I was fiddling around on Google during the wee hours and decided to search for Pamela Jean Bryant.  Who?  Pamela Jean Bryant was, in a singular way, a significant woman in my life.  She was the Playmate of the Month for April, 1978.  She also was the first Playmate who was younger than I.  By about 30 days.  This event doesn't qualify as a rite of passage, but the abstraction finally becomes real:  Playmates stay the same age; I'm getting older.  I sort of met Ms. Bryant later in '78 (could've been '79) when she did an appearance at the local electronics store in Iowa City where I was doing my first round of college. 

The store brought in a Playmate twice a year.  Young men were always lined up for a couple blocks.  You would get a signed glossy.  Many guys brought their copy of the centerfold for signature. 

Playboy found Ms. Bryant during the magazine's first "Girls of the [insert college conference]."  The "Girls of the Big Ten" hit the stands in time for the 1977 college football season.  And, yes, we all bought the issue for the football prognostications.  We undergrad males were very proud of our co-eds.   More lady Hawkeyes appeared in the issue than co-eds from any other school (suck it, Minnesota).  In the photo spread, representing Indiana University, was Pamela Jean Bryant.

As the line moved forward, I could hear Ms. Bryant chatting with whomever was getting a signature.  She sounded very warm and friendly.  I made it to the front of the line, looked down at Ms. Bryant sitting behind a table, her pen in hand.  She raise her gentle gaze at me, blond locks flowing down her back, and ...  I fucking froze.  Couldn't get a word out.  She signed a glossy, handed it to me and smiled.  I moved on.

Ms. Bryant later made a few low-budget movies, otherwise I have no idea.

Ms. Bryant from the 1980 non-classic,  Don't Answer the Phone

Image swiped from houseofselfindulgence.blogspot.com

As I said, I was doing a random search on Ms. Bryant.

She died last December at age 51.  Apparently of an asthma attack.  Really wasn't expecting that search result.  I sat back with a touch of shock and loss.  Not overwhelming by any means, but ... damn.

As small as the sense of loss is, the fact is, the loss is there.  Finally being older than a Playmate is as inconsequental as a life's touchstone can be.  Yet ....  For 34 years, I've remembered the name "Pamela Jean Bryant."  I will continue to do so.

If the link works, you'll see Ms. Bryant in all her centerfold glory.

May she be at peace.