We would walk by Newbury college a culinary school. The kids would irritate me with their rash driving. On occasion the college would hold neighborhood lectures. I have heard Michael Sandel speak (please do watch Justice!) and Larry Summers as well. Both are neighbors. Indeed, I was quite worried that Summers would call me out one of the days, since Fred favored one of his flowering plants!
Over the years, Newbury college fell into financial difficulties. Colleges in the US are closing at the rate of two a week. Newbury College was not spared either.
In its place now, is an upscale Elder Care facility. If you said it’s a new Ritz Carlton, I would have believed you.
During the same time, the reservoir was replaced by a curated park. Tiny tots now play their organized soccer. Teeens throw the frisbee. Fredward galloped about the field like the wind. Butterflies and thrushes abound in the wet meadow. But the coyotes and the golden fox with a white tailed tip were gone.
After 15 years, Fred is gone too. His garden is thriving in our front yard. I got some Dale Chihuly memorabilia from Seattle last year. As soon as it turns spring I will place them in Fred’s garden.
As I walk by myself these days, past Newbury, I wonder if the elders in the facility will want to go back to school again, and Newbury college can emerge again, finding a new season and educating a different sort of student.
3 comments:
Betsy and I had a very similar feeling walking 🚶♀️ through Fisher Hill Estates, the new development going up on Route 9 Soliera, and of course Newbury. We are so grateful to have such a wonderful location so close to the city 🌆. It feels like the neighborhood is getting developed around us like the children’s story about the little house in the big city.
Beautiful memoirs with Fred and passage of time with him.
Enjoyed it thoroughly.
Loved this very very much and shows your love for him and how he is honoured by you.
Hats off to you.
This memoir holds your whole thesis in one hillock.
Reservoir with coyotes and a fox with white tipped tail becomes curated park with soccer and thrushes. Culinary college with rash driving and Sandel lectures becomes elder care so fine you would believe it is a Ritz Carlton. Fred galloping like wind becomes a thriving garden in front of your house waiting for Chihuly glass in spring. You walking Fred up the hill becomes you walking alone.
You never argue, you show change. The line where Fred wonders why the coyote is not on a leash gives us Fred entirely. The line about Ritz Carlton says everything about colleges closing at two a week without needing a rant.
Your closing answers your earlier essay. There you coined ontological leverage, what should never be handed over. Here you answer, the desire to learn. You imagine elders in that facility wanting school again, Newbury emerging for a different student. That is not nostalgia, that is second season.
It is Aging on the Vine distilled: loss, curation, continuity.
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