Who knew an old family photo might become a collector’s item! The attached photo is of my son Chris Meister and his daughter Julia Meister along with now soon-to-be President Biden. Julia, who was about 2½ at the time, is now a junior in college. They were at the home of David Wilhelm in Chicago, and Biden took to Julia in a big way, maybe with memories of the daughter he lost in the car accident years earlier. For Julia, not so much as she looks like she could use a nap.
As she grows older, Julia seems to be drawn to the printed word. She was a co-editor of the yearbook when she was at OPRF High School and almost single-handedly produced her college yearbook at Wellesley when it was about to die because of lack of interest. It came out midsummer and might become a collector’s item in the year of COVID.
It was dedicated to her maternal grandfather, Jim Fleischer, who died about 18 months ago. He had been editor of the University of Illinois yearbook years ago when he was a student there. I truly think he inspired her as she enjoyed looking through it when she visited him and heard his stories. One cannot cuddle up with a computer or iPad the way one can with a picture book with your grandfather next to you!
Joan Meister
Oak Park
