Class Note 1986
Anthony Pelligrini writes that his three daughters graduated from Bowdoin or Tufts or nearly graduated from Providence College. Anthony remembers that 36 or so years ago, he wanted to be a computer hardware engineer. “Physics was too hard, so I switched to computer science to be a software programmer. I started my career as a computer software programmer, but ended up as a lawyer. I am now a partner in my law firm and work as a patent, immigration, contracts lawyer, and litigator. I have been a lawyer, but I would like to be a beach bum.” Shelley Mosley Stanzel writes, “I love to read the Class Notes to hear what is going on in my classmates’ lives. My life is very different from most of those who submit news, however, as I am the parent of a disabled son who is now 23 years old. He has a high-functioning type of autism called Asperger syndrome (AS), which means that he is highly intelligent, but finds it challenging to connect with others and express his feelings. Many of those with AS become experts in a narrow set of interests. Basically, they are smart but a little weird. Additionally, he has Klinefelter syndrome, which is caused by an extra copy of the X chromosome. He also has a bit of mental illness and very poor judgment. While many of you are concerned about where your children will go to college, I’m worried about him continuing to bring homeless people into the home in the middle of the night, after he snuck out to visit Kevin and Robert, two homeless men who ‘teach him about life’ and live under a bridge. Being the parent of a special-needs son has completely changed the way that I think about success. I’m writing this because we are very proud that he has been hired at a local pancake house to bus tables and polish silverware. It is a low-pressure environment, and the other employees and customers are very nice to him. We’ve noticed a vast improvement in his sense of self-worth and happiness since he began the job in the fall. He now can ride the bus by himself from my family’s ranch—where he lives—to get him away from the homeless people. On Saturdays, I drive two hours to get him to and from his job. I meet friends at the restaurant every Saturday, order the same omelet and decaf coffee, and spend more on our meals than he makes working. It’s a wonderful situation, and we are blessed that he has finally found a place in the world that makes him feel complete. Plus, the hostess at the pancake house gives me priority seating whenever there is a long line!” In response to my query, “Can you write your life story in six words?” Peter Henderson wrote, “Dartmouth, family, career, transformation, psychology, service.” David Criswell’s life story is “Cornfield, Granite Mountains, skyscrapers, Beervana, bless.” In beauty, it is finished.
—Mae Drake Hueston, 624 Poppy Ave., Corona Del Mar, CA 92625; mdhueston@me.com
