In ONLY 3 days (from Tuesday, the date this was entry was *supposed* to be published), I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday. In honor of that countdown, here's memory #3: the GUYS of LVC ...
I saved something special for the final entries ... and tonight it's about remembering the guys who influenced me the most (gals follow in the next post). Unlike the first set in the top 10, they are people instead of experiences, so they can't possibly be ranked ... which means they'll be presented in alphabetical order by first name.
Although all of them have been mentioned before in this countdown, their importance to my personal development during my decade (ish) of my undergrad means they deserve a second shout-out:
Andrew P: Andy was content to be behind the spotlight (occasionally quite literally), a position in the theatre group that often ends up the unsung hero, what with all the attention focused on the actors, but he was out on the front lines as the face of the murder mysteries we did on my return to campus, working the "box office" (such as it was ... it was a box of cash). He was the first face people would see every time they came to one of those events, and he was a face on which I knew I could always count. I am grateful for his loyalty and for his friendship all these years.
Brad H: Brad also was supportive of the murder mysteries back in the day, plus he graciously let me take his roommate after I was away for a year (who was my roommate before I left). As such, he was a regular during FE213's glory days (when our dorm room expanded to welcome any good friends at any time of day) -- plus he never complained for having to ride in the way back of the little Ford Escort when we all piled in for a Memorial Lake/Funck's run. I am grateful for his support and his friendship all these years.
Jon M: Jon broke my roommate "curse" (none lasted more than one semester with me), and helped me realize that it was them and not me. Together we created MG103 and FE213 as places where no topic was off limits for conversation, where no person was unwelcome, where ALL the feels and all the different kinds of feels happened ("like sands through the hourglass ... so were the days of our dorm lives"). And I'm not just saying this 'cause he has a connection to Pearl Jam tickets -- although I would be remiss if I didn't mention how he shaped my musical tastes during those years. I am grateful for how he opened his mind and challenged me to do the same and for his friendship all these years.
Renato B: Renato was my first director ... my first protector ... my first advocate ... my first idol -- all these and more. And all I had to do was feed his Sprite addiction -- a small price to pay for the wisdom he imparted. He saw potential in me and a future for me when I looked in the mirror and didn't quite yet know *what* I was seeing. He fought for me and in so doing, he gave me a place and set me on a path. I am grateful for his mentorship and for his friendship all these years.
Rich G: Rich and I only interacted on the main stage at LVC but once, but we played brothers on the smaller stage frequently, thanks to those murder mysteries. The most rewarding part was, though, that life imitated art. I had someone whom I could protect and for whom I could advocate, and I got all the fun of having a little brother on campus (competitive sometimes, impish others, trouble most days -- but the kind of trouble you love to have because it gives you purpose) -- all until he left (and we sat in my car listening to Toad the Wet Sprocket's 'Don't Go Away). But the bonds forged in college last longer than the time spent official there, and once family, always family. I am grateful for his brotherly love and his friendship all these years.
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