Emory Hill (emory.hill AT comcast.net)

If you are reading this, you know I would love to hear from you. It has been such a pleasure to occasionally get an email from somebody who remembers me after all these many years. I could not attend a re-union planned for New Year's Eve, 2000 because of health problems. I wondered if anybody but me remembered the plan, and Larry Wallnau, who was still teaching there (but really had serious health problems) said he had heard from one person who did. I asked him to convey my regrets or tell me how to get in touch with that person. I never got the information from him. It meant so much to me, but I couldn't bother Larry any more than I had.

After 28 years away, I went for a 4-day visit to Brockport last Spring (2007) to do some piano work with Dave O'Malley. Dave is a wonderful guy, still single, still an amazing jazz player. He inspired me to work on the piano more. I might return for another lesson in a year or 2. While there I tried hard to hunt down people and managed to meet one old student at the Brockport Diner for coffee. I also strolled by the old department and chatted with Herb Fink, the only one still there that I know. It was good to see him. The trip was great. Brockport has sure changed. I walked around the campus on a Saturday night when I visited and talked with a couple students. The cops were out keeping the town quiet, and the students said the campus is now controlled by monitors on every dorm hall. It was amazingly quiet. I played the piano in a big lecture hall next to the psych bldg and was flooded with images of being there another time, and I felt it all over. Funny how as I age I remember specific moments: Sipping coffee while looking out an open window in the Spring, feet propped up on a log. Laughing while making a bookcase. Standing on a hill, listening to music.

I am in good health now, old and usually content, a grandfather, still living in Seattle, still married, still remembering everything that mattered (I think), still amazed at my good fortune.

When I look back, the things I regret the most in my life are: going to a 4 day workshop in Calgary, near beautiful Banff National Park in Canada, and actually attending the conference every day, and other acts of creulty - nothing horrible, but things like letting people expect too much, pushing someone into cold water - things which I wish I had at least apologized for at the time. I would now if I could.
Always,
Emory