Somerville High School - Radiator Yearbook (Somerville, MA)

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WHILE LEAVES WERE FALLING Dorothy Shubow ’57 In her high school classroom Ellen sat look- ing out of the window. One by one a kaleido- scope of vari-colored leaves was floating down. It didn’t seem as if they’d ever stop. There was a green one, a red one, a brown one ... it seemed to be literally showering leaves. Ellen wanted to be out there, to stand in the middle of all this, so she could see for herself the miraculous change that was tak- ing place. Only a few short weeks ago . . . She was lying on hot sand, feeling the stimu- lating rays of the sun on her back. She would read a novel, or perhaps write a letter, fingers wrinkled from salt water. Her hair was windblown and streaked with many shades of blond, the result of constant ex- posure to the sun. She loved the way her pale pink lipstick looked on her bronzed face. Oh, she was so thrilled with life! After all, what could make a girl happier than to know that there was someone who cared, who noticed what she was wearing, who made her feel wanted, and even needed? She didn’t know if she could stand wait- ing any longer. Soon, Jimmie would be com- ing home from work. He’d change into his bathing suit and come down to the beach. Life was so glorious. In his college dorm, in a room already blos- soming with girls’ pictures, pennants, and crazy signs, Jim sat at his desk gazing out of the curtainless window. Was he actually puzzling over a history problem, while down below the girls and fellows burdened with books in their arms, walked or rode their bikes to and from their lecture halls? Was it really the autumn wind whistling, and blowing leaves and papers in endless circles? . . . He could still picture himself on Sunday mornings sitting on the bridge letting his feet hang and not caring whether or not he ever caught any fish. Then it was twilight; there he was down on the tennis courts smacking the poor tennis balls left ’n right, up ’n down! What fun it was! But most of all he remembered Ellen. He’d rush home from work, and run to meet her. Barefoot and running along the beach, holding her hand, he found it hard to believe that any person could be so deliriously happy . . . Leaves were falling and soon there would be snow. Ellen’s teacher had called on her to recite in class. Se had much to learn and ac- complish. Jim was taking an important exam tomorrow, and his parents were scrimping to keep him in college. He must study! So the summer must be forgotten for a while; for a long while. Many of us today, like Ellen and Jim, live in our memories. This is not entirely wrong, because memories are wonderful. Not only do they teach us lessons, but they toy with our emotions, making us laugh, cry, or blush. Nevertheless, autumn is past, and winter is here. Ellen and Jim must attend to their studies. Tom must clean his bunk, and sew those buttons on his Air Force uniform. Mary must type out those letters for her boss. Last summer is but a memory. FANTASY Judith Tarentino '57 “The mist of dawn lay on the gray-green wildness of the moor. The sun, rising slowly now, did not radiate sufficient brilliance to light the drab sky, but slowly, calmly, it lifted the foggy coverlet from the sleeping world. “A dewdrop slipping down a tall grass blade joined the dizzy swirling of a tiny stream. From the distance a bird’s query, high and shrill, raced through the air and lost itself in the wind. “A cool breeze of morning swooped by fa- miliar fields, setting the mood of the day and sweeping the last traces of fog under a cloudy carpet. “These are Nature’s lands, withstanding time and man. No clans inhabit; no one in- habits the tall grass and ...” The tall, thin girl closed the book reluc- tantly and dazedly rose to resume her house- hold duties. Far away it seemed a baby was crying, but for a moment her inner self was Twelve

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WHERE THERE’S SMOKE Herbert Weene ’57 When the growing town of Dunster de- cided to modernize its fire department, it re- solved to make a good job of it. As a result Dunster had one of the best equipped de- partments in the state. This naturally re- quired no small expenditure on the part of the citizens. Therefore, picture if you can, the chagrin of the townspeople when their fire department, resplendent with shining en- gines and handsome uniforms, somehow man- aged to finish last in the annual state fire de- partments’ competition. They were the laugh of the year. The mayor of Dunster, who hap- pened to be in attendance at the event suf- fered the many jibes of the other mayors whose well-oiled units were setting records left and right. “Next year,” said the mayor to fire chief Simpson, “we do better or you’re out!” By the time the competition had rolled around again, Chief Simpson had whipped his neophyte firemen into a crack organiza- tion. “This year we’ve got it in the bag,” said the mayor to visiting State Chief Weinster. They were watching the Dunster department at practice on this particular morning and even the state chief was forced to admit that last year’s stumblebums might well be this year’s threat. So the situation stood on the week before the competition. The whole town was excited as only a small town can be over such an event. “We gave the department the best darn equipment available and we want a prize this year!” said one prominent citizen. And that just about summed up public opinion. Now I must introduce two of the key figures in this little tale. Mr. Antonio Mar- zone was a typical imigrant in that he was vastly impressed by the modern conveniences of the United States and had a strong love for his new country. Of course he had certain misconceptions. At first, for instance, when the radio commanded, “Got right out and buy Potrzebie Toothpaste . . .” he went right out and bought Potrzebie Toothpaste. But after a month in Dunster he had learned a good deal and was just as excited about the com- ing competition as anyone else. Jeremiah P. Mulcahey was one of the Dun- ster firemen. His biggest qualification for the job was that his brother-in-law happened to be the mayor. As a matter of fact, he might have been fired several times except for this. He was famed for having accidentally turned the hose at his chief at the previous year’s competition and having created the fun- niest spectacle in twenty years. (This did not particularly help the Dunster depart- ment’s rating, as you might guess.) Now it so happened that the not-overly- bright Mr. Mulcahey was on lookout duty the day the mayor was showing Chief Weinster around the fire house. Tired by the morning’s maneuvers, Mulcahy was just sitting in the tower smoking his pipe. There was a tar bucket in the tower as the roof was under repair. Mulcahey dozed off and dropped his pipe into the bucket. Burning tar smokes profusely, but most of the smoke was blow- ing out the window, and Mulcahey was not an easy man to wake. For some strange reason, Mr. Marzone was the first to see the smoke pouring into the sky from an unknown source. Immediately his civic sense of duty was aroused. One of the things he had learned was, “When you see da smoke, you pulla da leetle handle in da fira box.” He was standing right beside a (Turn to page 24) Eleven

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free from this dingy crowded neighborhood, the blaring city, and caverns of steel and brick, the tumble-down houses and cold-water flats, and lodged in the clean, uncluttered setting of the story. Tranquillity and beauty invaded her troubled mind, relegating all fear and longing to the farthest region of oblivion. A lovely flower appeared before her and, reaching out aimlessly, her eyes filled with tears. Dishes clattered to the bare wooden floor. The spell was broken. The room swam be- fore her and her brother’s crying pierced the air. Taking the broom and dustpan she swept up the fragments of china and threw them into the wastebasket, but she locked the dream away in her heart. SOMETHING TO SEE (Continued from page 10) It is now four years later. Lee and Brenda are still very close friends. But this year Christmas is extra special for both girls, since it is the last one that they will share together for a long time to come. At this moment all is still outside, and the girls are about to go to bed. Brenda is lying across her bed, and Lee, looking out of the window, says to her roommate, “My it’s beautiful out to- night, Brenda. I can see the stars glistening in the heavens and I hear sleigh bells tink- ling in the distance. Brenda, do you remem- ber a night such as this, four years ago?” “Oh, yes,” replied Brenda, smiling. “I re- member. You were so excited and so anxious to go outside, and I couldn’t understand why. But I do now. You know, it was then that I learned to appreciate and to value the simple things which we, so often, take for granted.” “(sigh) And how well I remember that night, Brenda. I suppose I appeared rather foolish, but I wanted to see something that to me was new and different, because,” con- tinued Lee, turning from the window with her black eyes sparkling, “because it was on that night that I saw a miracle, Brenda. I saw my first snowfall.” A SUMMER NIGHT Louise Price ’58 i..e twilight wraps its folds around the darkening world, And with it comes the cool, fresh night upon the earth unfurled. One by one the stars appear, until at last the sky Seems like a heavenly city, shining from on high. The moon, a giant candle, is burning clear and bright, Shedding yellow moonbeams, dancing in the night; The crickets in the woodland are singing mournfully. And in the distance far away, an owl hoots scornfully. The scent of summer flowers now wafts upon the breeze, And the lilting tone of a lullaby can be heard among the trees, The mountains in the distance are clothed in purple hue, And now—while all is silent—softly comes the dew. THE BIG EXAM Robert Lazar ’57 “Hey, Joe, Joe! Are you goin’ to the party tonight?” “Oh, hi, Dick. No, I can’t make it. I’m hav- ing a big exam in English tomorrow. I’ve got to spend tonight cramming for it.” “Gee, Joe, that’s too bad. It’s going to be a terrific party.’ “I know. I had my heart set on going to it but I have to pass this exam, or else.” As he said this, Joe drew a finger along his throat, under his chin. That night, after supper, Joe could easily be found sitting at a table stacked high with papers, books, pens, and pencils with chewed erasers. His parents had thoughtfully taken his pesty kid brother to visit an aunt so that at least Joe wouldn’t have interruptions. “Silence,” Joe thought, “heavenly silence.” No roaring TV sets or any other petty dis- tractions to bother him this evening. Boy, I’d better pour on the coal and get this studying done. Just as Joe was starting to read the defi- nition of a periodic sentence, the telephone rang. Grumbling, he stalked to the phone, clutched the receiver, and said with a mild trace of agitation in his voice, “Hello.” In- (Turn to page 32) Thirteen