Remembering

Last weekend I found out that Curtis Cotton had died.  He was 54 years old and had a heart attack at home.  Curt was in my ninth grade English class that met 8th period in 1969-70, the first year I taught.  The first year of teaching is very dear to me.  During that year I discovered my love for teaching English, and I began to fall in love with another English teacher, who would in 1972 become my wife.  Because of these things and more, I remember that year very well.  And although I don't know if I've seen Curtis since 1973, the year he graduated, I remember him as well and as easily as if that long ago year was only weeks past. Curt was handsome, athletic, constantly smiling, and my gosh, that boy loved ROMEO AND JULIET.  We probably spent 6 weeks on the R&J unit, reading it in class, seeing the movie at the old Shoppingtown Theatres, and listening to the record.  Curt knew the story inside out. We used to do quote reviews, where I would begin to read a quote, in anticipation of someone raising his or her hand, shouting, "Oh, oh!" and guessing the identity of the speaker.  In Curt's class, I couldn't get two words out when Curt's hand would be waving wildly.  I'd nod to him and he would say, "Mercutio" or "Lady Capulet" or whoever, and he was always right.  So, I will always remember Curtis as that happy, smiling young man who was a true romantic.

More bad news, I'm afraid.  I have mentioned earlier in my blogging that I have been planning a 40th college fraternity unit for the fall.  I had been trying to find an address for Bob "Mig" Miglioratto, a great friend.  Last night a fraternity brother from Florida e-mailed to tell me that he had contacted Mig's wife, and she told him that Mig had terminal cancer and was currently in hospice.  She also said that it would do no good to call him as he would be unable to take a call.

Discovering the fate of an ex-student and an old friend within days of each other is troubling and thought-provoking.  It's another reminder of how vulnerable we are, and how important friends and family and literature and romance and all the many things we truly love truly are.

Now, a couple of less important parts of this posting.  We went to see DISTRICT 9 this weekend.  This was a major feat for me, because Linda will see nothing scary and the only alien she wants to hear anything about is ET.  She was even scared of Alf.  (That's not true, but I thought it was funny, and this blog needs a little comic relief.)  She went because Edie Pinegar liked it.   She needed a female perspective to get her to lower her anti-horror/science fiction guard.  She actually liked the movie pretty well.  I did, too.  I loved the documentary style and the fact that the actors were all unknowns.  I also liked the fact that the young director who made the film only spent 30 million dollars, which is coffee money for big budget blow-up epics like THE TRANSFORMERS.  Ultimately, I found the film good, but a little bit lacking, and I'm not quite sure why I wasn't totally sold.  See it, though.  It'll make you think.

Quick literary mention:  THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is a wonderful book.  It's an epistolary novel,in other words it's told completely through letters and telegrams.  THE GL AND PPPS is the story of life on the Channel Island of Guernsey during the Nazi occupation.  When Linda first told me about it, I thought it sounded like chick lit.  No way.  It's lit. for everyone.