Sam's Symposium

When I got into my car this morning, the song that was playing on the radio when I pulled into the driveway yesterday picked up almost exactly where it left off. Now, this wouldn't normally be cause for comment, but the song was Steely Dan's "Do It Again"... ¿A cool coincidence or a pathetic metaphor or other symbol that makes me realize how much time I spend in my car traveling the exact same stretch of I-80?

This morning, I was on my way to the Symposium organized in honor of Profe. Sam's many years at UCD.
These never start on time.Sam Armistead

I wondered why the event was being held at the Buehler Alumni Center instead of the University Club, but was glad it was because that meant that I'd walk in half and hour late, rather than 45 minutes late. I arrived as the first panelist was speaking, having missed the Chancellor's welcome. I had to walk pretty far up towards the front before I found a seat at the end of a row to slip into, which tells me that I was not the only one running late. I found a seat in front of Matt's and behind Manuel's aisle seats. As each panelist presented their work, it became clear why the Buehler Alum Ctr. was indeed the appropriate venue. The presenters had been students of Sam's at some point during the past 50 years and worked flores and acknowledgements to him into their papers. The papers this morning were all excellent and in themselves a loving tribute to Sam and all manifested his influence - the theme of the conference could have been subtitled: "Things That Professor Armistead Likes". Adrienne wisely closed the Q/A session after Sam related an anecdote about his last trip to Lisbon/Madrid. In both cities, he met with university high muckety-mucks, who, knowing his work, introduced themselves as descendents of Jews who, um..."converted" during the Inquistion. La señora madrileña loudly and proudly introduced herself by all four names that were so overtly Catholic that they could only be converso names, declaring herself "conversa de los cuatro costados".