Sheila M. Clark and Michael N. Marcus met as classmates in Mrs. McGarthy’s room in the Davis Street School in New Haven, Connecticut, way back in 1956, shortly after the pterodactyls became extinct.

They both love to read and write, and both of their careers have included writing articles, books and advertising copy, and editing the work of other writers. They've both written about technical subjects, and both have spent many years in telecommunications.  It would seem that, since they have known each other for so long, and have had parallel career paths, they would have been best of friends for over half a century.

But it wasn’t that way at all.

Mrs. McGarthy’s class was a split fifth and sixth grade. Michael was an immature jerk in fifth grade, while Sheila was a mature young adult in sixth. The grade difference was a nearly impenetrable barrier, and they probably never spoke more than six words during the time they were in the same room.

During junior and senior high school they nodded or smiled a few times while passing through the hallways, but neither of them remembers any conversation.

(Fast forward to 2009) Michael recognized Sheila’s name on a social networking website, and sent her an email, and many emails followed. If Al Gore had not invented the Internet, they might never have reconnected.

The former classmates were amazed at all they had in common—not just in careers but in musical taste, politics and personalities. They both like to spice up dull subjects with humor and think Sarah Palin is an idiot.  They became best buds online, and Michael hired Sheila to edit two books.

Michael describes Sheila as “eagle-eyed,” and a “grammarian par excellence.” He seduced her into being his writing partner for a book about publishing misteaks.

Sheila and Michael have some intriguing commonalities—and contrasts.

1. Sheila wrote about pharmaceuticals in New Jersey, and Michael was accused of being a drug dealer while in college in Pennsylvania (which is next to New Jersey).
2.  Sheila has a cat, but Michael has a dog. He had a cat in college when he was accused of being a drug dealer.
3.  Sheila won a poetry award from the Atlantic Monthly (now The Atlantic) while in high school. Michael was sent to the principal’s office while in junior high school because he refused to write a poem.
4. Sheila has worked as a French-to-English translator and English tutor to French students. Michael knows how to say Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?, la plume de ma tante est sur le bureau de mon oncle, Chevrolet coupé, bon appétit, soixante-neuf, sacré bleu, non, faux and au jus.
5. They both used to watch Buster Crabbe as “Captain Gallant of the (French) Foreign Legion” on TV.
6. Michael once made money SCUBA diving for lost golf balls. Sheila did not.
7. Sheila worked for AT&T. Michael competed with AT&T.
8. Since Sheila readopted her maiden name after her divorce, they both have last names that can be first names.
9. They both expect to be named “Amazon.com Customer of the Year” for buying so many books.
10.  Sheila never writes “that” when the proper word is “which.” Michael often gets it wrong, but Sheila fixes it.



They are une équipe formidable.