GAK & Ak

I have recently become friends on Facebook with an old college buddy. Gary, known as GAK, a nickname resulting from his pronounceable initials, and his commute pal Curt, known as Ak, the first two letters of his last name, my friend Val and I were a foursome. We had classes together, many interests in common  and all four of us were in the musical Brigadoon together freshman year. I remember Gary as being hysterically funny in a wickedly self deprecating way.  He also sang beautifully. We commiserated over the blessing/curse of our naturally curly hair. GAK and Ak were the best guy friends a girl could have. Who else would have drunkenly serenaded me by inserting my name into the Brigadoon main theme. Their voices resounded in the cinder block stairwell of my dormitory. Good times. Gary now does public relations work for a school district. Val he hasn't heard from since the late 80's. He and Ak fell out of touch soon after, but Gary learned via their high school reunion that Curt is now living in Amsterdam teaching people how to be butlers. Which never occurred to me as a career option. But it does make me wonder if he trained Pope Benedict's butler. Who seems to be in a bit of hot water. If he did, there are but two degrees of separation between moi and the Pope. I'm such a shameless name dropper.