Monday, January 16, 2006

Friends after all

By Stacy Shackford

I'll start with a confession. While many others have written about the wayCasey made them feel so warm and wonderful and welcome, my firstimpressions were masked by fear. She scared the hell out of me. What can I say, she was intimidating!

She seemed to know EVERYONE, and everyone adored her. She was so witty and fun, poised and confident. The only woman on thesports desk, she nevertheless ruled that roost. And the entire office, more or less. As Julie said, she was like a rock star.

I had ventured into the dank basement a few times before becoming sucked in and part of the furniture during my senior year, so I immediately knew of Casey. It took a lot longer to actually know her, and I'm not convinced Iever really did, as I continue to learn new things all the time, primarilythrough this site.

There was a time when I thought Casey didn't like me at all. I wasconvinced I'd never truly infiltrate the close-knit group that had gathered around her. But those final few months were magic. The picnic, the Collegian formal, the nights out in the Packard's 'library', the ice hockeygame she dragged us to - I NEVER thought I'd enjoy ice hockey, but it was fantastic.

She was also smart. Wicked smart. I don't think I realised the full extent of this until much later, but there were hints of it all the time - in her insane sports trivia, for example. She obviously had a head for numbers andstatistics. She was also an amazing writer.

I tended to avoid the back of the paper, as I'm not what you would call a sports fan, but then I started doing some copy editing to rationalise all my time at the Collegian and fund our nights out. It was the first time I actually read her stories, andthey were GOOD. Enough to get even me interested in sports, and that isquite an accomplishment. There were also her occasional ed/op columns -always a delight. This is no revelation to any of you, I'm sure, but thegirl sure had a way with words!

Then there was the time she really proved herself to me as editor. I hadspent hours struggling with a difficult story about students on welfare, trying to relate the plight of an individual single mother to highlight the problem that many faced, only to have my source turn on me after publication, going so far as to threaten a lawsuit. Jill and Casey did not hesitate to stand by me, and backed me in an emotional, intense confrontation in the claustrophobic confines of the Collegian conferenceroom.

Casey was unflinching in her stance - and most importantly to me, hersupport - and eventually got the girl to back down. It was amazing. I gradually got a glimpse at the softer side of Casey. I suppose with all the sports stuff and general office tomfoolery, it was easy to forgetsometimes that she was also just a girl. Seeing her in all her green taffeta Colleen glory was amazing. Hearing about her special collections of mementos and personalised photo albums made me realise she was a bit of asentimental sap.

I was starting to see a connection between us after all. I distinctly remember the last time I hung out with Casey. She turned up with Matt at the Daily Hampshire Gazette office barbeque in Northampton. I was legal correspondent for the Gazette at the time, about to leave for the glamour and glitz (hard work and strife) of life as a freelancer in Greece. Casey had been undergoing treatment, and I wasn't sure what to expect whenI saw her. But I need not have worried, for she was as vivacious as ever.And so happy to see me!

I didn't expect such a reception. It was a weeknight, and I had to be back at work at 7am the next day, yet somehow Casey convinced me to drive two hours with her and Matt to Boston for an impromptu reunion with some fellow Collegian pals. She was so excited about the prospect of the gang get-together that she was positively bouncing inthe car. I couldn't believe I was going, and I don't think she couldeither. She kept phoning people, saying 'You're not going to believe who Ihave in the car with me right now, on our way to see you... SHACKFORD!'

Needless to say, it was a great night. And I began to realise maybe Casey did like me after all, and I was so glad of it. When I started getting cards from her in Greece, that cemented it for me. By some weird twist of fate, I now find myself working on a sports desk asa copy editor at a Scottish newspaper. I'm sure Casey would find this fantastic, and hilarious. I think of her often, and regret that our time together was so short, and the time it took me to realise we were friends after all.

I've been so glad to check in here and see that others arethinking of her too, and doing wonderful things in her name. May it long continue.