Her name was Alice Webster and she’s the one teacher I’d like to get in touch with.

I learned to write in high school journalism class. Her class. And everything I learned after that was honing what she taught me.

I’m pretty sure she was a lesbian, although back then we didn’t use that word. She was a “spinster.” And a damn good writing teacher.

I’ve wanted to find her for years, but stopped short of the peoplesearch.com thing.

One of my classmates, the one who became principal of the school in later years, tells me that he served on a committee with her a few years ago.

That she looked so good he thought she might still be around.

He said he’d see if he could get contact info for her.

I hope he does.

We live in a world where skilled laborers make more than teachers.

And yet, it wasn’t our plumber, carpenter or garbage collector who made an impact on my life.

It was this one teacher.

Thank you, Alice Webster. I hope I get to tell you that in person.