Mission 1994
I feel like I'm going to sound like a complete idiot here. I'm on a mission to find my grade 4 teacher because of a banana. Let me explain.
The year was 1994. I had just turned the double digits. He had shoulder length, grey hair and a mustache. He taught us how to play chess and he played the banjo. We would sit on the carpet listening to our teacher, Mr.Park, play his banjo, singing "The Cat Came Back". He liked telling his class funny stories. I remember once during the winter of that year, I fell on the ice and locked my jaw open. After staff managed to pop my jaw back in place I had a very sore face especially if I talked or laughed and so my teacher tried to tell me a sad story about a worm being eaten by a bird, but I laughed instead.
One particular day we were sitting on the carpet as he was telling us a story about a banana. This was no ordinary banana. You see, a regular banana, when taken out of the peel easily splits into 1/3's lengthwise. But he found a banana that split into 1/4's! This is a rare mutation found in some bananas. He told us that if we ever found a banana that split into 4's we would have to show him, even if he was in an old age home.
I have been on the hunt for that banana ever since. It has been exactly 20 years since i sat on that carpet .
Well yesterday, I was eating lunch with Hans, my 1 year old boy. We were sharing cheese sandwiches and a banana. I started splitting the banana to give Hans his 1/3. But this one didn't split into 1/3's... it split into 4!! I was so excited that I jumped out of my chair and immediately grabbed my phone/camera to document it.
I've started to search for Mr.Park. The only problem is I have no information on him other than calling him Mr.Park, and that in 1994 he taught grade 4 at Grey Central Public school. I'm hoping someone out there can help me. I now it seems silly that I want to locate him because of a banana, but it would mean a lot. I've gone as far as emailing the Ontario College of Teachers and the Avon Maitland District School Board in hopes of at least getting an e-mail address. I have no idea how else to search for him. If you see this, and you know him, help me find Mr.Park.
