Back in 2017, “06880” published a story headlined “Mitch & Lisa 4Ever.”
It noted that back in the day, the Parent Child Center on Hillspoint Road was Hillspoint Elementary School.
Children’s Community Development Center director Eileen Ward had just found a decades-old love note, scrawled on an art room closet metal plate:
Who, “06880” wondered, were Mitch and Lisa?
And did their love really endure, 4ever?
Seven years later, we know.
The other day, I received this email: “Earlier today, my brother Phil and I were reminiscing about our childhood in Westport. We got on the subject of the wonderful field trips we had at Hillspoint Elementary.
“Somehow, someway, as I searched Hillspoint Elementary school and our names, I stumbled upon your post. I considered adding a comment to the original story, then thought it best to email you directly.
“I am Mitch Freshour, co-author of the clandestine graffiti, along with Lisa Rafter.
“We were childhood sweethearts, and I have fond memories of those young days. I can’t recall the exact year, but we would’ve been in 5th or 6th grade, around 1973 or ’74.
Hillspoint Elementary School (Photo copyright/Paul Ehrismann)
“We were cast members in a play, and I remember there being a couple of large refrigerator sized cardboard boxes. During down times between rehearsing and building sets, a few of the ‘couples’ would gather backstage and take turns going into the boxes together to sneak a kiss!
“I’m guessing it was probably during this period that we wrote on the cover.
“I lived at 4 Turtleback Lane, and Lisa lived directly behind our house at 5 Peaceful Lane. One of several enduring memories of that time was hanging out in her basement in the afternoon with the lights out, listening to a Beach Boys LP.
“My family moved to Ohio before I could finish my first year at Long Lots Junior High, so unfortunately I lost track of Lisa. However, I’m 99% sure I found her on Facebook, living in Colorado with her husband and family.”
Mitch is still in Ohio. He’s retired, after a 25-year career as a mechanical career with with Honda Research & Development.
He plans to reached out to Lisa. “It was sooo long ago,” he notes.
He also wonders what became of the wall plate.
Let’s hope we won’t wait 7 more years for that answer.
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