This is Gabe. . .
If you want to know Gabe you have to look carefully, because with Gabe, appearances can often be deceiving. He looks like he isn’t studying. One day he forgets, until the very last minute, when the math test is going to be and then he starts an intense review just before bedtime. Usually he starts his math right after school, but sometimes he fills an entire page with cartoon characters in the shape of finely detailed peanuts before he even looks at the first problem. There are some days when Gabe scrambles to finish his homework between breakfast and the bus arrival, but not before reading the daily comics. If you really want to know Gabe, though, you have to watch him very closely, because very quietly and steadily, and on his own terms, Gabe has risen to the top of his class with “high honors” quarter, after quarter, after academic quarter.
This is Gabe. . .
He is determined to get better at ping pong. He pushes himself to practice and play, to develop new serves, to sharpen his reflexes, to maintain his focus and concentration for every single hard fought point. He doesn’t get discouraged every time his father beats him. He doesn’t want his father to let up, he wants to face his father’s toughest serve, his best game, because if he can score points against his father he has indeed done something. And if he could ever beat his father, just once, that might be one of his most monumental accomplishments. If you want to know Gabe, though, you have to watch him very closely, because one day he did finally beat his dad, and before he celebrated with a skip up the stairs and a race through the house, he gave his dad a hug as he does after all the matches, but this time his eyes glistened and his cheek was wet with the surge of feeling he had for the champion who had lost for the first time.
This is Gabe. . .
He decided at the end of 8th grade that he wanted to play on the HS tennis team the following year. Of course, Gabe had never really played tennis. Nevertheless, he refused to be intimidated by this daunting task. Instead, he practiced, sometimes several times a day. He took lessons, and practiced some more. Through steadfast determination and sheer desire, he earned a respectable place on the JV team. And that was just the beginning. We finally bought a tennis ball machine, because that proved to be the only way to match Gabe’s tireless effort. He doesn’t get discouraged when better players beat him. He doesn’t blame others, claim it wasn’t fair, or find fault. He just tries harder. He’s known as a team player who is kind and encouraging of others. There were times when that caused him to be less competitive and it prevented him from moving higher up the rank, but he is learning how to deal with that. He plays because he loves playing tennis and he loves being on the team, not because he is the best at it.
This is Gabe. . .
He has his own style. He loves doing puzzles and will spend hours among tiny pieces scattered on the floor. It is amazing to see 5,000 pieces become a whole. It is more amazing to watch Gabe because he always assembles these puzzles from the inside out. He loves a good salad, just don’t put in any lettuce. He has his own system for his clothes that minimizes laundry; it makes getting dressed more efficient, and (probably the most important to Gabe) it doesn’t require putting clothes away in the drawers.
Gabe used to be an actor (he probably still is). He has been in many plays. Then he took a cooking course on making your own pizza, and another one on cooking pasta. Last year he took a night class in Bristol. It was a class on improvisation and everyone was over 50 except Gabe.
This is Gabe. . .
He shows up at school every day at 6:45 a.m. to rehearse with the High School Jazz band. He studies the saxophone privately and puts his heart into all his practices. He has made the All-State Jazz band three times. The RI All State Jazz Band takes just two Tenor saxophone players. For the past three years, one of them has been Gabe.
So Gabe practices his heart out on the saxophone, gets to the All State tryouts early and well prepared, then comes out of the first audition with this report, “I froze, I couldn’t play the scales.” Well, that was for concert band where you have to be one of the top four performers in the state in order to be selected. What does Gabe do? He walks into his next audition, Jazz band where you have to be one of the top two performers in the state, he plays flawlessly and sure enough, he makes it into the top two. He accepts the news with a shrug, but keep in mind he is a highly skilled actor.
This is Gabe. . .
He volunteers at South County Hospital every Week for about 2 1/2 hours transporting patients and lab specimens. He loves this, especially the connections he has made with the patients. He was required to stay with this assignment for a full semester to complete the necessary community service hours. He has been there three years now, including summers, and he will not miss a week no matter what comes up.
This is Gabe. . .
Whether he is playing a boy sent to prison, or a singing cowboy from the 1940’s, or he is just himself, he is truly a character, full of spirit, full of love, full of ideas, wringing the most out of what life brings. Just remember, though, if you want to know Gabe, you have to watch him very closely. You don’t want to miss a thing.
