Friday morning, March 19, 1999

Dear Clara,

      It's really been a difficult decision for me to decide to drop out of your class, such a wonderful joyous hour (though on the early side) three times a week. Until now I haven't missed a single one. And I'm motivated strongly to try to gain facility in Spanish, as you know. The problem is simply that I can't do everything that I ought to and want to do. For over a year now I've neglected my (formerly) regular jogging routine, in order to have more time to work on Spanish, on my website, to do some writing, and to pursue to a limited extent my social/political interests and personal life.

      Two factors came together to "force" this decision. First, the announcement of the self-celebratory 35th anniversary of UMB led me back to the painful period when Freda was struggling for her professional life. Generally I try to live in the present and even to hold to an optimistic view on the possibility of a better world, rather than to brood on the past, but this "gala event" reopened a cauldron of hatreds. Seeing the names of Paul Gagnon and Larry Kaplan on the organizing committee list, two of the most dishonest, underhanded people with whom I've had to interact, made me believe there would be no possibility whatever that Freda, a senior founding faculty member, would receive any significant recognition, and most likely none at all if these two connivers prevail.

      So I decided to finally do what I had long intended, make an effort to stimulate the memory of Freda and to commemorate her life. Over the years I've put it off for a host of "reasons" -- maybe it was too painful. I don't know. But now I "have to" do it. Two weeks from yesterday will be 18 years since Freda died legally. I'm working on adding to my website a folder on her. So far there's not very much on it, and no pictures of her yet, but I intend to work like a fury to try to get it in reasonable shape before the "big celebration," and to publicize it. It's at http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/Freda

      The second factor was the admonition from my internist, who examined me yesterday, that I should resume my regular exercising. My blood pressure, he says, is borderline, and since both of us are reluctant to start with drugs, and practically everything else in my life (style as they say) is already what it should be for good health, my jogging routine is the major shortcoming. I'm going to begin today. My doctor/friend, who I met years ago as we were both jogging "around the Charles" assured me that nothing is more important than good health.

      All this explaining! I'm going to miss you and my classmates. What wonderful people in your department! Especially I love you and Efrain. I'll come by to pick up my corrected and revised "Totontepec" paper, and to hug you. I hope this holiday week has been enjoyable.

Como siempre,       --Jorge