CHECK
MATE
In 2009, I received an invitation from my college to attend an “Old
Guard” alumni luncheon. It listed the names of last year’s attendees, two of
whom I knew: Tom Gaynor and Andrew Santulli.
I had no idea Tom had graduated from Stevens. He had taught math at the high
school Andrew and I had attended. Seeing those two names induced me to fall
into nostalgic swoon. I found Andrew’s phone number in the Stevens alumni log and
called him on the spot.
We reviewed our lives. In May 1944, Andrew and I competed to try and win one
of three full scholarships Stevens Institute of Technology awarded annually to
our high school. Neither of us won one of them. I managed to snag a partial
scholarship, and started attending Stevens in July, about one week after
graduating high school. I completed three semesters in one calendar year before
being drafted into the Army.
As I left college, Andrew arrived. He had received a draft deferment, and
had worked for a year at the local shipyard before enrolling at Stevens. I
returned to school in 1947 but our college lives never crossed. He never participated
in any school activities as he had to work to pay tuition.
“I barely managed to graduate as I
never got good grades. I couldn’t find a decent job afterwards. Finally, Babcock
and Wilcox, one of the largest manufacturers of steam generating equipment in
the country at the time, hired me to work in their Barberton ,
Ohio Cleveland ,
all public transportation had been shut down by a gigantic snow storm. I looked
around, thought ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ and took the next train back
home.
Fortunately, I found a job with the New York Port Authority and worked
there for 32 years before retiring. I had worked on the 72nd floor
of the WTC and knew many of those who died on 9/11.
I’m married, father of three sons, one of whom died in my arms of brain
cancer while only a young adult. My faith in God helped me endure this tragedy.
My other sons are both very successful.”
I asked, “Do you still play the clarinet as you did in our high school band?”
He seemed pleased that I had recalled that. “No, I haven’t played it in
years.”
Andrew told me that at the Old Guard luncheon he
asked Mr. Gaynor, “Do you remember me? You taught me to play chess. I still
love the game, and play it every day on the Internet.”
Tom
said, “No, but Santulli sounds like a Hoboken
name.”
I
suggested to Andrew that we meet up in Cleveland
to play a chess match to determine which one of us learned more from Mr.
Gaynor. He declined. He would have won, easily as Tom never taught me math or
how to play that game.
▀
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