Fred Cassidy

[Dennis R. Preston]

Natalie,

The day before (or after) that, Fred, Walter Cichocki, my wife Carol and I
went for a drive around Bangor, to the boondocks, which Fred and I both
liked. We got lost (in the road, not the direction, sense) and decided to
go up and over (rather than the stodgy, which Fred was never for, around).
As we came to the end of the road and I started to turn back, Fred hopped
out of the car, opened the sheep gate, and waved us through. "Got to be a
way down," said the only person (other than Santa Claus) who I ever saw who
actually had a twinkle in his eye. A little later we came down on the other
side, the bright lights of Bangor in the distance.

dInIs

>I've got a wonderful picture I took of Fred Cassidy standing on top
>of a large boulder somewhere around Bangor, Wales, in '87.  I remember
>being impressed with his energy as he scrambled up its side.  I guess
>it was that same energy that kept him going, both physically and
>mentally, for another thirteen years.
>
>And suddenly I'm reminded of Michael Miller.  No doubt on the morning
>of the day I took that picture of Fred Cassidy on the rock, Michael
>and I, the early risers in the group, enjoyed good conversations
>while drinking our coffee and tea in the tiny room at the end of the
>hall in the dorm we all stayed in.  I feel fortunate to have known
>Fred Cassidy and Michael Miller, two great human beings.
>
>   --Natalie Maynor (maynor at ra.msstate.edu)


Dennis R. Preston
Department of Linguistics and Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
preston at pilot.msu.edu
Office: (517)353-0740
Fax: (517)432-2736