It Keeps Coming Around

Fifty-even years ago this fall, I entered Illinois State Normal University as a freshman. The year was 1957, the average annual American family income was a tad above six thousand dollars and while the White House was dealing with the segregation issue in Little Rock, Arkansas the Russians flexed their muscles with the space exploration 'Sputnik' launch. Before the year's end all polls suggested that Americans believed integration to be the Nation's number one problem.


Today, twenty thousand eight hundred and six sunsets later, Russia is still flaunting its chest pounding and the United States border crisis still suggests that we Americans are no closer to resolving the skin-pigmentation-phobia. Be not dismayed; the football Super Bowl and 'party time' is just around the corner. It is that glorious day when we Americans will overindulge in foods and alcohol, which allows us to break through our inhibitions and cheer for all colors.

Perhaps We Should Write It Down

One of several wonderful positives from a thirty-nine year coaching career that took my wife and I through six different communities is the many terrific friendships forged along the way. The 1960's opened friendships in Assumption, Mason City and Washington, Illinois. The first seven years in the '70's decade brought Edwardsville folks into our lives and from '77 until 1998, we enjoyed so many Jacksonville friendships. Since then, we have made more friends in Decatur.


In these, our retirement years, we meet up with those friends for some social gatherings. It is so very special to sit around chatting and reminiscing about our shared past. I have noticed those reunion-evenings turning into an exercise of each of us trying to help the others fill in names, remember places and occurrences...our commonality appears to be some memory loss. My (Kentucky born) Grandpa E.V. Bennett would say, "Y'all don't rekalek so good."

Who Are 'THEY?'

I speak prayerfully each day. I lift the names of people who are suffering; some I know by name while others who are facing peril throughout a troubled world are unknown. I repeat many of the same daily petitions to the Lord. Here are a few of those prayer staples: I ask God to speak to the hearts of good people and motivate them to act in behalf of those in need. I ask God to humble the leaders of the world that they may seek compromise and relief for the weak. I prayerfully thank God for the health, safety and potential in my children and grandchildren.
 I always ask God to give wisdom and passion to my children and grandchildren to ignore the soothsayer (the they say) folks and claim the power in life's journey through service and thus insure the rewards of eternal life.
...and finally, I have a post it on my bathroom mirror that reminds ME:  "Love the self-centered asses that you will meet THIS day."

...and ONE more thing FELLA !

I frequently stop at intersections and beckon the nearby beggar to the auto window and hand him a couple of bucks. I suspect that many of these vagabonds may have addictive issues that I maybe supporting however, not knowing positively, I still offer the handout.
My wife reminds me of the give-out  'gamble' with a mild lecture about my possible folly. I know very well what my wife wishes to do; she wants to turn the hobo's life around with some 'words.' The fleeting moment never allows that verbal lesson because the 'light' changes and we must drive ahead.


Lo' and behold, my better half had her preaching moment on a recent trip to Michigan. We were taking turns walking our pup, Yodie outside a McDonald's restaurant while each of us used the restroom and purchased coffee. While my wife was inside McDonald's, a rather large gentleman perhaps 6'4" and 230 pounds, told me he was 'hungry.' I said nothing to him except to ask if he was working to which, he answered, "No." My wife walked to the car window where I was seated and handed me my coffee. I handed her a five dollar bill and told her to give to the man behind her for something to eat. She turned with money in hand and walked up to the fella. Her 5 foot one hundred twenty-five pound frame dwarfed by the huge man. As she handed the money to the stranger, she pointed a finger upwards towards his face and said,  "You go get something to eat and don't be buying WINE!"
Now there's a win-win moment.

Just Sayin'

My wife and I attended the St. Louis 'Muny Opera' last Thursday for the opening night of 'Grease.' Good show and again a big thanks to our son, Steve and daughter-in law, Kathy for the treat. I suppose it's been over forty years since we attended Muny productions. Back in the 1970's, my parents were Muny Opera season ticket holders; they often took us.  The Muny venue is still magnificent, the crowds terrific and the performances top drawer. One thing has changed...the attire worn by attendees. Opera goers are not near as classy a group as yesteryears' patrons and the men are especially sloppy. I'm JUST SAYIN'.
I recall my high school contemporaries wearing khaki pants button down shirts or knit pullover shirts and 'V' neck sweaters. Most of the girls wore skirts, bobby-socks, blouses and sweaters. Today, except for those high schools that have uniforms, most teens left to their own choosing wear torn pants, pants that 'bag' low, and or athletic shorts. I'm JUST SAYIN'.
Every kid from my generation-neighborhood knows well what "Sunday Clothes" meant...those were the best clothes in your closet and were 'only' to be worn for Church attendance or special occasions. From my 'back row seat' at Church, I see folks in Sunday clothes, beach clothes, play clothes and hardly any clothes. I'm JUST SAYIN'.
 I hear that many business companies designate Fridays as 'dress down' ( casual) day. I prefer the philosophy, 'Dress to impress."
I'M JUST SAYIN'.
Geeze, I wonder if Moms still insist their kids wear good- clean underwear; you know the reason !! I'm JUST SAYIN'.

Cry Me A River !

A St. Louis sports' writer, last week, presented the 'human-interest' side of the broken relationships and separation of teammates following a baseball trade between the Cardinals and Red Sox. Not only did the soap opera angle leave me 'cold' but it somewhat angered me.
Okay, it's great to know that these highly paid professional baseball players forge life-long friendships with others in the organization but this 'thing' cuts both ways. With 'free-agency,' a significant aspect of financial wind-fall contracts, many of these same players have NO PROBLEM 'leaving' so-called friends in the dust as they gallop off to greener pastures.
Please know this: Monies paid to major league baseball players in any given era relates specifically to the economics of those times. That said, MLB players of the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's needed to 'get' off-season jobs to pay they bills.

There Are No Excuses; Should Never Happen

I got my driver's license in 1955; we had fender skirts, big whitewall tires but no air-conditioning. Many of the autos that I drove back-in-the-day were 'stick-shift' with no turn signals thus requiring me to stick my left arm out the driver's side window to signal a left or right turn. My right arm was freed up to stick in front of our young child who was standing in the front seat at any time I slammed on my brakes.


Okay, this explains why I had difficulty relating to the fella yesterday on the radio who was telling listeners that during 'hot' weather parents should place a 'teddy bear' in the front seat of the auto to remind them that  there is a kid in the back seat!  The radio messenger thought this technique would reduce the number of times parents leave children strapped in a auto inferno. I believe the reason young parents keep forgetting that they have 'kids' is because the off spring went from womb to room. Most young children today are being raised by day-care workers, pre-school teachers, public school teachers and after school program providers.


Perhaps requiring parents to know 12 nursery rhymes before getting a drivers' license would be a starting point. Then maybe instead of those ding-ding bells that sound when you open the car door...a voice could come on automatically: "Hey turd blossom, don't leave the KID !"