Bruce MacDonald

Profile Updated: October 14, 2018
Bruce MacDonald
Residing In: Jamaica Plain, MA USA
Your email address: brucemacdonald322@gmail.com
Occupation: Clinical Social Worker
Do you have children? Jes born 1974, living in Ashland, OR, CA, 1 daughter (13), one son (9).
Lex born 1980, living in More…Northampton, MA, 4 sons (15,15,10,8), 3 daughters (12,9,6 months).
Fiona born 1983, living in Taos, NM, two sons (1,6).
Yes! Attending Reunion
Comments:

After college (Williams '73), I was in a graduate program in Dramatic Art at U. Calfornia Berkeley until 1976, taught at Northeastern and Salem State before working as an actor and playwright until 1998. I received my MSW from Simmons College in 2000, worked for 2 years at Boston Medical Center and have been working at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ever since.

School Story:

Sometime near the end of senior year, my family had a high school student from Norway staying with us in our home on Central Ave for a week or so. Karin (ka-reen, rolling the r). I was smitten and determined that I would visit her that very summer. I saved up my lawn-mowing money and talked Jim Yardley into going with me. We flew to London, spent a night going to strip shows in Piccadilly Circus before heading up to Bergen and then took trains and ferries up to Marifjora, where Karin and her family were expecting us. Karin greeted us at the door and I knew at first glance that my feelings for her were thoroughly unrequited. Jim and I spent a day going to school with Karin and then headed off, rebels without a plan, lugging our suitcases (not backpacks) in and out of youth hostels across Norway on our way to Oslo. Along the way we both bought pairs of reindeer boots, which stunk to high heaven because they were made of authentic (probably recently deceased) reindeer hide. We wore them on the plane from Oslo to Boston and customs officers detained us on arrival, thinking we may be smuggling drugs inside our stinky reindeer boots. But all we had was a half bottle of gin or something. We were finally released into the custody of our parents and, 50 years later, I wish I still had those boots. I have no idea what happened to them. Or to Jim, whom I haven't seen since that day we landed in Boston in 1969. I hope he makes it to reunion.

Do you keep in touch with other NHS classmates?

Rich Gatto, Chris Pahud, Phil Kissinger and I continue to solve world problems and enjoy a few laughs over dinner every few months. I hear from a handful of old pals on Facebook.

Did you have a favorite teacher at NHS?

Ellen Burke, the best English teacher who ever lived. Charlie Hooker and Lee Allen were pretty amazing, too.

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Posted: Oct 14, 2018 at 1:18 PM