The Geese Arrive
Oct 8–12, Amherst, MA USA
Seasonal Memoir Entry #31
I am getting the feeling that I’m entering that stage in life where older friends, mentors, and acquaintances will start to pass away with some regularity. This of course is perfectly normal and to be expected, but I nevertheless don’t want to miss the opportunity to honor, reflect, and reminisce about my time with these people. These relationships, though often distant in geography and also in communication, were formative in developing who I am today and any accomplishments I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve.
While watching our son’s soccer game on Friday, we got the news that Doris Herrick had passed away after a long life on Nantucket. Doris was the administrative assistant to the Principal at Nantucket High School (NHS) when I arrived in 1999, and became a member of the front office Dream Team (tongue-in-cheek), along with John Lucchini, Cheryl Coffin, and myself, when I assumed the role in 2002.
Doris’ passing brings up so many memories for me, which surely constitutes just a small slice of her life and vibrant personality. Here’s what I’ll remember most about Doris Herrick:
- Even before we met, in seeing the sign above her desk — ”Your poor planning is not my emergency” — I knew she was no pushover.
- She was proud to tell people that she had graduated from NHS on a Friday and started her job in the front office on the next Monday.
- She never got worked up over the occasional chaos on display at an American high school; this helped a young administrator like me keep my cool.
- Her sarcasm and eye rolling were legendary, with Coach Capizzo often the subject of her affectionate scorn.
- She brought a tough love approach to the surrogate raising of hundreds of NHS teenagers — she wasn’t necessarily offering you a shoulder to cry on, but there was genuine care there for Nantucket’s children.
- She loved her kids and grandkids, and had a real soft spot for them. Those occasions when she let her soft and vulnerable side show were so very special.
- Frugal to the core, I might be met in the morning with a complaint that her new windows cost more than what she paid for her entire Surfside Rd. house back in the day.
- It became a ritual for me to ask on a Friday what Doris was going to do with her weekend. Not infrequently, she’d have a twinkle in her eye and reply with, “I’m going to see the (insert politically correct term)”, which I knew to mean she was taking a bus to Foxwoods Casino with her quarters to play the slots.
After leaving Nantucket in 2004 to raise our kids and see the world, I coveted my visits to the island, which would always include a stop by Dr. Lepore’s back office so Tina and I could visit with Doris. I cherished giving her a hug and getting a dose of her acerbic humor. And while I don’t smoke, I’ll instead raise a whisky to the one-of-a-kind Mrs. Doris Herrick.
