Thursday, June 17, 2004

A Spirit Finaly Free

There are few people in the world that truly inspire you to try. Now, when I say "try" I don't mean that you don't give an honest effort every day.

Try in the sense that I mean is the effort that comes from the heart, not stretching to reach for the remote.

I was a hack photo technician for the Collegian my sophomore year. Scared as I was to walk into the office, the people were welcoming, especially one. I had the luck of the draw to be the photog for the Ben Folds Five show one night in Northampton. The reporter for the show was this woman named Casey.

I'd talked to her in the office, but that was the extent of my knowledge of her. After that night, I can say that my life was changed for the better.

We went to Wendy's to order some food before the show. When I received my change, I tried to do a smooth no-look drop of the change into the charity collection they had, I missed. Casey laughed and laughed and, instead of feeling silly, I laughed as well. I still smile when I think of that laugh.

Casey encouraged me to become an editor, and I in fact, changed my entire semester's schedule around specifically to work with her the next semester.

We spent hours dancing on desks to Fat Boy Slim, listening to music way to loud for others to work, and again, laughing.

Casey encouraged me to become Managing Editor, and I thank her to this day.

Casey yelled at me when I told her how much an Internet editor's salary was.

As I sat in my chair at the office, I got the e-mail. "I have cancer." The world stopped, for a second. Then it started turning, as Casey joked and described so plainly what she would be going through, as if she was having a cavity filled.

At that moment, I made a decision, one that I don't think I ever told her: When I am lucky enough to become a parent, to be blessed with that awesome responsibility, I want my first child's name to be Casey. (Thank God it is a Unisex name, I'd have a hard time explaining to my son why his name was Jennifer or Suzanne.)

If there is one person in this world blessed enough to have half of the passion, the drive and the gift to make people smile that Casey did, and still does, well, I'd want them playing on my team.

It's amazing that you can hear things through your heart, I still hear
the clink of the change on the floor, the laugh, the more laughing, and the smile. You think that you can't hear a smile? I can hear her smile right now.

Casey is a spirit to me, and now she is free to fly. She can now follow Lou Merloni to all his various starts in the Majors, minors, Independent Mexican League, his career as a coach in the Cape Cod League, and eventual presidency.

Hopefully that is making you smile Casey, it's the least I can give
back.

Ken McDonald worked with Casey at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian.

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