: Cookies, Comfort, and Jet Fuel :
A periodic column
by Steve Duffy ‘77
October 23, 2011 – Many of you may remember Nurse Barb. She took wonderful care of generations of Antiochians, whether they were sick or needed someone during a time of crisis. She certainly made the some of the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet . . . almost as good as the Cookie Lady from the 60s, who went through the dorms spreading comfort through her home-made cookies.
Nurse Barb, besides being a paragon of comfort and care, may have had the world’s most bumper-stickered car in America. I often felt that that those bumper stickers held her old Toyota station wagon together. That wagon took countless people from the infirmary in Maples to local hospital and clinics, despite some rather extensive rust.
Nurse Barb had a “Maine bumpah stickah” and one that also said “proscrastinate later.” It’s that procrastination sticker’ that comes to mind this week, since all sorts of things are happening and all sorts of people will be passing through the campus. Everyone coming through provides such wonderful and intense distraction.
This week at least seven former faculty have hung out at the library, including former co-op directors Bob Parker and Tom Haugsby. Volunteers that have passed through included Charlie Brown ’82 and David Vincent ’64.
Hausbgy came to this week’s Community Meeting to take the community’s pulse on the development of co-op possibilities in the area. As Community Meetings are now every other Wednesday at 10 a.m., the traditional ice cream has been replaced by fruit, bagels, and donut holes (the donut holes disappearing first). After announcements and discussions on various topics, the community broke into small workgroups and then reconvened and reported their ideas at McGregor 113.
Many of the visitors this week have stopped and indulged in some coffee from our new Keurig (which also makes celestial teas and hot chocolate…one serving at a time!) It seems like the flavor “Jet Fuel” was everyone’s favorite, and we ran out of all of it rather quickly.
Visiting is much easier this week, as today is the Library’s first really late Thursday night. Board Secretary David Goodman ’69 came through briefly, and then was off to check out the progress of the fall crop at the farm. J. Greg Williams ’95, vice president of the Alumni Board, come in to use the Wi-Fi. Judi Church ’75, a member of the AB, and Michael Casselli ’87 have whizzed through to chat as well.
This weekend, the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Board met on campus. The boards broke break with staff, faculty, students adn villagers at the Annual Founders Day Community Potluck. Afterward, President Mark Roosevelt delivered an Executive Briefing to the community.
Throughout the week, students have been deep into the library to write papers for Cultural Anthropology and Global Seminar: Water. With full course loads, part-time jobs, and cocurricular activities, things are so busy one student said some have learned to eat lunch in seven minutes.
The weather is turning colder, but the conversations and friendships are hot, as is the coffee. For comfort for all Antiochians, Sandy Coulter, my library co-worker, brought by a plate of chocolate chip cookies.
All we need now is another case of Jet Fuel. Well, maybe two.
Steve Duffy ‘77 is a library circulation specialist and special assistant to alumni relations at Antioch College.
