Dr. Crook went to a small private college in northern Minnesota, St. John’s. It’s an all-male Benedictine school, complete with monks, of course. He went on a football scholarship, and finds it funny that he got the chance to do something “wise” because he was good at hitting other people.
The football program there is quite good, he says, and their coach has won more games than any other college coach. I believe the current total is 439 games. The man who coached Jon Crook in the 60s is still there.
So the alumni are a fairly tight-knit bunch, especially the football players.
***
Dr. Crook received a letter from the university president 14 days after the 9/11 attacks. As it turns out, a St. John’s alumnus, a football player, was on US flight 93, the one that crashed before reaching its apparent target. He hadn’t played with Dr. Crook, but “he was one of ours,” he said. And he began to break down right there in class.
He went on to tell us that he’d contacted the man’s wife. This player had called her from the flight after the terrorists took over. She told him what was going on in New York, and asked him what he was going to do.
“I’ve still got my plastic fork from breakfast, and I’m not going down without a fight,” he said.
And that was the last time they spoke.
***
Sharing this story with us prompted some emotional moments in class. It started because someone brought up the movie that’s coming out about this. Almost all of us said we’re not going to see it.
***
It was a fine evening. Class was good. I didn’t get to present my project, but that’s okay. Seeing what the others presented bolstered my confidence a bit. I wasn’t nervous. I just mean that I felt that my choice of topics was somewhat validated, right in line with what Dr. Crook was looking for. I mean, he only gave us one primary criterion: Learn something and communicate it.
***
Today Kelli intends to take THEKIDS to some sort of party/festival/wingding for her own school. THEBOY is pretty pumped up about it.
***
I’ve had (some of) my coffee, had my scone… I hope it’s a good day for you and for me.
3 comments:
I just simply can't imagine ever watching that movie.
On a lighter note, I just tried that always dangerous "next Blog" tab after I finished catching up on the trials of BB, and let me tell ya, I didn't recognize the language, but I vaguely recognized the body parts. Whoa, won't try that in a room full of nuns again.
Jeff P.
Laughing here... I needed that.
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