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#Post#: 13602--------------------------------------------------
Eddy Campion
By: Jack Date: July 2, 2019, 8:25 am
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Just received this question on Van's thread, and decided it was
worth starting a new thread.
[quote author=David M. Katz link=topic=230.msg13596#msg13596
date=1562037077]
For some reason I was thinking of Van's fiddle player, Eddie.
Does he still come around?
[/quote]
Eddie does still come around.
As hard as it is to believe, he just graduated last month.
Eddy had hoped to attend the same college that's Van's number
one preference. Unfortunately, Eddy's academics weren't quite
up there. That's not to say Eddy was a bad student, and he is
very smart, but he's better at taking tests than he is at
staying atop his homework, and Van's first choice is one of the
top colleges in the country (and I don't mean just for music).
Instead, Eddy has been accepted at the same university where
Sean Strouse attends. It's not nationally ranked, but it is a
good school with a good music program. Eddy has made noise
about getting good grades there for a year or two, then applying
to transfer later on, which is always a possibility. At least
he knows Sean, they'll be in the same college, even if different
grades, and Sean is really organized and good at home work, so
maybe he can help Eddy with that.
For those of you not already familiar with Eddy, we've known him
since he was in 8th grade. This is the original story...
[font=georgia]"I'm not sure if I worry for Van when he grows up
or the rest of the world.
After seeing the Phantom of the Opera video I linked above, and
complaining because Bobby is unsure of his plans or what he's
going to do when the season is over.
Instead of fixating on Bobby, Van went to the music director
Friday and said, ""I need a violinist.""
I met his violinist yesterday. Eddy Campion. Nice kid. Tall,
geeky looking (I mean 5'6"" or 7"", but I'd be shocked if he
weighed 110). He's first chair in 8th grade, though, and he's
apparently a pretty good basketball player, so I guess he can't
be too awkward and uncoordinated --- he sure looks like he is,
though.
He came over for a while last night. He watched the video and
said, ""I can't do that!"" He looked at the sheet music, though,
and decided it wasn't as bad as he'd thought (remember, Lindsey
is dancing while she does all that, so it looks spectacular).
Bryce and Josh had their role playing buddies over for gaming
last night. Eddy (Eddie?) is a huge sci-fi/fantasy (and comics)
fan. He's not much of a fan of reading, but his Dad did let him
stay late, though he didn't get to sleep over.
There are some other things going on with Eddy. I'm supposed to
talk to his mom today, and if things work out, he might get his
own post soon.
Getting back to Van, he went with me to drop kids at various
soccer games, then he and I stopped at a couple of Halloween
stores. We never did find a Phantom costume in his size, but we
did find the basics in our costume closet downstairs, and we did
find all the accessories he'll need and more. The thing is, he
came up with a pretty... modern take on the Phantom. Just to
give you a hint, imagine this vest, with these gloves, and no
shirt. He's looking at all black, except either a red or
metallic silver mask, and a red boutonniere.
He may have questionable taste, but he's definitely got a flair
for the dramatic."[/font]
Sorry for the missing pics/links, but I'm sure you get the idea.
Later I learned this information.
[font=georgia]I did talk to Eddy's Mom. She's divorced from his
dad and re-married, but both of them live near BCA. While he
lives with his dad, he's fairly free to go where is best at the
time (like Mom's house, if Dad has to work late, or Dad's house
when Mom's other kids are making him insane). It sounds like Dad
is mostly in charge, but that he does ask Mom's advice about
stuff.
Why I needed to talk to her was that he was out of the country
when Eddy was in first grade. What she described to me sounds a
lot like what happened with Bobby. He had a minor learning
disability. In Bobby's case, with a bad teacher, he had to
repeat first grade, and thought he was an idiot. Eddy could have
ended up with a similar situation, but his mom saw his problem
pretty quickly, and she moved to get him help. Still, while he
can read, and didn't have to repeat a grade, he left the
situation as 'not a reading fan.'
Laura had heard that I teach and tutor in literature, and that
I'd had great luck getting other kids to read (I would really
like to stamp those nasty rumors out, but I guess it's good if I
ever need another job).
I am NOT tutoring Eddy. On the other hand, he's going to visit
here and hang around with us. I've already organized a reading
group for this Saturday, and Eddy has permission to spend the
night. I've told Van that I want him there for the group, so
Eddy will at least give it a chance. Hopefully I can slip a
couple of interesting books in under his radar, before he even
realizes he's been ambushed.
In other news, it sounds like Eddy is going to start playing
violin with Van. Now I'm just looking forward to seeing what he
makes of Bobby."[/font]
After meeting his Dad, I did end up working with Eddy for a
while, mostly on his reading, but a bit on doing school work in
general. I had CP permission with him, and used it, but I
recall that he mostly got in trouble as part of the group -
rarely on his own.
There was some family problems going on in the background, about
which I learned later. It explains the trouble Eddy had with
his step-father. It effected his younger brother, Pete, a lot
more then it effected Eddy (not exactly true, but it was a
family secret that Eddy already knew when I met them, but which
Pete learned later).
Van's best friend is Jared Loomis, who is also his boy friend,
and he's dating Eliza Loomis (an interesting situation, but the
three of them seem okay with it). I'm not sure how many of
those details Eddy knows, but he seems okay with being Van's
second best friend and favorite violin player, and they're all a
pretty comfortable group.
Pete still comes around as well, but that's a completely
different situation.
#Post#: 13606--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddy Campion
By: Zyngaru Date: July 2, 2019, 10:10 am
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Boy Magnet! Jack is a boy magnet! :o ;D :o
But seriously, I am so happy that you have been in the right
place at the right time for so many boys. Yes, this was Van's
doing. He brought Eddy into your circle, but then you provided
the place and the adult stability. I am sure you made a huge
difference in Eddy's life and probably Pete's as well. Just
being the Rock in a turbulent life, is more than many boys have,
and being the rock, makes a difference in how they weather the
storms in their lives.
You do seem to have a high from high school to college
precentage. Probably higher than most school systems.
#Post#: 13611--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddy Campion
By: Jack Date: July 2, 2019, 3:53 pm
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I really didn't do a lot to help Eddy, except help him find
things he likes to read. It's my feeling that a lot of the
problem boys have is too many females involved in lower
education grades, and too many dads who never learned to love
reading themselves. Sometimes a boy just needs a bit of
direction.
Yes, we do have a high percentage of college students. Part of
that is we have an excellent educational system (or two) around
here. Part of it is that we are above average in income around
here. Part of it is that I do encourage the kids to work hard,
and I do encourage them to do academic type things outside of
school (like the summer movie series).
#Post#: 13782--------------------------------------------------
Re: Eddy Campion
By: David M. Katz Date: July 9, 2019, 11:09 pm
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Thanks for taking time to do the update, Jack.
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