Whence Uncle Emil?

     He used to come visit most every day.  But that was a long time ago.  Emil liked me more when I was a young man.  Now it seems I've grown to be too much of an old fart and have a brain to match for his tastes.
     Over the years he travelled with me under a number of names.  Wore a lot of different hats.  Had what used to be called a wicked sense of humor.  And usually came to visit when I was alone.  Gotta admit I miss him.  He made me laugh a lot, usually silently, and occasionally passed on ideas other people didn't find funny.  Nothing escaped his observations.  And they were only observations, nothing more.
     Oddly, he might occasionally blither on about situations where I worked.  Do so in a joking kind of way.  Get me to write down what he'd said, then get me to read his humor aloud at a work group meeting.  Normal, salt of the earth people, would find his references no more than something to laugh about.  Once in a while an astute manager would see through the joking to find several good ideas hidden inside.
     Yeah, he came calling a lot before I retired.  And got my ass in a sling with more mangers than I've got fingers and toes.  Caused our CEO to say he'd never again visit a station in the Twin Cities.  Or so I heard later.  But that was my fault, not Emil's.
     Where is he now?  Beats me.  Maybe he's a Peter Pan kinda thing.  Only visits the young of heart.  I've considered re-reading old blog entries with the hopes he'll return to make fun of me.  But that's asking a lot from an old man.