BC Law professor Mike Cassidy shared the note below that he received from a student. “I ask students in Evidence to inform me in advance if they need to miss a class,” Professor Cassidy wrote. “I do this so that I can keep an eye on students who may be experiencing problems or simply falling behind. I received this email on Wednesday evening October 30, 2018. It was one of the most compelling and engaging excuses for missing class that I have received in 22 years of teaching.

“I sincerely hope that Ben becomes a litigator after graduation. He clearly has the skills of an advocate.”

We at Impact thought it was a shame that such an eloquently written plea wasn’t shared with the world–and so, with Professor Cassidy’s and Ben’s permission, we are posting it here:

Professor Cassidy,

There are a number of ways I could tell this story. I could tell you about how one of my first memories is lying on my parent’s bed late one October night in 2003 and watching Aaron Boone hit an ALCS-winning home run to send the Yankees to the World Series over the Red Sox. I could tell you how I cried and my mom (who is from New York) tried to comfort me by telling me “there’s always next year.” I could tell you how when “next year” came and we were down 3-0 in the ALCS to the Yankees, I kept the faith. I could tell you about how when Edgar Renteria grounded back to Keith Foulke I cried even harder than I had the year before. I could tell you how my room is covered in posters of Pedro, Manny, Tek, and Big Papi. I could tell you about how I named my hamster “Theo” after Theo Epstein. Or about how I snuck a Walkman radio into sleep away camp so I could fall asleep listening to the Red Sox at night.

The 2018 Parade, captured by an anonymous student who escaped his/her internship to revel.

There are a million ways I could tell you about how I love and live for the Red Sox. But what I can’t tell you is what a championship parade feels like. In all these years as a die-hard Boston sports fan, I’ve never been to a parade. That changes tomorrow.

I know this may come across as immature and even a little arrogant. A 23-year-old law student shouldn’t be worried about sports parades. This parade isn’t for the 23-year-old law student though. This parade for the 8-year old who put his heart and soul into a sports team and has been rewarded far more than any sports fan probably deserves. And while it’s easy to say I should just go to the next parade, I as much as anybody know that “next year” is never a given.

So, Professor Cassidy, while I by no means expect my absence to be excused from class tomorrow, please understand that tomorrow is a day that does not come very often, if ever again, and that I will not be in class.  I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.

Thank you,
Ben Haspel

We hope you enjoyed the parade, Ben!