P.A. 1964
Tom Seligson
15 Bradley Street
Westport, CT 06880
October, 1998

This is the second to last column before our upcoming 35th reunion. It's scheduled for the week-end of June 11-13, and it's not too early to make plans. Paul Gallagher and I will be organizing the event. But whatever we do in terms of parties, brunches, class hats, etc. will be less important than our turn-out. You'll be hearing this message more as the week-end approaches. For now, let me share a number of reasons why you should seriously plan to attend. It's not just to remember how beautiful our old campus is in spring, and to recall the vivid memories that the dormrooms, playing fields, and commons can't help but evoke. Most importantly, these reunions are an opportunity to reconnect with classmates, not as we were way back then, but as we are now. If you're like I am, that number "35" seems very hard to accept. For me and others I've spoken to, the only thing that makes this getting older process bearable is knowing we're not alone. And there's no one better than fellow classmates, with whom we shared so much as boys, to share the satisfactions, problems, and questions we now all encounter as men. It's also just plain fun to see old friends, and to make new ones. I can't tell you the number of classmates who say their best memories from past reunions were conversations they had with guys they didn't even know way back then.

John Carr, who you'll remember brought his bike to our 25th, is seriously considering coming back again. John reports that he's still happily brokering real estate in the resort section of Lower Michigan, which he refers to as "the Gold Coast" of the midwest. John waxes rhapsodic about his 13 mile commute over "some of the most beautiful scenery in the country," and says he and his two sons, 15 and 10, take full advantage of the nearby mountains and lakes. John runs into Tom Carothers, who's an orthopedic surgeon in Cincinnati, because Tom's father owns a beach house near by. He also hears from Rennie Potter. He told me that he's twice been a guest of the Clinton White House. A classmate of the President's at Georgetown, he and 600 other graduates celebrated their 25th reunion at Bill's home, back in 1993. Apparently Clinton promised that he if were elected again he'd invite the class back for their 30th, which was this spring. The President kept his word.

I think a reunion at the White House sounds like a fabulous idea, and if our favorite cheerleader and now Republican hopeful George Bush succeeds in moving in, it'll be just in time for our 40th. Your loyal secretary promises to pursue the matter. As for now, "the Lip" looks like being Governor agrees with him, and he sounds like he hasn't forgotten his P.A. roots. Bob Marshall sent me a clipping which quoted George as telling a reporter who tried to draw him out about a Presidential race this way: "Nice try, Guy!" I may have reported before that Clay Johnson is George's Appointments Director, responsible for the more than 3000 appointments to various Boards and Committees that the Governor makes in a 4 year term. Clay used to run the Horchow Collection, and the Dallas Museum of Art before joining forces with George. Clay has twin sons, 25, both of whom work in D.C. He sees Rob Dieter, plays golf with Peter Pfeifle, and says Dan Cooper recently paid a visit. Rob Auld, another member of the Texas Mafia, reports that he's moved from Dallas to Hong Kong, where he's managing Fidelity Investments' equity investment group for Asia. Rob writes: "Naturally, just after I arrived every stock market and Asian currency went right in the toilet, so it has kept things interesting. And it gives me a reason to keep up with all of Jeff Garten's writings on the international scene here in Asia." Rob invites anyone who's visiting Hong Kong to get in touch. "I'll buy them drinks and feed them some sea-weed or something." His office Email is robert.auld@fidelity.com.

I received an exotic looking postcard from John Axelrod and our Abbot favorite Jackie Eby who were travelling together in the Amazon. John, who's been a major collector of Latin American art, went to Buenos Aires to sell his entire collection (he's now focusing on African American and African Brazilian art.) Jackie, who's been a friend since childhood, and so accompanied John, told me about their side trip into the Heart of Darkness. She says that John was the brave one of the two, climbing up into tree houses to play with monkeys, hunting snakes, fishing for piranha, and becoming obsessed with holding sloths. "John was going native, while I kept looking around for where I could get a manicure," she said. Jackie also reports that Tony Bryant's daughter Katherine got married at the Kent School, where she works, and that Jackie's daughter, Jennifer, was bridesmaid.

Once again, don't forget the week-end of June 11-13. You've got a date with close past, present, and future friends.