Thanks, I did send it to my Mom and some mutual friends. You can find me at
http://www.myspace.com/boscoworld B --- "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You essay made me wish he had been one of my professors. I hope > your > sent this to your mom so she can share this with his family. It is > a > beautiful tribute. In the meantime, can we have the link to your > my > space site? > > Might I suggest you go rent something he was in? When somebody I > got to > know during my brief acting/music career stint died, I went out and > > rented a movie he had a part in. When I miss find my self > reminiscing > about the old days going on casting calls with my cousin, I check > out > Trading Places. She was only in it for five minutes - probably > less, > but its my way of having her back for a while. > > Tracey > > Bosco Bosco wrote: > > I blog on My Space. I generally just do it to mark little places > that > > interest me in my life. Today was a little different and I wanted > to > > share with the class > > > > A Man Of Influence > > Current mood: sad > > > > > > In the early 1980's my Mother was in graduate school getting a > > Doctorate in English. When she graduated, she took a job at a > small > > college in Durant, Ok and I spent my last year of high school > there. > > > > After dropping out, I got a GED, failed my first semester of > college, > > joined the army, got discharged from the Army after basic, and > > basically kind of lived aimlessly for a couple of years. In the > mid > > 80's, I returned to Durant to make another run at college. I > enrolled > > in a course taught by one of my mother's friendliest colleagues. > On > > the first day of class, Dennis Letts walked into the room, and > > slammed a gigantic stack of books on the desk. With a pointed and > > wagging finger and a voice focused in an even a more pointed half > > growling tone, he pronounced to the class, "Everything you know > is > > wrong!" It was the most dramatic entrance by a teacher I have > ever > > observed. Dennis spent the rest of the semester showing us that > he > > was right. > > > > I have known quite a few good teachers in my life. I remember > great > > lessons, great lectures, great insights and great inspirations > that > > have been offered me by those teachers. Not one among them had > more > > impact or influence on me than Dennis Letts. The memory of that > first > > day of my first class with Dennis has lived in my mind, brilliant > and > > cherished, for more than two decades. > > > > I was raised almost from birth to think critically and to examine > > thoughts and ideas. From Dennis, I learned why questioning my own > > opinions and beliefs to determine their value was important. He > > showed me again and again that until my opinions and beliefs have > the > > weight of well measured reason behind them, they are by nature > > valueless because they are purposeless. > > > > Dennis Letts also recognized in me a talent for writing of which > I > > was completely unaware. His encouragment and initial direction > > provided me with a tool that has given me more self confidence > and > > strength than he was probably ever aware. Singularly, writing has > > served me well over the years in defining thoughts and feelings. > > Through writing I find a uniquely satisfying way to navigate the > > world when I find it overwhelming, absurd or hilarious. I would > never > > have found the way without Dennis Letts. > > > > I think back now over my experiences with Dennis and I am amazed > at > > the way one person's influence continues to resonate through me > even > > though it has been literally years upon years since I have seen > or > > spoken to him. > > > > A couple of months back my Mom reported to me that Dennis was > very > > very ill. and his time was short. In typical Dennis fashion he > spent > > the last bit of his time among the living working creatively. He > had > > started an acting career in the 80's and had pursued it with > > determination. I counted 46 different credits under his name on > the > > Internet Movie Database. Not too shabby for a guy who began his > > professional acting career in the middle of his life. I am told > he > > had dreamed for many years of appearing on Broadway. This year a > play > > called August Osage County, written by his son Tracy Letts, > debuted > > there and Dennis Letts achieved that dream. It opened to critical > > acclaim and praise. I literally danced when I heard the news of > how > > well they had done. > > > > Over many years now past, I have kept up with Dennis primarily > > through my mother. We've been seperated by time and geography but > > that has not kept kept me from gleefully enjoying tales of his > > exploits and achievements and giggling at the tales of his > silliness. > > I was glad to know that he had remained true to his passions and > his > > art and that he had lived the life he wanted. > > > > This morning I got an email from my mother that Dennis had passed > on. > > Thoughts of him have flooded my mind. In between tears and > chuckles, > > I remember a man who has gifted me with more than he probably > ever > > knew. I remember a man who's influence has permeated me to my > core. I > > can say readily and easily that I am the person I am today in no > > small measure because of Dennis. I will always remember him as > the > > man who taught me why to be right and when to be wrong. I don't > know > > if he understood that he was not only gifted teacher, but great > > teacher. I hope he knew and I will always remember him as such. > > > > Farewell, Dennis Letts. Your time here was appreciated and I will > > always be grateful for your presence in my life. > > > > > > I got friends who are in prison and Friends who are dead. > > I'm gonna tell ya something that I've often said. > > > > You know these things that happen, > > That's just the way it's supposed to be. > > And I can't help but wonder, > > Don't ya know it coulda been me. > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > I got friends who are in prison and Friends who are dead. I'm gonna tell ya something that I've often said. You know these things that happen, That's just the way it's supposed to be. And I can't help but wonder, Don't ya know it coulda been me. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
