ClassMate Bio
Daniel Reid
THS '78
My son Luca and I, on the bus down to San Remo
Written: January 2004
It all started out in a log cabin in Brooklyn ...
Graduated from Tottenville in '78 ... College of Staten Island in '84, with a degree in Early Ed. Put that to absolutely no use whatsoever ... and took a job working with emotionally disturbed teenagers at Mount Loretto.
Joined the navy for no particular reason in 1991, at the age of 31 ... earning me the nickname of "pops" or "gramps" in boot camp.
Enjoyed that immensely (well, except
for all that military stuff). But did get to travel the
world on the
government's dime, like it said in all those brochures.
Earned my share of medals and awards for my "I love me wall" ... and when the insanity had just reached epic proportions ... I decided to show >them< who's crazier, so I got out and moved to Italy instead ... just, pretty much on a whim.
In retrospect ... there were a few problems with that plan ... like, for instance, I did not speak Italian at the time (minor details!).
I married my wife
Rita ... settled down in San Remo. And if
anyone has ever seen "Green Acres" on TV ... about a suave
sophisticated New Yorker, going to live in Hicksville...
Well, there we are ... that pretty much sez it all ... all I'm missing is the pig named Arnold.
That was in 1997 ... and several years later (am I still here?? Why??).
Fate
handed me another lovely surprise ... my one and only son, Luca! A true
joy and I get to explore all the wonders of parenthood at 40 (memo to
myself ... have kids when you're young enough to chase after them next
time!!). But he's a pure
delight ... and turned three this past November. And my marriage,
surprisingly enough, is still going strong going on 6 years in August.
We live in a beautiful area, if in a
somewhat deranged country, close to both the sea and the mountains, and
now we run a small vineyard ... and all the fun that goes with that (grow
most of our own food, olive orchards, the whole Italian nine yards). 
If
only my great grandmother, who fled southern Foggia, could see me now!!! For sure ... the only Italian "Reids"
in all of Italy!
Luca is a True Blue Court Jester!
This
is our house, covered by olive trees, showing how high, high up we are and
what a view we have! Rita's car is
the blue car coming out of the driveway. The church of San Donato is
immediately to the right, just out of the picture.
The public fountain is the white arch in the center and the cistern holding the fresh mountain water is the gray structure on top of the rock wall, on the left.
The picture is taken from the bus turn-around spot.
My brother Dennis, THS '74, and I sharing a
tender, brotherly moment.
An anatomy lesson.
Ciao!!!! Daniel