Doug Hallam

It was Christmas Break, home from College - As usual my first call was to Doug. We headed to the Eggs' Nest in Stone Ridge, my brother Sal came along. After many beers, it was off to High Falls the site of an old hdroelectric plant. Doug and I disregarded the 'Do Not Enter' sign and climbed the fence and made our way over to the dilapidated building. My brother Sal respected "New York State's Tresspass Laws" and ocassionally screamed for us to return; several timess with threats to report my actions to our mother. Doug and I laughed and discussed the punishment for such malfeasance. No roof allowed the moonlight to be spectacular against the old plaster patched walls. I remember hearing Doug's warning to avoid dark areas on the floor - not known for my footing it was too late. Down the hydrogenerator shaft I fell, luckily hitting the workers' platform - the other side of the shaft would have had deadly consequences. I recall Doug and my brother shouting Michael, and had no idea who Michael was. My shirt was saturated as it rubbed against my torso in my climb up the workers ladder. Doug quickly grabbed hold of my soaked shirt and rushed me to his car. My brother Sal left by foot (running) to report this incident to the homefront. Doug was always calm and level headed during emergency situations, defintitely the right friend to have for such an occasion. After wrapping my head with a towel that he pulled from his trunk, we began our journey to Kingston Hospital. Doug informed me of my brother's departure, but I had no idea who Sal was, nor did I know who Doug was. Doug assumed amnesia and spoke with sincerity and niceness - I was impressed with his thoughtulness with what seemed like meeting him for the first time. A dozen stitches in the back of my head with overnight observation was a hopsital must. My memory started to reemerge, when the nurse informed me that my mother would not be coming to the hospital, I recalled Sal's threats. My punihment had begun. Fortunately, it was Doug (my borther) that assumed my needed caretaker responsibility. Doug stayed with me most of the night, assisting hospital staff in keeping me awake with stories from the past (some of which I heard for the first time).