Courier

Media Credit: Michael Lee The 1978 photo, left, courtesy of Christopher McCabe, shows him during his college years. The recent photo, by Ling Zhou, shows McCabe today.

Have you ever daydreamed about having a professor like the ones we see portrayed in movies? Perhaps a Robin Williams-type from "Dead Poet's Society?" If so, Christopher McCabe is just the one for the job. McCabe is an English professor with a passion for his subject, and a genuine concern to communicate in simple language: the gift of language.

Name of school: "I started out at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I went there for a year, and then moved back home to California and went to Golden West College, UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, and that's where I got my B.A. in English. Later I went to school at Cal State Northridge and got my M.A."

Years attended: "I was not a member of the Age of Aquarius. I never wore bell-bottoms. I was more of a leather jacket kind of guy. I thought I had good taste, and that I walked the walk and talked the talk. I can tell you're going to quote this. Was I like James Dean? No way! I didn't own a Porsche. I didn't even own a Volkswagen."

Best thing: "I met my wife Janet. We met at Golden West College. And when she came up to Cal State Northridge to attend the deaf studies program, I moved up here with her."

Worst thing: "I attended Nixon's inauguration. We were outside, it was cold, and there I was with my friend watching one of the worst presidents start his second term. Let's just say I was a witness to history, which really isn't such a bad thing to do."

Most interesting experience: "Living in D.C., it was a chance to be on my own. I had a chance to get to know a city. And meet people around the country and the globe."

Anything you would change? "No, not at all. Not even the jobs I had then, and I had plenty. I worked as a gardener and janitor at an office building. I was a cook and a dishwasher at a music club. I delivered laundry and dry cleaning, drove a school bus; I did all kinds of temporary and day jobs. I even worked as a department store Santa Claus, weighing in at a trim 160 pounds. Money was tight, and my family had some troubles. My father was seriously ill for a few years and died when I had just turned 21. But I was learning things that I wasn't learning in school. Eventually things worked out."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools