitled, “Blast From The Past” – and it said the following:

“Hey there, In case you aren't sure yet, yes it's Jimmy, the kid from East 29th Street in Brooklyn. My mom and I were talking about you the other night and I decided to try to find you, and luckily, you have a website. How the hell are you? From what I can see on your site you are doing well, glad to see it. How are your mom and sister? I have such fond memories of your mom and how funny and kind she was to Danielle and I. Please tell her I said hi. I would love to hear from you sometime to catch up on all the stuff I haven't read. Drop me a note when you get a chance. Looking forward to hearing from you. Jimmy”

As I read the e-mail, I was so happy and excited to hear from Jimmy that I couldn’t even get past the first sentence. After all these years, both of us missed one another and still held dear all the memories we created. Just to know that he always thought of me as much as I thought of him made me realize how special and important our friendship was to one another. Almost instantly, I responded to him and, after a few e-mails, we got on the phone for the first time in over a decade.

As soon as the conversation began, it was as if no time had passed at all. We spent the first hour reminiscing about all the crazy stuff we did as kids – and even helped each other remember some gaps in our respective memories. The next hour had Jimmy telling me what happened to most of the kids that were part of our little group – and the third was devoted to catching each other up on our lives. Knowing I was going back to San Diego, I made him a promise that I would see him and his sister before I left…

…but what I got instead was an incredible visit to my life on East 29th Street all over again.

As it turned out, Jimmy was having a benefit for one of the kids who grew up with us who lost his life in a tragic way. Knowing we wanted to see each other, he invited me and I wholeheartedly accepted. Curious, I asked him if anyone else from the old block would be at the event – and to my surprise – at least half-a-dozen kids I knew were going to be there. I was so excited and eager to see them all – that I was the first one there.

Jimmy was the second to show up. As soon as we saw each other, we hugged and picked up our friendship right where we left off. Being the oldest of the group, I was always the biggest kid – and now – Jimmy was taller than me. When his sister Danielle arrived – I couldn’t believe how absolutely beautiful she had become. Remember, when I knew her – she was in pigtails. So to see her all grown up and as a woman was quite a shock. Also on hand was Alex, another kid who was part of our circle and someone I shared good times with – as well as David – a kid who grew up with us – and who’s two front teeth I knocked out on April 21, 1981.

The reason I know the date is because it was the day my father died – and the date marking the last time I ever punched another human being to this day. I was walking down the block mourning my father’s loss that day when he said something to me that made me angry. Truth be told, I wasn’t trying to hurt him – I was just trying to vent the anger over the loss of my dad. I always wondered what had happened to him – and if he still held a grudge over the incident. Luckily, he did not – and we not only got along great – but we even took a picture together and shared a couple of rounds like old friends.

At one point during the evening, I sat alone at the bar and looked around the crowd of people standing before me. I was amazed that I was staring at a group of kids who used to come to my house in pajamas and have sleepovers, who would invite me to their houses to play video games, who would go trick-or-treating with me – and who now were all grown up with homes, jobs, cars and kids of their own. In my wildest dreams, I never thought that I would be able to experience something like this – but thanks to God’s blessings, myspace’s existence – and Jimmy’s determination to find me – I did – and it is a night that I will never forget.

Although I am in the process of moving to San Diego, I will make the time to see Jimmy at least one more time before I leave. Jimmy went from the little kid that used to play Super Heroes with me and has grown up to become quite a successful and well-educated man – and I am very proud of him. I wish him and his sister nothing but the best in life – and offered them both an open invitation to come visit me on the West Coast anytime they want – to add new memories to the one’s we created all those years ago.