A Calming Presence

JOHN HARVARD'S JOURNAL ing along those lines, in that lofty regis- dice is still a long way from the presence were merely lovable yokels, patched over- ter, when I landed on campus in the fall of interest. alls and all; that the mindless cultivation of 2012. I understood that I was supposed I’ve always felt that, to a majority of my of commercial crops constituted its raison to be aggrieved; I was primed for a fight classmates, Middle America is akin to Mid- d’être—became solidified, entrenched. but found that I’d spent my days prepar- dle Earth: a mythic space whose unmarked When I dipped home for summer or winter ing for a battle long-since fought. Where zones bear the cautionary legend “Here be breaks, I saw in the long glides through the had all the spooky elitism flown? Nobody Republicans,” or something more nebulous countryside what I expected to see: nothing. cared where I was from, save to marvel still; it exists only as idealized space, unar- It all comes back to indifference, which, halfheartedly at the minimal scale of my ticulated, untouched, unexplored. in the present context, is the same as ignorance. When people talk to me about Indi- “…the absence of prejudice is still ana, their ignorance is apparent. And in a strange way, it ends up protecting my own a long way from the presence of interest.” ignorance, safeguarding it. I always note, in these interactions, an unwillingness on origins (a town of 800; one K-12 school of And I think this perception of emptiness both sides to probe too sharply. Whether 150). Nobody was walking with canes and affected me—I became like a travel agent, this springs from a desire not to give of- monocles. Perhaps most unfortunate, it bent on selling my home state, presenting fense or something else entirely, the end re- seemed I’d never get the chance to use the as lures whatever stereotypical emblems sult is the same: nothing is challenged; I’m powdered wig my grandma had bought came to mind. I had to justify it, prove that forced to defend nothing; and no one learns me as a graduation gift. something was there. Over time I built this anything. Not that there isn’t a reasonable In place of the aggression I’d expected, I into a routine, a sort of grandstanding alter solution to this indifferentism; I certainly found ignorance; in place of antagonism, an ego who engaged in all forms of cornpone wouldn’t advise anything so militant as an offer of assimilation. No one understood In- kvetching, extolling the manifold virtues organized chauvinism. Nor would it be rea- diana, so no one could hold the state against of cornbread and down-home coziness, sonable to make everyone learn a few things me. Of course, I was more than pleased to the friendliness of backwaters—even, on about every state and then quiz them on a discover this; one could do worse, I thought, one occasion, crafting an impromptu dance bimonthly basis. But it does seem to me that than forget all about Indiana. move at a party and christening it on the we could give more thought to the spaces spot “The Shucker,” despite the fact I’ve we bring with us, to recognize in even the My Friends have a running joke, to which, probably shucked only enough corn in my plainest plats of land an irreducible strange- in four years of college, I’ve failed to provide entire life to yield half a bushel of husks. ness—and then perhaps, like a cherry on a winning retort. It goes like this: I say some- The problem is, if you’re constantly try- top, someone could reach out to say, “Tell thing about Indiana—anything at all—and ing to sell your homeland, you’ll hardly have me about the Hoosier State.” they remind me that I meant to say Idaho, or time to reflect on it critically. Whatever Iowa; they’re all interchangeable, like we’re youthful impressions of Indiana I’d brought Berta Greenwald Ledecky Undergraduate Fellow playing horseshoes with homelands. Either with me to Harvard—that its residents Bailey Trela already misses Indiana. that or someone cocks a head, squints quiz- zically, and says: “Where?” As if the Hoosier state isn’t, just this year, celebrating its bi- centennial (Huzzah! Sumptuous Joy! Viva SPORTS the Crossroads!). It’s very funny, the whole thing. But it leaves me feeling lousy, too. A Calming Presence There are names for these places—In- diana, Iowa, Idaho: right now, the voguest is “flyover state,” meaning, ideally your feet Hockey goalie Emerance Maschmeyer will never touch their barren and mercifully steadies her team, in record-setting fashion. miniaturized ground; meaning, the best that can be said about them is they’re avoidable. “Flyover state” seems to me to encapsu- he moment was easy to miss. the pads of goalie Emerance Maschmeyer ’16, late, better than its coiner could ever have Halfway through the third pe- who flicked it harmlessly into the corner. intended, the strange blending of tact riod in an early January game And that was it. Maschmeyer, 21, a se- and indifference that seems to determine that Harvard would soon put nior co-captain of the Harvard women’s so much of our dialogue, as Harvard stu- Tout of reach, Colgate defenseman Nicole hockey team and its principal goaltender dents, about the regions we call home. I’ve Gass skated into the zone and, from the top for the past three years, had made her never gotten into a fight because someone of the right-hand faceoff circle, snapped a 2,108th career save, surpassing the school’s took umbrage at my Hoosier bearing, but, hard shot toward the Harvard net. The puck all-time record. A half-second later, her as I’ve come to learn, the absence of preju- sailed past two Crimson defenders and into teammates corralled the puck along the 26 March - April 2016 Document1Document1 11/20/03 11/20/03 11:51 11:51 AM AM Page Page 1 1 left boards and, after a skirmish at the ASSISTEDASSISTEDLIVINGLIVINGRETIREMENTRETIREMENTCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITY blue line, cleared it Independent and Assisted Living out of the zone and Here’sSpecializedHere’s what what Memory people people Care are are up the ice. In the next 10 minutes, Harvard Whatsayingsaying do Harvard about about us. alumni us. would score another have in common? three goals to win the game 6-2, and it Cadbury Commons wasn’t until after the A Remarkable Senior Residence final buzzer that the rink announcer re- ported Maschmeyer’s Emerance record to the ap- Maschmeyer Name:Name:MiltonMilton R. R. plauding crowd. By Occupation:Occupation:PostalPostal Supervisor, Supervisor, Retired Retired Hobbies:Hobbies:Reading,Reading, Walking, Walking, Exercising Exercising then she’d made another nine saves. saves that night on 30 shots—and eventu- Lifestyle:Lifestyle:Independent,Independent, Active Active “My opinion is, she’s the best goalie on ally her teammates found their stride. “I ChoiceChoice of Senior/Assisted of Senior/Assisted Living: Living: CadburyCadbury Commons Commons the college level,” says Landry Family head like being able to steal a game,” she says. The Harvard alumni who chose coach Katey Stone. Canada’s national team “A team can be outshooting and outplay- “There“There is a isstable a stable and andgentle gentle atmosphere atmosphere Cadburyof help and Commons empathy throughoutmay have the wants her; so does the newly formed Na- ing us, but if I’m able to stand on my head of help and empathy throughout the community.retiredcommunity. from I feel Iwork, feelassured assured but that not thatI am fromI partam part oflife. of tional Women’s Hockey League: in 2015 and give my team the chance to win— others’others’ lives, lives, as they as they are ofare mine. of mine. For Formyself, myself, the all-women professional league chose that’s the best feeling.” I feelIMuseum feelthat thatCadbury CadburyVisits Commons • CommonsPlay Readingprovides provides a a wellSymphonywell trained trained and andcaring Selections caring group group of •people ofLecture people who who her as one of 20 athletes its inaugural draft. Whenever she’s in the net, Maschmeyer are interestedare interested in my in welfare.”my welfare.” “She’s really good,” Stone says, “and she’s a sings a song in her head. Not always the Series • Yoga • Organic Gardening CallCall (617) (617) 868-0575 868-0575 to arrange to arrange a personal a personal calming presence back there. You can feel same one—and she’s cagey about divulg- tour,Calltour, (617) or visit or 868-0575 visit www.cadburycommons.com www.cadburycommons.com to arrange a personal tour, it all over the ice.” Averaging just over 30 ing titles (that might provoke the hockey WhereWhereor visitThe www.cadburycommons.comThe Emphasis Emphasis Is On Is OnLiving Living saves per game, Maschmeyer (teammates gods)—although she allows it’s less likely 66 Sherman6666 Sherman Sherman Street, Street, Street, Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridge, EQUAL EQUAL MA 02140◆ ◆ (617) 868-0575 HOUSING HOUSING MAMA 02140 02140 (617)• (617)868-0575 868-0575 OPPTY call her “Mash”) is hovering close to sev- to be country (“a little slow”) than hip- OPPTY eral Harvard or NCAA records: for save hop or R&B. “It depends on my mood.” percentage, goals-against average, ca- But when the pucks are flying toward her reer shutouts, per-season wins. Last year and opposing forwards crashing the net, a It’s not too late to she backstopped the team all the way to song in her head helps hold her focus.

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