A Former Student, A Friend and a PHd.

I meet former students all the time but some are more remembered than others. While visiting Cape Breton we had the good fortune to call upon the daughter of good family friends. This student was known to me since birth and because her parents were great friends we shared some times that remain special. She was always an excellent student and in junior high was a leader.

In 1991 she and her parents and my wife and I had a opportunity to sail the Virgin Islands. We visited many of the American and British Islands and with water everywhere we swam and dove every day. One special day when we were anchored in a sheltered cove we dove free style and discovered what a magical place there lay hidden beneath the surface of the water. We encountered giant turtles, giant rays and a myriad of colorful fish. By the time we were finished our dive we were exhausted or at least I was.

One special shell fish I found was covered with mud and seemed ordinary enough until we cleaned it up. At supper time I showed it to a native and he said it was worth a $100. Hearing that I immediately threw it far out into the water. A live creature rare and valuable should remain in its environment and not on a mantle piece.

This young lady is now a professor at CBU and her husband is also. They have two boys and plan to become Capers. During lunch we had time to share old times but mostly we talked about the future. These young professors have unique knowledge which they are going to share with their students .Cape Breton will be better off for the inclusion of these intelligent young professors and I look forward to following their careers in the future.