Saint Fred

SAINT FRED is a family story that begins in the hardscrabble mountains of southern Italy in the late 19th century and ends in the early 21st century in the receding waves of the Pacific Ocean. In between family members paint the portrait of Fred: orphan with aspirations of priesthood; fullback with a disconcerting directive from the coach; WWII soldier who was a greater threat to himself than to the enemy; Latin teacher in an education world that was busily jettisoning the Classics; Saint-in-Waiting. Fred literally bounced through life, shedding the misfortunes and celebrating the glories. Those around him could bask in the reflected energy, or on occasion seek refuge until the volume was turned down. Fred journeyed toward his assumed sainthood, and family grew in their appreciation of his gifts.