'A Happy Group of Italians'

AL VELLUCCI JR., son of the East Cambridge city councilor, was in a hospitable mood that night last fall, as people always are at political rallies in the Stephen James House. "Bring my friend here another drink," he said to the bartender, as he turned to talk to me for the first time in his life.

"It's the liberals and radicals and universities of this city that are ruining Cambridge," Al began to explain. "Harvard and the CCA are bringing in unqualified outsiders who are ruining the schools and driving up taxes with their fancy programs.

"But you know why we are really don't like the university types?" he asked. "It's because they look down on us. We may be lower class compared to the professors on Brattle St., but we like East Cambridge. We're a closely knit, happy group of Italians, and no amount of money can replace that feeling of community."

After pausing to sip his drink, Al added, "I wish Harvard could learn to leave things alone. But they keep expanding and driving up rents. It's getting so that kids who have lived here all their lives have to move out of Cambridge when they get married."

The band grew louder and Al became more sentimental as the night progressed. All the grandmothers sitting nearby got up and began dancing the hully-gully. As he stared out over the dance floor, Al pulled out his wallet and began showing family pictures.

"Do you know Bill Cleary, the hockey coach?" he asked suddenly. "Well, I was talking to him about my nine-year-old kid here," he continued, holding out another picture. Al explained that his son played hockey and was already a star in the Pee Wee leagues.

"My kid's going to go to Harvard when he grows up. When Billy heard about my kid, he said there'd be no problem getting him accepted," Al beamed. He took another sip from his drink.

"You know, it's kind of funny," he said. "No matter how much we dislike Harvard for what it's done to us, every father in Cambridge dreams about sending his kid there someday. I guess that's because it's the best university around."