The Chronicle, Vol. 57, Issue 16

              Randy Howard, Editor...Artist
B y S c o tt M a r c h
S p o r t s E d ito r
^ b a n y - T h e o u t s id e o f th e d o o r w a s
d e c o r a te d w i th s o m e s o r t o f g r a p h ic
a r tw o r k . I t to o k s e v e r a l s e c o n d s to
d i s t in g u i s h w h a t th e s em i- s c r ip t d e s ig n s
s a id . "R a n d y H o w a r d sm o k e s f a t ,
h a n g in g d o o b ie s ," I b e lie v e . T h o e w a s
a ls o a c o n d om h a n g in g o f f th e s ig n th a t
b o l d l y s a y s , " P U B L IC A T IO N S
O F F IC E ." G r a t e f u l D e a d s y m b o l s
c o u ld b e s p o t te d f lo a tin g a ro u n d . T h e r e
w a s a s t a tem e n t o n th e to p , l e f t h a n d
c o m e r o f th e d o o r w h ic h a s k e d s e v e r a l
q u e s t io n s . "W h e r e th e h e l l a r e a l l th e
h ip p ie s ? W h e r e a r e a l l th e s k in h e a d s ? "
A n d , "w h e r e a r e a l l th e f re a k s h id in g a t
S a in t R o s e ? "
I s p o k e w i th R a n d y H o w a r d f o r
a b o u t tw o h o u r s in th e c o n u n o n a r e a o f
o n e o f th e f em a le o c c u p ie d h o u s e s o n
th e S a in t R o s e c am p u s . H e l iv e s th e r e
w i th h i s g i r lf r ie n d w h o n o t o n ly s h e l te r s
h im b u t a l s o sh a re s h e r m e a l s w i th h im .
R a n d y h a s n o o th e r c h o ic e . H e c o u ld
n o t a f f o rd th e C o l le g e 's ro om a n d b o a rd
c o s t s , n o r th e c o s t o f l iv in g in a n
a p a r tm e n t o f f - c a m p u s . I t w a s
im p o s s ib l e f o r th e s e n io r to c o m m u te
f rom h i s h om e in Q u e e n s b u ry , w h ic h is
a n h o u r n o r th f rom A lb a n y .
"Where the hell are all
the hippies? Where
are all the
skinheads?'
G i r l s l iv in g in th e h o u s e l e i s u r e ly
w a lk e d in a n d o u t , c a s u a l ly g r e e t in g u s
a s th e y w e n t b y . R a n d y lo o k e d u p f o r a
s e c o n d a n d s a id " h e llo " a s i f th i s w a s
c u s to m a r y . H e q u i c k ly r e s u m e d th e
c o n v e r s a t io n a s h e ra n h i s h a n d th ro u g h
h i s fu z z y h a ir . I t lo o k e d k in d o f n o rm a l
c o n s id e r in g h i s m o h aw k - s ty le f rom la s t
y e a r a n d th e o r a n g e p u n k r o c k e r h a ird o
d a tin g a f ew m o n th s b a c k . R a n d y w a s
w e a r in g a s h i r t f r o m th e "A m J am "
T a t t o o E x h i b i t i o n t h a t v i s i t e d
S c h e n e c ta d y e a r l ie r th is y e a r.
W h e n h e i s n o t s le e p in g in th e a l l
g i r l d o rm i to r y , R a n d y i s s p e n d in g a n
a l l - n ig h te r in th e P u b l ic a t io n s O f f ic e .
R a n d y 's o d d l iv in g a r r a n g em e n t s o n ly
e x em p l ify h i s c h a r a c te r . A s I p ro c e e d e d
to d ig in to th e l i f e o f th e tw e n ty - tw o
y e a r o ld , I r e a l iz e d th a t h e i s a u n iq u e
in d iv id u a l.
T ra n s f e r r in g f rom S U N Y N ew P a ltz
tw o a n d a h a l f y e a r s a g o , R a n d y w a s
e x p e c te d to b e a m a jo r c o n tr ib u to r to th e
C o l l e g e 's b a s e b a l l p ro g r am . H e w a s
n am e d to th e f i r s t te am A l l - S U N Y
te am in h i s s o p h om o r e y e a r , a s h e le d
th e l e a g u e in R B I 's a n d o w n e d a n
im p r e s s iv e .4 5 0 b a t t in g a v e r a g e . T h e
f i r s t b a s em a n w a s a l s o n am e d th e te am 's
M V P th a t s e a s o n . A f te r r e d - s h i r tin g th e
n e x t s e a s o n a t S a in t R o s e , th e y o u n g
s lu g g e r lo o k e d to m a k e a n im p a c t w i th
th e G o ld e n K n ig h ts .
"I k in d o f b lew i t h e r e ," R a n d y s a id ,
a s i f w h a t h a d h a p p e n e d d id n 't p h a s e
h im . H e s t ru g g le d in th e f a ll s e a s o n o f
h i s j u n i o r y e a r , s lu m p in g th r o u g h o u t
th e c h i l ly m o n th s o f S e p t em b e r a n d
O c to b e r . T h e la c k o f p ro d u c tio n in th e
f a l l c u t h i s p l a y in g t im e in th e s p r in g ,
c a u s in g h im to lo s e i n t e r e s t in th e
s p o r t
" I th in k I w a s to o sm a r t to p l a y
b a s e b a l l ," R a n d y s a id a s a sm i le g r ew
o n h i s f a c e . " I u s e d to th in k to o m u c h ,"
h e a d d e d . R a n d y r e a l iz e d h is s k i l ls w e re
in s u f f ic ie n t, m a k in g h im u n a b le to p la y
p r o f e s s io n a l b a s e b a l l . I t w a s e v id e n t
th a t th e E n g l i s h m a jo r h a d n o r e g r e t s
a b o u t p r em a tu r e ly e n d in g h i s b a s e b a l l
c a r e e r . H is m in d w a s r ip e f o r c h a n g e .
A s h i s in te r e s t g r ew in jo u r n a l i sm
d u e to th e c la s s h e w a s ta k in g a n d h i s
in-ofessor, G a ry M cL o u th , R a n d y d e c id e d
to em b a rk u p o n th e f ie ld . L ik e a ty p ic a l
o p tim is t, th e s tu d e n t d e c id e d th a t h e w a s
s u i te d w e l l e n o u g h to b e e d ito r - in - c h ie f
o f th e s c h o o l n ew s p a p e r . T h e C h ro n ic le .
H e w a s w r i t in g c r e a t iv e ly a n d r e a d in g
n o v e l s b y a u th o r s s u c h a s F i tz g e r a ld ,
H em in g w a y , a n d H e n ry M i l le r , b u t a s
e d i to r , R a n d y w o u ld h a v e a c h a n c e to
v o ic e h i s o p in io n to th e w h o le c am p u s .
R a n d y a p p l i e d f o r th e p o s i t io n in th e
s [ f lin g o f h i s ju n io r y e a r , fo re sh a d ow in g
h i s u p c om in g d e c i s io n to te rm in a te h is
b a s e b a ll c a re e r .
W h e n h e w a s a p p o in t e d a s a n
m a d e h i s d e c i s io n . " I d e c id e d th a t i f I
w a s g o in g to d o i t ( th e n ew s p a p e r ) , I
w a s g o in g to d o i t r ig h t," h e s a id .
T h e n ew e d i to r d e d ic a te d n um e ro u s
h o u r s o f w o r k m a k in g th e p a p e r . H e
c la im e d to e v e n g e t a l l e r g ic r e a c t io n s
f r o m s t a y in g a w a k e a l l n i g h t in th e
o f f i c e o n s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s .
" S o m e t im e s , I 'd s t a r t w o r k in g in th e
a f te rn o o n a n d w o rk a l l d a y lo n g a n d in to
th e n ig h t ," h e s a id . "B y s e v e n a .m ., I
w a s s t r u g g l in g w i t h m y a l l e r g i e s . "
W h e n a s k e d w h y a l l th e t im e a n d
d e d ic a t io n w a s p u t i n to th e p a p e r h e
s a i d , " I t 's a l l p a r t o f m y f a n a t i c
p e r s o n a l i ty , b e c o m in g o b s e s s e d w i th
s om e th in g ."
W e d i s c u s s e d th e r o l e o f a c o lle g e
p u b l ic a tio n c om p a r e d to a p a p e r su c h a s
T h e A l b a n v T im e s U n i o n . A f t e r
s h a r in g a c o u p le o f d i r ty jo k e s , R a n d y
b e g a n to e x p l a i n h i s v i ew s . "M y
o b je c t iv e (w i th T h e C h r o n ic le ) w a s to
r e a l ly s t i r th in g s u p ," h e s a id w i th th e
lo o k o f a m i s c h i e v o u s s ix th g r a d e r in
th e a c t o f s h o o t in g s p i t b a l l s a t h i s
te a c h e r . " T h e r e 's a f ln e l in e b e tw e e n
s e n s a t i o n a l s t u f f a n d 'e t h i c a l
j o u r n a l i sm ', " h e a d d e d , " a n d m a y b e in
c o l l e g e th e r e i s r o o m to b e m o r e
s e n s a t io n a l ." W i th a d e v i l i s h g r in ,
R a n d y r e p e a te d , "W e 'r e h e r e to s t i r
th in g s u p ."
'There's a fine line
between
sensational stuff
and 'ethical
jottmalism.'t t t
A s w e s p o k e in l e n g t h a b o u t
v a ry in g ta c t ic s ta k e n w ith th e p a p e r a n d
d i f fe re n t w r itin g s ty le s to u s e a t d if fe re n t
tim e s , R a n d y a s k e d m e a q u e s tio n : "C a n
y o u s e e m y s ty le ? " I t s e em e d th a t h e
w a s s e a r c h in g f o r h im s e l f a t th e s am e
tim e .
R a n d y h a s p u b l i s h e d a s h o r t s to ry
e n ti t le d "A D i f f e r e n t F a c e o f D e a th ," in
th e M a r c h 2 5 e d i t io n o f T h e C h ro n ic le
th i s y e a r . T h e s t o r y t e l l s o f th e
s n u g g l e s o f th e n a r r a to r . M a t t, d u r in g
a n d a f t e r th e d e a th o f h i s f a th e r .
A n o th e r o f R a n d y 's w o r k s is t i t l e d
" S p i r i t s in O p p o s i t io n ." T h i s s to r y ,
w h ic h h e s u b m i t te d in th e S a in t R o s e
S e n io r W r it in g C o n te s t, d e lv e s in to th e
l i f e o f a y o u n g e r b o y a n d h i s lo n g in g
f o r h i s f a th e r w h o h e n e v e r re a l ly k n ew ,
b u t m i s s e d v e ry m u c h . A th i r d w o rk ,
"F a th e r ’s E u lo g y " w h ic h w a s p u b l is h e d
Randy tailors the office door p h o to b y D a v e R a n fo rd
in T h e S v lv a n H i s t o r i a n i s a p o em
a b o u t th e d em is e o f a n a lc o h o lic f ^ e r .
W h e n q u e s t io n e d a b o u t h i s f a th e r 's
in f lu e n c e o n h im , R a n d y s a id , " I n e v e r
r e a l ly th o u g h t o f i t l ik e th a t u n t i l j u s t
n ow ." Y o u c o u ld a c tu a lly f e e l h i s m in d
th in k in g . " I h e a r h o w a l ik e w e a r e ,"
R a n d y s a id . "M y f a th e r w a s a h u g e
in f lu e n c e o n m e ."
H e s p e n t s o m e t im e r em in i s c in g
a b o u t h i s f a th e r , w h o d ie d o f a s t ro k e
w h e n R a n d y w a s s e v e n te e n y e a r s o ld .
H e to ld a b o u t h ow th e d e a th w a s s im ila r
to th a t in th e " ...F a c e o f D e a th " s to ry .
" I t w a s m y s e n io r y e a r o f h ig h s c h o o l
a n d I f o u n d o u t a t fo o tb a l l p r a c t ic e ," h e
s a id . H e s a id th a t h i s f a th e r w a s a g o o d
m u s ic ia n a n d a v e ry w e ll- re a d m a n .
R a n d y p u l le d h im s e l f u pw a rd f rom
th e s lo u c h in g p o s i t io n . T h e b e a t -u p
c o u c h s e em e d c om fo r ta b le unUl th e n . "I
w i s h I g o t to k n o w h im b e tte r ," h e
m u s e d . H e th e n c o n s o le d h im s e l f , "I
k n o w h e 'd b e p r o u d o f m y
a c c o n p l i s h m e n t s ."
A s th e y o u n g w r i te r c lo s e s o u t h is
c o lle g e c a re e r w ith a BachelcM^s d e g re e in
E n g l i s h a n d a m in o r in w r i t in g , b e
p l a n s o n w r i t in g s h o r t s to r ie s , p o em s ,
e s s a y s , a n d n o v e l s in th e fu tu re . H e
p ro u d ly s a id th a t w h e n i t's a ll o v e r , h e
w a n t s to b e r em em b e r e d a s a g e n iu s .
" I 'l l p r o b a b ly lo s e m y m in d ," R a n d y
s a id , " b u t m a y b e th a t w i l l b e a g o o d
th in g ."
S p o k e n l ik e a One a r tis t.
Live and Work in New York City
S t a r t i n g S e p t e m b e r 1 9 9 3 t t v o u g h J u n e 1 9 9 4
s p e n d t e n m o n t t i s I n M a n h a t t a n .
T e a c t i s w e e t , g e n t l e 1 7 - y e a r - o k j l e a r n i n g
d i s a b l e d b o y t a n g u a g e , a c a d e n n l c a n d
I r d e p e n d e n t l i v i n g s k i l l s , w e e k d a y s a f t e r
s c h o o l a n d S a t u r d a y a f t e r n o o n s .
D a y s f r e e w i t h o p p o r t u n i t y t o w o r k p a r t -
t i m e a s p a r a l e g a l i n l a w o f f i c e , a t t e n d
c t a s s e s o r w o r k a t a n y o t h e r p a r t - t i m e j o b .
E x c e l l e n t s a t a r y , r o o m a n d b o a r d , w i n t e r
v a c a t t o n I n F l o r k j a .
R e f e r e n c e s r e q u e s t e d .
V M q n C h i l l
4 4 1 W e s t E n d A v e n u e
N e w Y o r k , N e w Y o r k 1 0 0 2 4
( 2 1 2 ) 8 7 3 - 7 8 3 8 E v e n i n g s
( 2 1 2 ) 8 1 8 - 8 6 3 2 D a y t i m e M o n d a y - F r k j a y