Tom Garber:
CLASS OF 1962
Braintree High SchoolClass of 1962
Braintree, MA
Tom's Story
August 1, 2021
Note from Tom Garber
Well first of all I’m not dead yet. When I left ole’ BHS as an innocent child in 1962 (had to check with archeologists to make sure I had the correct era) I went to college in Cleveland, Ohio, and got a BS in structural engineering. Unfortunately this did not mean that I led a structured life. After a few years as a slide rule jockey in two shipyards I decided engineering was not for me. I wanted to become a writer.
About then I met my future wife, Anna, who is from England, and who ended her first phone calls with me by saying “Cheerio.” She stole my heart. In 1970 we got married in New Zealand where she was a high school French and English teacher. For 2 ½ years I was a small town newspaper reporter. Then both Anna and I took leave of out senses and quit our day jobs to begin growing vegetables for a living. We did this to allow me more time to write fiction. Hah! It turned into a lively business and we were run off our feet sunup to sundown. Anna had our two boys during this time, Billy and David.
We decided to return to the States in 1977. Our plan was to continue market gardening. Idiotically we chose a small farm in Goshen, New Hampshire. Of course the snow and frost killed that idea and for some years I had to rely on my technical ability agai...Expand for more
n for income.
I looked first for work in journalism but the movie about Watergate had come out and all the young journalist grads had taken every available position I came across. I did find a proof reader job for Anna which, ironically, led to her 30-year career as a reporter and editor.
I worked for two housing companies in NH and ended up in log homes in Sevierville, TN. I resigned about 1990 and started our own business. We made wood spiral stair kits. It took several years to get going but in the end we shipped the stairs to all 50 states and out of the country. One year we shipped just shy of 300 stairs. During this time I became a private airplane pilot and eventually logged 520 hours in the air. But I was a lousy manager. All I wanted was for everyone to have fun. And I believe we did. It was like no other business I had ever seen. I probably should have fired myself long before. I retired at 73 and sold the building and machinery.
So now I am free to write. I create tremendously great third rate short stories and autobiographical pieces. Haven’t sent anything to be printed. I had a sad time trying that 50 years ago. Perhaps one day…
Being a stubborn old fart, I don’t have a bucket list. What the hell, I’ve already had a pretty good time.
Best wishes to all, Tom Garber.
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