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Today's Featured Biography

 
Raphael Kraljic

What a long strange trip it�s been����

(Some details have been removed as my mother is still alive.)
Born in Austria I came to Elk River as a wee young one in 1949 to the depot that is no longer
.
Was educated with part of the class of �66, at St. Andrew�s before spending two years in the seminary then joining the entire class to graduate. Academic claim to fame � only individual permanently kicked out of his class by Dave Halgren during his long teaching career.)

After graduation, impoverished I talked to Neil Connelly and agreed with him that the Army was the way to go; let them pay my college. Spent a year in electronics school in NJ and a couple years in Germany successfully keeping the Russkies in Czechoslovakia and out my bar in Hiedelberg.

Came back and had to take the SAT test with a bunch of kids as I had not graduated in the top half of the class of �66. (Did graduate at the top of the lower third though.) made an academic come back -- graduated with honors at St. Cloud. Worked a couple years as an engineer then took a little pre-retirement � 2 1/2 years in Europe. People said it would damage my career path. No problem � Figured career paths were for older people who required direction.

Got good references so I got some work picking grapes in the Cognac region of France. Was known as �Rapido�. With references from fellow (Spanish) migrant workers I was offered a job picking oranges in Valencia, Spain. Passed on that job so I could continue hitch-hiking, visiting museums like the Louvre, the Prada, get some liberal arts education; ya betcha.

Got an offer as a gigolo from a wealthy woman that owned a big boat in Monte Carlo. Too old, 45, plus she wanted me to get a hair cut.

Came back to the US. Got a job. Doubled my salary. Most of my interviewers stated that they wished they�d done something like that when they were young. Still looking for that career path � maybe selling fire ants for their protein content to the middle aged looking for immortality, thicker hair, and multiple orgasms.

So with my new job I traveled to a lot of exotic places, India, Korea, Brazil, Alabama, Boston etc. Took a vacation or two to Europe every year to see relatives and friends. Occasionally went to Hong Kong to get a custom made suit with my name on it �screw Armani � everybody wears his suits.

Got laid off because Anderson (of Enron fame) helped cook the books; but not before I became engaged to a girl born in Brooklyn whom I met at a school board meeting in Elk River � made the front page of the local paper. Got married in �95 then got another job � worked mainly in Wisconsin, Canada with a few jaunts to Poland, England, China�..
Had twins, Malie and Rafael, in June of 1998 and been living happily ever after.

Seriously, getting married and having healthy children, is the highlight of my life. I do wish I had done this a decade earlier; but it is still great.

I wish to thank all the individuals who are making our reunion possible. Looking back I wish I had known more classmates better. Unfortunately athletics and working at Joe�s Superette left little time for socializing. Mary and I built a house on Twin Lakes Road near the east Elk River border with Burns Township (Nowthen). We hope to remain here till we move back the old neighborhood west of the post office in the old folks home or whatever it�s called now.

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