The tale of Fred Fitzgerald and his Patriots jacket
Editor, Townsman:
I read with amusement that my father, Fred Fitzgerald, was known by the Patriots jacket he wore ("Remembering a champion for education," Townsman, Jan. 31). My dad was never a big football fan, preferring the entertainment of baseball on the radio.
Ever the frugal Yankee, one day my father went shopping at Marshall's, in search of a sporty-looking windbreaker. He spied the bright blue jacket on the rack, and without ever looking at the back where there was a large Patriots logo, tried it on and bought it. He commented to me later that people repeatedly stopped him on the street and asked him if he was a Patriots fan, to which he usually replied with a confused and brusque "no."
Only after numerous such encounters did he think to question the question: Why do you ask?
My father possessed an enviable ability to laugh at himself, and this little tale was one of his favorites.
My mother, sisters and I will miss him terribly. We are all lucky to have been a part of his wide circle, and that he made his mark in such an appreciative community.
Catherine F. Meeks
Acton
