Friends

This week, I passed by a new construction, and maybe the smell of the concrete took me far back, to our friends, the Fishers. Marie and Terry Fisher lived way out in the dry highveld grassland near Johannesburg. Theirs was the only house for miles and they had a windmill. Terry was building their house, room by room, and we wrote our names in the wet cement of his latest addition. The Fishers had seven daughters and all us kids would run yelling across the veld, scattering the snakes and dassies. I can see miles of yellow, dry long grass. There’s never enough rain on the highveld and people never stop complaining about it. The Fishers were Afrikaans and Catholic. We were English and Jewish, living in the suburbs with city electricity and water. We had no other Afrikaans friends, since in Apartheid South Africa, English and Afrikaans went to separate schools, as did Black children. I have no idea how our families knew each other. It was a long drive from our house to the Fishers, and my mom drove as dad had epilepsy and was not allowed. We had afternoon tea together with cake, and then my mom, Marie and Mrs. Jay, the grandmother, would chat, and my Dad and Mr. Jay would play chess. They were great chess friends. My dad was susceptible to stress which would bring on a seizure, but never at the Fishers, as I remember. They were lovely, comfortable, friendly visits.
 
Friendly is a good way to work. In the Northeastern University College of Science, our charge is to work within a culture of respect and collaboration. Everyone’s contribution is valued, everyone is respected. We are a college of many races, ethnicities, gender identities, religions and abilities. We are a Diverse College where Everyone Belongs. Challenging times abound – I know that some of you are dealing with health or other difficult situations; and that the changing government and academic landscapes are unsettling. At work, we will deal with challenges step by step, as strategically as possible. And most importantly, we must address challenges with kindness and friendliness, understanding that everyone is trying their best. Thank you for your important work, thank you for your excellent teaching, and thank you for submitting grant proposals which will get reviewed and funded at some point! Thank you.