Back to School
Sophomore year began much the same as the previous— home game opener and a new slew of core and music classes. I had decided to remain in the same room at Towers, for the proximity to everything I needed on the Evansdale campus.
My roommate was a sweet freshman named Stephanie, who brought a ton of clutter into my previously immaculate domain. Her boyfriend Ross was there all the time.
While they were both very nice, I was feeling a bit crowded. Needless to say, when Steph decided to move down the hall, I was secretly overjoyed. I had the double room to myself the rest of the year … bingo. John had his own single room downstairs in the same building.
“I Missed Again” by Phil Collins
It was inconvenient only during the many fire drills at the complex. It seemed some dweeb pulled the alarm every other night. That motivated us each to move off campus the following year.
I met some freshman music majors, including Cyndee R from East Moriches, NY and Teri Lynn K from Bowie, Md. Another girl, a wacky sophomore trombone player in the band named Michelle T from Weirton, WV and I became great friends. Her nickname was Eunice because of the resemblance to the character on the popular show Mama’s Family.
She always was so much fun, with the best personality. We hung out constantly. It would be the four of us who would get an apartment at Pierpont House next year.
Another freshman horn player in the band, JD, really took to me and tried to strike up a relationship, even though I was obviously with John. He gave me some rides on campus in his LeCar, and he also made me a beautiful wooden plaque (displayed on the wall in my room, pictured above).
He tried to convince me I’d be happier with him. He was very sweet and fun to be with, and even went so far as to kiss me once. It was the only one we shared.
JD and I remained friends throughout college, even when he got a girlfriend, I still picked up a vibe from him.
A freshman snare drummer, Roy H, was so nice, cute and sweet, coming up to my room with some other floor acquaintances to cut up and hang out. We both loved being in the snare line. We did some practicing together on pads to memorize music.
Music from that semester of Fall 1985 included A-Ha’s Take On Me, Stevie Wonder’s Part Time Lover, Starship’s We Built This City, Tears For Fears’ Head Over Heels, and Mr. Mister’s Broken Wings.
Mom and I wrote letters, and discussed issues like financial aid, classes, life in the dorm, music lessons, and so forth. We looked forward to the holidays, when I’d be able to soak up some time with the family.
Drumming (and studying)
My first season as a WVU snare drummer was outstanding.
I loved every parade, every early morning practice, every trip, demo, game and gig. Even warm-ups and exercises were fun.
Herbie Hancock’s Rockit was our first percussion feature, loaded with snap and visuals, a real crowd-pleaser. The 24-piece tuba section provided some bass riffs for the melody.
“Rockit” Percussion Solo
Jack Miraculous was a jazzy chart the band opened with, featuring snazzy, synchronized side stepping by all on the turf. This launched into another white-hot percussion solo, as the rest of the band did drill. “Jack Mirac” was loaded with tempo changes and fancy sticking, requiring intense concentration. What a rush!
“Jack Miraculous” Percussion Solo
WVU Drumline – Jack Miraculous
The Drumline also crash-learned a solo called Dead on Time. It was delivered for a TV crew in Charleston, WV. For having had minimal prep time, we nailed it to the wall.
“Dead on Time” Percussion Solo
With these cadences, there was some funkamizin’ and boogalatin’ in that tunnel.
“Spider” and “Boogie Down” Percussion Cadences
WVU Drumline – Spider and Boogie Down
John and I snuggled on band trips, and eyed each other on the field.
We wanted to ride the bus together, but the “exclusive” Drumline bus (AKA Buzz 3; the connotation obvious) was not about to admit a non-drummer. Thus, I abdicated my proverbial percussion perch and began riding with John on the wacky Tuba 4. Donna STILL watched John, and JD watched me. It was the classic triangle.
I loved having the dorm room to myself. I decorated it as I pleased, and it was neat as a pin, with my little B&W TV, fridge, snack stash and bunk bed. The lower bunk was designated the “makeout chamber” with a soft foam “Vellux” blanket … quite conducive to amorous study breaks.
That was around the time when the Tonka toy “Pound Puppies” flooded the stores.
I wanted the white Basset Hound with the brown spots as shown on TV. When my 19th birthday rolled around in November, both John and JD had been independently searching for the kind of “Puppy” I wanted.
Well, JD snagged the stuffed doggie after having trekked clear up to Pittsburgh on his covert mission. John, crestfallen in his disappointment, still got me something nice that I appreciated just as much. He’d intended to get me one for Christmas.
Thanksgiving Break
I raced home in Matt’s car at 85 mph for Thanksgiving, and spent a quiet holiday with the family. Mom and I spent a lot of time together going on errands and having meals out together. We also went to the Meadowlands Racetrack and ate at the Trackside Restaurant, enjoying an evening out.
I went on the tractor-trailer with Dad, and out to bowl and to see him play pool. Two guys, Matt and Rob, gave me their phone numbers there.
That week, Dad brought me to D’Amico to pick up our new Eldorado—he’d saved it as a surprise, and gave me the keys to drive it home. That raised the total of Cadillacs in our driveway to three.
After break, John and I took our relationship to the next level, closer than we’d ever been before. It was like a drug, being with him, and I loved him to the core of my being.
West Virginia did not get a football bowl bid the 1985 season, so after the December Key Notes concert in the Coliseum we returned our instruments and uniforms.
I truly hated parting with my snare drum and harness, but I knew I had another shot for next year as well. Finals were fast approaching and it was time to move on.
Christmas Memory
This would be our final Christmas with Mom.
I got a ride to NJ with a fellow violin major, Larry M and another friend, Mary. We drove in a heavy snowstorm, and we spun out a few times. Once, we ended up in a shallow ditch. The wipers didn’t do a very good job, and we stopped a lot to clear the windshield.
By 3 AM, we were on Route 287, and I called Dad from the rest area. He came with the red Eldorado and got me, we were home by 5 AM. Mom and I sat up talking, and Dad made me an egg on roll at 6. Finally, I dropped into bed and slept for many hours following. At 3 :00 the next day, I finally awoke, and gave Mom a shot for her pain.
Amazingly, she was able to enjoy a normal holiday, just like Thanksgiving. We made shrimp creole for Christmas Eve dinner, and I baked a chocolate chip cake for the next day. We went up to Aunt Dee Dee’s, wearing our WVU garb after opening presents at home. Mom wasn’t well, of course, and felt a cold coming on to exacerbate things. She pressed on, however, as only she could do.
On December 31st, we stayed up late to see Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve. 1986 was the last new year we celebrated with Mom. I have no doubt that she probably sensed this … and is most likely why she made every effort to enjoy the holidays with us.
Spring Semester
The January 1986 semester began; our school routine continued. My life at the time revolved around John, classes, Orchestra rehearsals, parties and other school-related events. That winter, we lost two family members; Auntie Vi (Yolanda, Aunt Maryann’s mother) Arsillo and Papa, Grandmommy’s widower.
Papa was the only “dad” that Mom could credit with the title, as my maternal grandfather, Raymond George Watts had left when Mom was a toddler.
He had been physically abusive to Grandmommy, and when welts appeared on his innocent little girl, Grandmommy left him and they moved in with Granny (Mom’s grandmother, Emma Thone Rummel Michell) in her small house on Bergen Street, Newark.
My guess is that Raymond had probably been suffering from depression and other issues, and there was no credible mental health treatment in those days. I’m not excusing his behavior, but believe these could have been factors.
He was also a child support dodger, as Grandmommy petitioned the court for years to get any ounce of support from him. Apparently, he knew the court clerk personally and whenever the case approached a hearing date, he slipped the clerk a bribe to tuck it away at the bottom of the pile again. Poor Grandmommy.
Mom’s journal also states that he’d been married once before, probably married again and half-siblings most likely exist. Last heard was that he’d moved to Texas. She often said that if he ever showed up in present day, she’d slam the door in his face.
Grandmommy remarried in the late 1940s, to Jim Robinson, but that union was short-lived because he was a cheater. Her marriage to Papa (John J. Kirkpatrick) in 1960 lasted until her passing in 1978.
Mom was still relatively ambulatory when she got the call from Delaware late at night; a neighbor of Papa’s was on the phone. Having been entrusted with keeping an eye out for him, she reported that something was wrong. Emergency services confirmed the worst.
Mom and Dad ran down to Delaware at once, got the will and set things in motion for the arrangements. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the funerals for Auntie Vi or Papa.
“I Can’t Wait” by Nu Shooz
John and I were also regular attendees of the Lutheran Campus Chapel. We were both Lutheran, though at first, John had assumed that my Italian surname indicated I was Catholic.
John was on church council and we both sang in the choir, regularly participating in social events. We also got involved with MALSM and met students from other schools in the region.
Mom had always urged me to continue going to church at college, and fortunately, my Lutheran boyfriend made that all too convenient. Our relationship had a spiritual dimension as well that has continued to this day.
Music that reminds me of that winter includes Life in a Northern Town by Dream Academy, Silent Running by Mike & the Mechanics, Rock Me Amadeus by Falco, and West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys.
John and I took his car to NJ for spring break in March, and Mom allowed him to sleep downstairs before heading back to PA in the morning. I spent a lot of time with Mom for that week. I also bought a new double-speaker ghetto blaster with cassette tape deck from The Wiz, after selling my smaller unit and Mom picking up the difference. I played the song I Can’t Wait by Nu Shooz on tape constantly.
By that time, a there was a hulking support device in the living room that assisted Mom with rising and sitting. Due to loss of mobility, Mom had resigned to give up the work she so loved. She had recently been offered a supervisory position at the hospital, but she had to turn this down.
Her reasoning was that someone who was just as qualified but NOT fighting terminal illness should have it. After so many years of excelling and hard work, it had come to this, and it must have been devastating for her.
Toward the end of the week, Mom had a very rough time with pain and nausea. I gave her shots for the pain, but she could barely keep anything in her stomach. She desperately wanted to stay at home to be with me, but by Friday had to go to the hospital anyway.
It was cold and rainy as I carefully drove her up to St. Peter’s. I parked and then ran back to admitting, where she was waiting in a wheelchair. I got her set up in her room, and Drs. Wu and Cunningham were on hand shortly following to assess things. I stayed as late as possible to visit with her, feeling the weight of her situation.
The next day, Dad took me to the PeoplExpress gate at Newark, where I caught my flight out to Pittsburgh. There, John would pick me up and I’d return to school with him. I enjoyed the flight, listening to music on my new boom box in a cozy window seat, but with Mom on my mind.
John and I spent Easter with his family, and I spoke to Mom on the phone that weekend. She was now in traction, in an attempt to prevent complete paralysis. I could do nothing but pray for her and carry a sense of dread. My poor mother.
Hey Lori. Awesome site. If you could have or can find the the 1985 drumline cadences I would be so grateful to get copies!
Hi Whitey! Thank you! There are many Drumline audio clips throughout the WVU chapters here. I can Dropbox the 1985 ones to you. It was awesome being in the Line together. 😎