Page 46 - SHS 50th Reunion

Alan Neipris al.neipris@comcast.net
I recall Mr. Coviello handing out report cards as he walked up and down between the rows of desks in homeroom. When he finally got to me he paused and said, "Nice job, Neipris. Full house." Feeling even sicker than usual on report card day, I looked down to find 3 D's and 2 F's. Or it could have been the other way around.
I wasn't mad at Mr. Coviello. They were the grades I deserved and I was kind of impressed by his dry wit, and the fact that he evidently liked poker. (After I left the family business I went on to play 7 or 8 years as half a professional, which is to say at comparatively low stakes and often online...which is much less grueling than playing in an actual card room for hours on end. Although I did plenty of that too.)
Mr. Dowd eventually summoned me to his office to discuss my poor grades, something that was also a popular topic at home. Of course Mr. Dowd looked every bit the school principal, stern, aloof, and deeply scary. But he spoke to me in a friendly manner, and that confused me somuch I found myself telling the truth to an authority figure, which was pretty much unprecedented. I told him I honestly didn't understand why I wasn't studying more ("at all" would have been more like it), and that I wanted to do better.
In many ways, I've not changed all that much over the years. I still procrastinate and I still find authority figures intimidating. For some reason I automatically start feeling guilty, which is analmost self-fulfilling emotion. Sometimes I get so guilty feeling with a cop car in my rear view mirror, I actually start driving erratically.
10 year old Tommy making his case f o r shorter walks and better treats