Bill's Blog

Luke Rader

For more than month before we traveled to Brazil, Betty studied Castilian (Argentine Spanish) at a school in Recoleta. Here she met Mario. Besides being a really great guy, Mario is a late 20's German network engineer. He has been here nearly a year with his girl friend - another German. She has a great job.

Three weeks ago I met Mario. The three of us went out for coffee and later beer. It was a lot of fun. Sometime during our conversation, Mario was talking about Luke, an American that was at Spanish school that he and Betty attended. Betty had already told me that Luke was, in fact, also from the Twin Cities. They had done a number of things together and Mario seemed to know Luke pretty well. The strangest thing began to happen as he talked. I started to think that I knew who Luke was. I asked, what is his last name? He said, Raader. I laughed so hard and said, "His name is Raider."

Yes I knew Luke. His name is spelled Rader, but pronounced Raider. Some 35 years ago we worked together in the paving department for the City of Minneapolis. I worked with him another season two years later. The first twelve years of working for the City, I saw him often. When I moved on to the assessor's office, I saw him only a few times. Still, he is very memorable. What a coincidence it was to hear of him going to school with Betty more that 6000 miles from our old stomping grounds in Minnesota.

Betty and I were just a few days from heading out of town to visit Iguazu and Brazil. So I asked Mario to keep the fact of my presence from Luke's ears until we could surprise him. Mario agreed.

Today was the day that we surprised Luke. We arranged to meet Mario for lunch. He brought Luke and Betty brought me. He was just as surprised by it all as I was when I realized that Mario's was the Luke Rader that I have know for 35 years.

Luke seems to be enjoying himself. He is a film buff, and this town shows classic movie greats on a regular basis. The art available at auction is always a good deal. And if you just like art, there is plenty here to enjoy. The theater art are great here too with dozens of great theaters.

Well, that is my Luke Rader story. It just goes to show you what a small world we live in.

Posted by bill at May 31, 2005 05:34 PM