Features Editor

First loves and lost loves are loves that forever linger in one’s heart.

For James Mason, a lost love just might be the key to a lost life.

Mason was injured in a Harley-18-wheeler collision in 1986.

Naturally, the Harley got the blunt of the blow and Mason was riding the "Big Hog."

After months in the hospital and many subsequent surgeries, Mason was able to resume his life, with a cane and many blank pages.

"I can’t remember anything much from my junior and senior high school days and very little of my days driving an 18-wheeler," he said. "One thing – one person – I do remember well from the days as an over-the-road driver is Janice Walker. She keeps coming to mind after all these years."

Mason was young and she was young "and you know how young love is – real special."

Mason married and had two children and it didn’t seem to matter much that large pieces of his life were missing.

About 20 years ago,

he was visiting his mother in Montgomery and Walker happened to call there looking for him.

"I was married, so the conversation was short," Mason said."I didn’t really think about, at the time, that she could be a key to my past."

Last year, Mason’s wife died of cancer and, of late, he had been giving a lot of thought to his young love and his lost life.

"I don’t know where Janice is or whether she’s married or not," he said. "But, I do know that I would like to find her, so we could sit down and talk. She could fill in a lot of the blanks for me so maybe I could remember. It’s really hard when you lose a part of your life. Every day, I try to remember – but I just can’t."

Mason said he’s looking for a lost love and a lost life. If their meeting should rekindle a spark to an old flame, that would be just fine with him.

"Yeah," he said. "It would be nice to have someone special in my life again.

Maybe, I shouldn’t even be looking for Janice, but she’s been on my mind for a long time now. But, there’s a good chance she’s married, so I’m not even going to think about that. She’s a key to my past. I just hope I can find her so she can, maybe, unlock a lot of memories for me."

Walker was originally from Highland home but was living in Troy when Mason last heard from her.

Mason’s telephone number is (334) 221-3251.