A POST POST

Thursday's New Britain Herald ran a story by Fran Morales about a scholarship started in the name of the late New Britain High security guard Robert Post.

I want to check in as being a devotee of Mr. Post, who died of a heart attack during the holidays. Having covered hundreds of games at Chick Shea Gym, I had seen Mr. Post for years as I walked in and out of the gymnasium area. He never said much but always acknowledged me when I greeted him.

But I knew the kids loved him and the teachers, coaches and administrators appreciated him and his meticulous work very much.

I also remember covering his son Robert in football and baseball when he played at Newington High a decade or so ago. My heart goes out to Robert Jr. and all his father's family and friends.

The last time I saw Mr. Post was at a much different venue, and it surely suggested the dedication he had to not only athletes but students following other pursuits.

If you check my list of posts, you will see the article about the New Britain Madrigal Feast. To summarize, the event touched me deeply and opened my eyes to a whole separate world in our high schools aside from sports. The youngsters, the teachers, the administrators and everybody who had anything to do with staging that uplifting event deserve appreciation for the tireless effort and incredible ingenuity that went into it.

My wife and I were waiting for the arrival of her parents in the foyer of the church. I was watching the people arrive, wondering if I'd see anybody I knew. I wondered just how much the athletic domain at NBHS crossed over with the arts. Other than some school administrators, Mr. Post was the only person I saw whom I knew.

Happy to see somebody familiar, I flashed a smile and offered a warm greeting to Mr. Post, knowing full well that he generally said little if anything. But he flashed a broad smile back and wished me happy holidays. I think he was surprised and touched that this sports devotee would have something to do with the arts.

Sadly, I didn't get to see him again.

Mr. Post's presence is greatly missed around Chick Shea Gym, and I'm sure in many other venues associated with NBHS. I didn't know him well, but the support he provided the students was very clear. I hope the group that has established the scholarship enjoys great success in placing Robert Post's name in perpetuity. How appropriate that even in death, Mr. Post will still be helping the youngsters he loved.