"He was all-too effective...Sometimes just inpersonal situations," says former Democratic StateSenator Michael J. Barrett '70.
Barrett refrains from commenting on Weld'spolitical merits, but says he "never doubted[Weld's] character for a minute."
Barrett, who also lived on Fayerweather Street,remembers the eulogy Weld delivered in 1994 forfriend Revere Little '67, a Harvard Square streetmusician, when dedicating a corner on HuronAvenue.
"I can remember Bill Weld standing in a streetlight picking out all the faces in the crowd fromhis college years and from West Cambridge,"Barrett says. "There was no press around, nolarger audience and Weld was being genuine. I wasvery moved by the simple human performance heoffered up that day."
Weld is known for his performances--his diveinto the Charles tops the list, but he is alsoknow for his deadpan routine at South Boston St.Patrick's Day breakfasts and for his early stintas a bunny rabbit in the Hasty Pudding Theatricals.
But friends from then and now say Weld rarelytalks about his accomplishments or his busyschedule.
In fact, according Mitchell Adams, Weld neverwanted anyone to see him studying. He wrote hissenior thesis--on two lines of a poem by SextusPropertius--in two weeks, while starring in thePudding show.
"I have a clear vision of Bill beneath thestage in between acts in his dress sitting in hischair with a yellow legal pad on his kneescribbling his thesis," Adams says.
"It was very important to him to present apersona of 'I never study,'" Adams adds. "That wasnot part of his capability, to complain...but alsonever presenting pride."
Weld is not likely to dwell on politics in hisspeech today. The day is personal, and Weld canrelate to the audience, both as a Harvard studentand a parent.
"His first little son is graduating," SusanWeld says. "That's exciting for both of us."
The Welds and their five children, includingDavid M. Weld '98, have lived on FayerweatherStreet in Cambridge for years.
But his son does not worry about his fathergetting too personal.
"He's a moderately good fellow who can becounted on not to say anything about me," DavidWeld says.