Earlier in the year, I had not expected to travel back to the Boston area this year. With BC playing at Stanford, my usual classmate contingent came west to attend and the Notre Dame game at BC was limited to people with season tickets.
San Diego friends Lori and Joe Mahler, however, had season tickets and made one available to me, so I kept my string alive of visits to family and friends back East. And this time, in almost peak foliage season.
Taking my usual redeye in late October, I was able to recover at the home of Jackie Hewitt and Ed Hattauer in Winchester. That’s their driveway in the picture at the top of the post, conveying, I think, a classic scene of the season.
After visiting cousin Kathy Gagne McManamy on Plum Island, I returned to Winchester and later met Tom Burke for lunch October 31. As we walked into the Stockyard in Brighton, I recognized by sight and by sound my classmate, Bob Ryan. Bob is the Hall-of-Fame sportswriter and columnist for the Boston Globe.
He was lunching with Tony Massarotti, co-host of the #1 Boston sports radio program Felger & Mazz. As Tom chatted with Bob, Tony asked me what my relationship was with Bob. I told him, “Bob was on my staff at BC when I was co-sports editor of The Heights. Taught him everything he knows.” (Latter part of that not at all true.) Mazz looked stunned nonetheless.
That afternoon, I met with former BC colleagues Susan Callaghan, Paul Hennessy, and Pat Casey. I had worked with Susan and Paul when I was editor of Boston College Magazine almost 50 years earlier. Lee Pellegrini, photographer with us, had died in August after working at BC for 40 years. We had reconnected sharing that news and recalled that afternoon how much we treasured our experiences together.
The game was the next day. The Eagles were already 1-7 and the Irish were favored by four touchdowns, so I was less expecting a competitive game and more interested in the spectacle.
First, though, there’s tailgating. Ken Hamberg has a prime spot outside of Gate A at Alumni Stadium and that’s where we gathered.
Joining us were Lori and Joe Mahler.
Our seats were on the east side of the stadium. While it meant we were among more visitors than on the west side, we had the sun for more of the game. That was a bonus on that brisk day.
Here are the Eagles entering the stadium.
You may hear some boo’s, because we were surrounded by Notre Dame fans. As mentioned earlier, Notre Dame was favored by 28 1/2 points. At halftime, Notre Dame had the lead, but only 12-7. The Irish fans were getting irritated. “What? Are you trying to give it away?” was one comment I heard. Among many like it.
In the third quarter, Irish fans got even more irritated and BC fans might have gotten a slight feeling of hope when the Eagles cut the lead to two, 12-10. I imagined fans in stadiums around the country looking at scores of other games and saying, “Wow! Look at the Notre Dame score.”
Early in the fourth quarter, BC drove to the Irish 23, but ND intercepted a pass at the six. Next play, Jeremiah Love, considered by many the best running back in college football, ran 94 yards for a touchdown. Irish won 25-10.
Much better than expected, but BC’s eighth loss.
Headed down to the Cape to see my sister and friends there. Met Ann in Woods Hole after she took the ferry from Martha’s Vineyard.
We went to Falmouth for lunch and found a place that specialized on breakfast toast. Saw one option was “Avocado Sunrise,” an avocado toast with a fried egg.
I was a little concerned about getting avocado on the Cape, but it ended up being ripe and delicious. I told the staff there that I lived in the “Avocado Capital of the World,” which is how Fallbrook describes itself, and that I thought theirs was pretty good.
Spent a long night, into the morning, talking with long-time friend Richard Sullivan, then visited with classmate and shipmate Steve Curran and his wife, Kathy. I had not known Steve at BC and met him when I joined the crew of USS Biddle (DLG-34). Then visited Susan and classmate Reid Oslin.
Driving on the mid-Cape highway, I found it a interesting comparison to my earlier trip on I-5 through the Central Valley of California.
Cape
Central Valley
Back to Winchester and then to BC to see former colleagues. Visited with Maureen Raymond and Nate Kenyon. Very much missed visiting with Lee Pellegrini.
For three of my recent visits to Boston, I had a pickup truck as my rental vehicle. I had not reserved one, but it was either available or the only option available at the same rate as my less expensive choice. This time, the clerk said she noticed I was alone and asked if I would be okay with a “larger vehicle.” “Is it a pickup?,” I asked. No, but it was bigger than usual.
This is a Toyota Highlander . . . sorry, a Grand Highlander. Bigger than the regular SUV. Nice vehicle . . . and red, just like my ride at home.
Heading home, I took my traditional photo of a serving of Legal Seafoods clam chowder at Logan.
And headed home, happily.