To Cliff McCrath

November 8  2006

Dear Charlie (aka Nub, the Nub, Rubber Nubber, Blaze Pasqual and sometimes even Cliff),

When I think of you I get this great rush of scenes and scenarios in my mind and they just keep coming.

I think of the first time we met in the dorm at Wheaton. I looked at you and thought you were sort of crazy. You looked at me and thought I was sort of crazy. And we realized that things weren’t going to be so bad a Wheaton after all.

I remember the fake fights we used to have on the streets of Chicago. Pedestrians would call the cops and we would split.

I think of some of the phrases which I think you originated like:

”Watch out boy, I’ll snatch you bald-headed.” 

“Roy Harris can whup any man in the world.” 

“I’ve known him all me life.”

“Oh YESSSSSS.”

I remember that old green Pontiac of yours. There wasn’t much to do at Wheaton with no movies, dancing, cards, etc., etc. When you weren’t using the Pontiac, you would let the rest of us use it. We would take our dates there for evenings of ‘sweet nothings.’ A lot of the time the old car wouldn’t run or would be stuck in a snow bank somewhere but you would tell us where it broke down and we would find it.

I remember the other soccer players and me pushing you out the door at that motel up in Buffalo. You had just come out of the shower. We ripped the towel off you and threw you out.  You ran all around looking for a place to hide to no avail. You kept running into the housekeeping ladies. They were shocked . We heard a few of them remark”Mucho grande,” whatever that meant.

I remember you leading cheers at college basketball and football games even though you weren’t a cheerleader. You were not only the ultimate player, you were also the ultimate fan.

And of course I remember you out in front of me on the soccer field. Man, we had a ball. We won most of our games and lost our share but most of all we had major fun. And the thing I remember most besides the fun of it was the fact that oft times at the end of those games, you had to literally be carried off the field. You had absolutely nothing left to give. You left it ALL out there.  I’ve been around many All Americans and World Class athletes in my time but never around any who would give as much you.

Thanks for talking me into giving soccer a try in college. Or was it me you? As you know it worked out pretty well for us.

Also thank you for influencing me to go to seminary.

When I was discharged from the Army, I wasn’t sure what to do. After talking to you a few times I began to feel more and more that was the way I should go.

What a great decision it was for me. I was ultimately ordained and have now been in ministry for 42 years. What a wonderful trip I have had as a Reverend. You were there with me and for me right at the beginning.

I never had the opportunity to play for you but it’s a no-brainer why you have been so successful. You know the game backwards and forwards and you love it.  You’re brighter than the rest of us. You have more energy and commitment than most. YOU ARE FUN. So, no wonder you’ve won so many games and so many championships. And no wonder that your players respect and love you like they do.

In closing this epistle, I’ll just say this. We meet a lot of people in our lives. Many are just good old regular folks. Not as many but some are special. And then there are just a very, very few we meet in our lifetime who are unique. In other words, there is no one else remotely like them. Charlie, without question, you are one of the unique ones.

There is no one, I say again there is no one like you.

Congratulations Nub. Love and prayers and remember this.

I can still whup you.

Your old friend,

Mikey Do (aka Blase Pasqual)