My Friend Harris’ Birthday

Today would have been my friend Harris Wulfson’s 48th birthday. I’ve written about Harris before...and I don’t have it in me to do a deep dive today.

My birthday is July 14th, another one of our roommates’ is on the 16th, and then Harris’ is the 18th. So what used to be a fun week (in the years after graduation) of wishing each other a happy birthday has become, since 2008, something quite different. (He also died around this time of year: suicide from mental illness complications.)

I also learned that one of our music professors at Amherst, David Reck, recently passed away. He was an expert in world music, and Harris was a huge fan. I regret not taking any of his courses.

Harris was a brilliant musician, and I remember how deeply he got into Indian music thanks to Professor Reck.

Here’s a memorial of Prof. Reck courtesy the Amherst site.