The All Souls' Waiting Room

Book excerpt: In fall of 2007, seven old friends came together at the reunion of their high school class, and more importantly, a reunion of their small group, the Beefeaters. Formed in the late forties, the Beefeaters have continued to meet periodically for sixty years. This meeting was different, however. Perhaps sensing their own mortality, the seven friends agreed to write a book together; to leave a record for their family, friends and others who might be interested in how seven boys came of age, matured and lived the greater part of their lives in the later half of the twentieth century. Perhaps prophetically, one of the Beefeaters did die before the book was published and his chapter was written posthumously for him. The others, however, did each author their own chapter. With no preset guidelines, the content of the chapters themselves offer a window into the character and personality of each of the Beefeaters. Seven totally different men emerge from the common source and provide the reader with a variety of fascinating character studies. It is totally unnecessary to have known any of the Beefeaters or to have lived through their times or places in order to enjoy this book. Suffice it to say, you will know them when you finish these pages. The collage of pictures on the cover stem from the last meeting wherein the idea for the book born. The shirts they all are wearing were specially designed by one of the members for that meeting and today are lovingly and respectfully worn by the surviving Beefeaters. Enjoy!