One of the benefits of residency in a college community is exposure to countless people with absorbing resumes and singular accomplishments.
When I became entrenched at Harry’s Restaurant in Five Points, where I got an additional degree in ribald humor and nonsensical banter—which was brought about by affiliation with Dan Magill, the sage of South Lumpkin Street—I realized early on that learned professors enjoyed his company.
Magill was an aficionado of tennis and chess. He had a literary bent, which allowed for intellectual compatibility. I began to eavesdrop on conversations of the many professors who frequented Magill’s turf.