"Get Off the Sidewalk": A Tribute to Fred Pfeil

By: Scott Virgin

Posted: 12/13/05

I first met Fred Pfeil when some roommates from the Connecticut Clean Energy Coalition referred me to him for a study I was conducting. When I arrived at his doorstep, I was a confused honors student trying to write a thesis on something Fred didn't particularly know anything about-but when I left his house I was full of tea, about 10 pages of notes and had nine useful phone numbers.

From that day on our relationship blossomed in to one which we not only froze together on the steps of the student center protesting wars we mutually disagreed with, but one full of slapstick comedy and appreciation for things like rum and old cars. In particular, I remember comments such as "Man, this car was built for making out," and Fred sneaking up on me in public and yelling "hey, get the hell off the sidewalk, hippie" to get your attention. He even bumped me at a stop sign and then got out of his car jumping around like he wanted to fight me. I think I laughed for an entire hour.

It is easy to think of all of the things someone had to offer once they are gone. The exceptional thing about Fred is he didn't have to do anything in particular to affect you. He made the people around him happy and excited because he genuinely cared about people and engaged them. He had an energy and enthusiasm which infected the people around him.

The last time I met with him I came over for lunch. At this point he was very ill and had little energy, but we sat talking in beautiful weather about mutual acquaintances, poetry, life and death. I remember learning that poetry is more important than I had previously thought, and that dying was less important. I think we cherished one another's company that day because of how slowly the time seemed to move along, and the length of the pauses in our conversation. I believe what Fred was communicating was that the relationships that we have are more important than we may realize.

I look forward to afternoon conversations again some day, old friend. And wherever you are, for now, "get the hell off the sidewalk, hippie." I'll meet you there.

--Scott Virgin, Trinity Graduate Student