On July 14, 1988, we were seven months pregnant with Maggie. We owned our first house in a "transitional" (giggle) neighborhood called Fox Pointe, in Providence, Rhode Island. We furnished it with hand-me-down furniture, an IBM 386, and a shelf of VHS tapes that were later stolen in one of many burglaries in that neighborhood. So, twenty years ago today, then-Governor Ed DiPrete declared "Brian Fuller Day." That's him with the Guv in the photo. Really! He's probably reading the fine print on the declaration, which DiPrete personally delivered to the UPI bureau in the basement of the state house. Now why would the busy governor go out of his way to lavish such time and attention on a young up-and-coming journalist? Such a busy, busy statesman, who ten years later pleaded guilty to state charges of bribery, extortion, and racketeering? My brain was drowning in hormones at the time, I don't recall the reason. Please have mercy and remind me. In the meantime, we celebrate Brian Fuller Day every year, and I'm sure Brian would be happy if y'all used the same excuse to lift a glass of your favorite spirits tonight.
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Monday, July 14, 2008
P.S. Happy 20th Anniversary of Brian Fuller Day
On July 14, 1988, we were seven months pregnant with Maggie. We owned our first house in a "transitional" (giggle) neighborhood called Fox Pointe, in Providence, Rhode Island. We furnished it with hand-me-down furniture, an IBM 386, and a shelf of VHS tapes that were later stolen in one of many burglaries in that neighborhood. So, twenty years ago today, then-Governor Ed DiPrete declared "Brian Fuller Day." That's him with the Guv in the photo. Really! He's probably reading the fine print on the declaration, which DiPrete personally delivered to the UPI bureau in the basement of the state house. Now why would the busy governor go out of his way to lavish such time and attention on a young up-and-coming journalist? Such a busy, busy statesman, who ten years later pleaded guilty to state charges of bribery, extortion, and racketeering? My brain was drowning in hormones at the time, I don't recall the reason. Please have mercy and remind me. In the meantime, we celebrate Brian Fuller Day every year, and I'm sure Brian would be happy if y'all used the same excuse to lift a glass of your favorite spirits tonight.
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In addition to getting a handy-dandy memento of my last day at UPI, Gov. DiPrete also gave me a really great scoop on the Democratic attorney general. It was a beautiful last day after five years at the best wire service.
I look young too...
The shot also has two of my favorite pictures in the background, President Reagan mugging for a national news photographers banquet and jerry garcia playing at Worcester, Mass., a show I went to with fellow UPI man Ken Franckling. Thanks for the memory!
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