1944

Who has stories of our Hanover days they've never told? Funny, painful, embarrassing. Happenings that only your roommate ever knew about. No "down from the hills we come" stories of trashing the Stader after the Harvard game in 1941 or chug-a-lug contests? How about hitchhiking stories? Who took a wild ride widi some oddball driver down the road to Northampton or Saratoga?

Even hitching from Lebanon could be memorable. Like one afternoon soon after Pearl Harbor. A shiny black Ford convertible stopped to give us a ride. Climbing into the back, we saw that the driver was one of the two Japanese students at Dartmouth, young Mitsui '43. How weird, riding in that snazzy convertible of a Japanese only a few weeks into the war. No conversation. We didn't even try. Said, "Thanks," getting in and "Thanks," getting out at Topliff corner. A short ride, but like no other hitch ever1.

Talking wartime, Bruce Thomson and Puss got back last summer to Sicily, where Bruce spent time in die town of Catania in 1944. Says he didn't recognize a single thing except the elephant statue in the town square. "The whole ground is overwhelmed by autos and motorbikes. And trash!"

Other fin-de-siecle travelers: DickRanger and Carol had a jolly old visit to England, Wales and Scotland, where they immersed themselves in Bruce clan memorabilia, including a custom kilt found in Edinburgh. Haven't heard whether Carol or Dick wore it in Aspen this past winter, but they did ski the wonderful Tiehack runs with the McElneas and Densmores.

In August Clint Gardner makes his 17 th trip to Russia since 1983. He's organized his seventh international conference concerned with the renewal of Russia's spiritual life and the emergence of democratic institutions.

Ed Eubanks reports from his cottage on the beach in Montecito, Calif. "It's a small town south of Santa Barbara, and don't spread the word, but it's as close to paradise as you can get." Nevertheless, he and wife Sue travel a good bit, visiting all the great art museums. Ed gave up jogging and skiing after a mitral valve repair in 1990, but the Eubanks walk a couple of miles a day with their German shepherd. Stay well! Stay active!

-Dave Nutt, 32 Fairway Blvd., Monroe Twp, NJ 08831; (732) 521-2224 (fax); dtn99@aol.com

c.V. vlint Gardnerwill make his 1 7th trip toRussia to organize hisseventh internationaleon ference on the renewalof spiritual life there. DAVE NUTT '44