Class of '97 Law School Reunion, University of Minnesota

Yesterday was Angelo's one-year anniversary since he moved to the CNMI! I read his blog in which he mentioned some of the highlights of his one-year here. Then I read Brad's blog and he mentioned about an old friend from the past calling him up out of the blue. Yesterday, I had a combination of both happen to me.

Daisie, my chief of staff, took a phone call and asked me if I knew a Joe Henderson and would I take a call from him. My reaction was, "Joe Henderson?! Oh, My God! Yes, for sure!" Joe is a good friend of mine from the University of Minnesota Law School and the last time I spoke to him was when we graduated in 1997! Joe told me that he predicted to Daisie what my reaction would be upon hearing his name and Daisie confirmed that his prediction was right.

Joe called to inform me that he and some Law School chums are trying to get the Class of '97 together for a 10-year class reunion on April 19 (that's right, next month!) and he was assigned to track me down. He said that it would be such a coup to get me to come to the reunion.

He mentioned what he had to go through to finally track me down (he googled my name; he got on a government site; called the Governor's Office--until he ended up calling the Washington Rep's Office. He said he told them, "I'm trying to track down a person name Cinta Kaipat." He was told, "You mean, the member of the Legislature?" He said, "I guess so." He didn't know of my recent election to the House of Representatives and I didn't inform the Alumni Association either. Then he said, "By the way, what time is it there?" They told him, "It's 4:30 in the morning," to which he replied, "OH....! No wonder they don't answer their phones!" I kept calling the Governor's Office!

Joe was one of my first friends in Law School. He was the life of the party; he was someone everyone wanted to be friends with. We were in Section 2B together, arguably, the Section to party with in law school. Hey -- watch it now. We did take our studies seriously, still, though perhaps not as seriously perhaps as the folks in Section A. LOL! (Hi, Matt!) But, Joe was a real hoot! He sang back-up choir to Chakka Khan at President Clinton's first inauguration; drove in his motorcade when Clinton came to speak at the Target Center in Minnesota, and he does a dead-on voice impersonation of Neil Diamond! (You owe me a song, Joe!)

Anyway, Joe, if you're reading this, it was GREAT to hear your voice again! Though I can't join you all this time, perhaps the next one (15-year anniversary, perhaps?). I wish you and the Class of '97 much success. Have a few for me!

Incidentally, if my old study partner, Senator Mee Moua (I don't know her married name now) shows up for the reunion, please give her my contact info (e-mail: cnmiservant@cintakaipat.com).

Hey, Joe, another thing I forgot to tell you -- I saw Greg Rice twice on Fox News. I think he was on the "O'Riley Factor" one time. (Greg was an ex-CIA agent who was in our graduating class also.) Tell him I saw him way out here in the Pacific in the middle of well, LOTS and LOTS of water!

And CONGRATULUATIONS on your upcoming nuptials. Wish I could be there for that, too!