New year, old friends
January 04, 2004 ~ 12:45 a.m.
BOSTON, U.S.A.�Happy New Year, everyone.
A few days ago, I went to my alma mater, the University of Massachusetts at Boston, for a visit and a look-around. My first stop was the Library where I used to work from 1996-1999. Kenya, the receptionist for the Center for Survey Research, was still there but she informed me that no-one from the particular office I used to work in was still there.
I decided to go for a walk through the catwalk to McCormack Hall and passed by the offices of The Mass Media, the university paper at which I was the editorial pages editor and columnist from 1992-1994. I paused to reflect wistfully on my days there and wondered where everyone I�d worked with was and what they were all doing. The last time I�d seen any of them was at a party in January 1997�a gathering at which I began to feel uncomfortable�and I�d never seen nor heard from anyone from that editorial staff since.
After walking through the Geography department in the Science Building, where I spent many long hours (as that was my major), soaking up more nostalgia, I went to Wheatley Hall. I walked up to the fourth floor toward the Student Life offices. I remembered the Head of Student Life�who I knew well from my days with the newspaper�and the door to her office was open. I peeked in on her, but she was on the phone. She hadn�t noticed me, so I sat outside her door and waited till she had finished her call. When I got her attention, she looked up at me with genuine disbelief.
�Oh � my � God. How are you? �
I started to tell her where I�d been since the last time she�d seen me, several years ago. She interrupted me and said simply, �Look behind you.�
I turned around toward the reception counter and behind it was the former editor-in-chief of The Mass Media who had worked with me.
�I saw you sitting there, but I didn�t recognize you,� he said.
�What are you still doing here, man?� I asked, still a bit dumbstruck. He told me that shortly after I graduated from the university, he�d dropped out and only came back to finish his degree this academic year. He said he was working in Student Life, scheduling events and such.
It was such a chance meeting. But it was most welcome. I�d felt lonely and intensely nostalgic during my walk through the quiet corridors of the campus. Now, suddenly, here were two friendly faces from my own past at the university chatting with me. Incredible.
Atha and Donna: Good to see the both of you again, and I�ll be in touch throughout the New Year!
� M.E.M.
|
[Sign My Guestbook]
[View My Guestbook]
|
Copyright � 2001-2007 by M.E. Manning. All material is written by me, unless explicitly stated otherwise by use of footnotes or bylines. Do not copy or redistribute without my permission.
AMERICA FOR TRUE AMERICANS!