I enjoyed the distinct privilege of frequent interaction with Wes while I was serving as an adult leader of his 11-year-old scout patrol. As I became acquainted with Wes, his quirky sense of humor and his quick wit greatly endeared him to me-I really enjoyed being around him. Although we both moved on from those particular scouting activities and the resulting structured interaction, I have tried to pay attention to the various activities Wes and the other boys are involved in as they move on through adolescence. I was particularly intrigued when I heard that Wes had been assigned the role of Troy Bolton in Mountain Ridge Jr. High's recent production of "High School Musical." Several students in our neighborhood were participating in the show and my wife wanted to go to support some of the young women she is involved with. The main reason I wanted to see it was to watch and support Wes! As the cast, crew, and audience were mingling after the show, Wes was surrounded by well-wishers. I didn't want to interrupt his moment by making him take time to talk to a dorky old guy, so I resisted the urge to barge in to congratulate him. However, as he was enjoying the revelry, our eyes met and I gave him a slight nod on a job well done. He waved to me in acknowledgement and I waved back in a parting gesture. That is a good memory. In the future, as I occasionally reminisce and wax nostalgic about my adventures with those various scouts with whom I was involved, I expect that Wes will be one of the first to pop into my head. I'm gonna miss that kid.