Today's thoughts

Category: OLD SPORT SHORTS (Page 38 of 68)

An old guy’s perspective on all sports

Old Sport Shorts: Old Timer #1185

I spent yesterday in baseball mode, despite the big games in other sports on T.V. As I was traveling to my baseball card luncheon, for example, I.U. basketball somehow beat #11 Ohio State, despite 1-17 shooting in the last ten minutes of the first half. It was better that I was in the car and didn’t witness the pathetic 20-36 free throw shooting. Later in the day, I missed both NFL Playoff games because of a lengthy Old Timers Baseball Banquet. A few beers, four speakers and two unavoidable naps later, I was ready for bed. I did however enjoy a short conversation with 82-year old Pete Ward, a White Sox teammate of Sherm Lollar back in 1962. I think that he was disturbed that I was wearing a Cubs shirt while claiming to be a Sox fan. I also won a book by Jack Dunn, From The Third Base Coach’s Box.  

Today it’s raining buckets so I will definitely watch the Packers vs. Seahawks game. With the 49ers already in the winner’s bracket, West Coast fans are anticipating a Seattle vs. San Francisco match-up with the winner going to the Super Bowl. I’m also watching Purdue’s dominant first half performance against conference leader Michigan State. I’m not always a Purdue fan, but hatred is a relative thing. One of last night’s speakers was Mark Wasikowski, the new head baseball coach of the Oregon Ducks who was previously at Purdue. He talked of the in-state rivalry with I.U. In 2018 the Boilers finished 2nd in the BIG with a 17-9 record but were eliminated by Houston in the NCAA Regional. I.U. went a step further but lost to Texas, after a 14-9 conference season and a split record against Purdue. Texas failed to get through the first round of the 2018 College World Series

I last saw I.U. Baseball lose to defending National Champion Oregon State at T-Mobile Stadium in Seattle last year. Back in 2013 with Cubs’ star Kyle Schwarber in the line-up, Indiana made their first College World Series but also lost in double elimination to Oregon State. I followed University of Texas while we lived in Austin, and the success of I.U., U.T., and O.S.U. inspired me to attend the College World Series two years ago in Omaha. Texas was there, but I.U. failed to return. Oregon State emerged as the Champion in dramatic fashion. It was a sports bucket list accomplishment for me to attend the games. It was a lot more exciting than last night’s speakers that included another pep talk on luring Major League Baseball to Portland. I have a sinking feeling that I’ll really be an “Old Timer” when that finally happens!

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: Sportsbook #1184

In a few weeks, we’ll be in Las Vegas at the Westgate Resort. At first, I was disappointed that this was the best choice that I had when it came to timeshares near The Strip, but I was grateful to just be able to use my Marriott Vacation Club points at all. I had failed to properly bank them and after pleading with organization officials was given the option of transferring them to Interval International. It cost me $300 for a week’s stay at a resort that I was not at all familiar. However, yesterday, I was listening to the radio and they had on the director of their Superbook, the largest in the world. I was suddenly excited to be staying in a sports haven that also features Barry Manilow to entertain my wife. 

I’m not much of a gambler, but you would think that I’ve absorbed some knowledge with all the games I’ve watched or attended. However, the teams that I choose to follow have not been very successful of late. The question is would I pay big bucks to see them win? Also, are sports for pleasure or profit? For example, I could bet on Indiana University Basketball to lose and knowing my luck they would win. In this crazy scenario, I would be paying for a victory. Certainly, if I bet on them to win they would lose for sure – the double whammy. This strategy reflects my overall pessimistic mindset with regard to sports. If I become personally interested in a team, they typically lose.

Last night, I became excited about Oregon women’s basketball team and their chance to become #1 after the University of Connecticut home winning streak of 98 consecutive games finally came to an end. The Ducks were poised to take their lofty position atop the polls with a victory over Arizona. Instead, they opened the door for in-state rival Oregon State to capture the cat seat. Thanks to my support – they lost. As further proof, with me on their side, the Bears, Colts, I.U. football, I.U. soccer, Oregon State baseball, Cubs, and White Sox all saw disastrous endings to their seasons. Could betting have changed some of these outcomes?

Right now, I’m watching I.U. Basketball off to a great start against Ohio State. As has been typical this year, they will soon go into a long shooting slump. I probably should bet on it! They barely got by Northwestern the other night and failed miserably at Maryland. It’s getting embarrassing to watch this team miss free throws, turn the ball over, and slack-off on defense. They at least have a chance to win at home, but on the road these problems compound. Before this game is over this morning, I’ll be in the car on my way to a baseball card luncheon. The good news is that I won’t have to watch them fall apart in crunch time. Odds are that they won’t disappoint when I’m not watching. Go figure?

I was so impressed with the Duck women last night. They played like a team, hit their shots, and took advantage of free throws. I wished the Indiana men could consistently perform like that. The I.U. women’s team is also playing well, ranked in the top 12. As I pay more attention to them, they will probably struggle, as did the Ducks in the last half. Right now, as predicted, the men have gone cold and their lead has suddenly evaporated. They’re missing free throws and are 1-17 with an air-ball from the field in the last ten minutes. Is this a self-fulfilled prophecy or just a sure bet? 

Retirement is not without Hassles: The Flu #1181

You try to plan a nice family outing and what happens? The frickin’ flu bug strikes. My son and youngest daughter spent the day near the toilet ride at Universal Studios, while the rest of us worried about catching it. For three days, we had fought through peak crowds, rain storms, massive traffic jams, power outages, mechanical breakdowns, and temper tantrums, hoping to enjoy our final day of precious family time. We were even able to get to the park early before the first set-back of the day occurred. My oldest grand daughter was too short to get on the Hulk roller coaster. This must of been a huge relief to my son after his first trip to visit the porcelain god. He soon left the park to go back to our Marriott Vacation Club condo for the day. In the meantime, several rides were shut-down and the kids were getting frustrated. We also had a stroller that prevented access to many areas, and my wife’s purse added even more complications since it required storage on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides. Finally, we were able to have the privilege of waiting an hour-and-a-half for our first ride. Now, are you sure you don’t have to go to the bathroom?

According to Facebook, several other of our friends were in the park, but we were never able to hook-up. However, my wife started a conversation with a young man wearing a Purdue Boilermakers sweatshirt during our long wait at Forbidden Journey. As it turned out, he was the grandson of one of her hometown classmates, and they were able to contact him for a “Small World” reunion at the end of the ride. They talked while I rushed the “about to explode” kiddies to the Diagon Alley bathroom. We then took the busy Hogwarts Express to the next massive line at The Escape from Gringotts. Lunch was at Circus McGurkus in Islands of Adventure, with the loss of lunch shortly after by baby Nora. She and her mother then reluctantly left the park to join her sickly father back in the room. 

The remaining four of our original seven stayed in the park for another three hours, while packing and puking took place at the condo. We did the Woody Roller Coaster, Cat in the Hat, E.T., Despicable Me, and bought some souvenirs. My “hangry” wife insisted on food but the lines were far too long to suit my limited patience, so she finally agreed to exit Universal in favor of her fast food favorite, Freddy’s Frozen Custard. Afterwards, my flu-stricken son, his wife, and my three sleepy grand kids made the two-hour drive home late at night so that they could meet work and school schedules. My wife and I have two more days at Disney World.

After 28,000 steps yesterday and an aching back, I once again cut-back to the minimum mile on this morning’s run. I was also feeling a little queasy and sure hope it doesn’t develop into dreaded influenza. We have two model homes to tour before we return our rental car and head for the park on a shuttle. At least the spending frenzy of our family Florida trip is now over, and we can eventually settle into a more frugal lifestyle. However, I certainly didn’t help yesterday by booking another March baseball trip, this time with the boys to Dallas. Now, flu – stay away, don’t even come another day!

Retirement is not without Hassles: New Year Review #1178

As I look back over the past 21 New Year’s Eve celebrations with my wife, 2 have been spent in the hospital, 3 with family & friends, 12 in fancy restaurants, and 4 at home with the dogs. Allow me to reflect on just this past year of memories that have been both good and bad, in no particular order of importance. Only two, including tonight, have ended with a relaxing night in a hotel room. 

The Year in Review:

My son turned 45

Two of my wife’s daughters wed great young men, so I’m now twice a step-father-in-law, joining my expanded family of a daughter-in-law of now over ten years

The two very different ceremonies were at The Presidio in San Francisco and Powell’s Rare Book Room in Portland. 

Both newlywed couples took gift honeymoons from us in Hawaii, while my son and his wife enjoyed our time-share condo in Orlando

We sold our stand-alone Portland condo in twelve days and at a profit. 

My oldest grandchild turned 12 and he took up golf

My middle grandchild turned 10 and we help her with dance lessons

My youngest grandchild celebrated her first birthday and I started her college fund

My wife joined me in retirement just a few months ago, while I just enjoyed my third full year

We traveled together to Thailand, Florida, Phoenix, Tucson, San Francisco, Walla-Walla, New York, Indiana, Maui, Vancouver, Chicago, Steamboat, Seattle, and McMinnville.

We saw Elton John, Pink, Goo-Goo Dolls, and Train in concert

I grew my Ancestry family tree to include over 18,000 relatives

We helped free a Jeep stuck up to its front axle in deep Panama City Beach sand 

I donated blood on several occasions 

I finished with over 15,000 Buffalo Wild Wings points to use for future “Leadership Meetings”

We moved to a downtown apartment and started using public transportation

We lost cat Frankie and schnauzer Tinker to old age

We attended our 7th Outstanding In The Field in Vancouver, BC – our first international dining event

My wife’s mother sadly died at age 97

We saw Beetlejuice, Moulin Rouge, and Tootsie on Broadway

I missed my 50th high school reunion

I lost two college fraternity brothers

We saw the 60th annual Twilight Zone movie presentation on the big screen

I.U. soccer lost to I.U. Santa Barbara and failed to reach the National Championship like last year

We watched I.U. baseball win and lose in Seattle and Oregon State beat I.U. the same weekend. The Beavers were not able to return to the College World Series

I.U. football earned a spot in the Gator Bowl

I.U. basketball failed to make the tournament again

The Chicago Bears failed to make the playoffs

The Cubs did not win the Division or make the playoffs. The White Sox didn’t come close

The Portland Trailblazers enjoyed playoff success but fell short to the eventual champion Warriors.

I saw Oregon basketball beat Memphis at the Moda Center

Oregon earned a spot in the Rose Bowl

I’ve added to my Sherm Lollar baseball collection while drastically downsizing my Cubs memorabilia to accommodate our much smaller living space

I gave-up my once-framed I.U. jersey to its rightful owner Kent Benson #54

We had Portland visits from my wife’s Indy girlfriends, my wife’s youngest daughter, and our Decatur friends

We reconnected with many old friends around the country

We paid off all our credit cards and the balance on our Decatur, Illinois mortgage

We eliminated most of our wine club memberships

We invested in more Marriott Vacation Club points

We planned and paid for many trips next year including Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Spring Training, Alcatraz, the Great Pyramid, and Glacier National Park

We bought the Regal Unlimited movie pass for next year and can easily walk to the theater

My wife’s oldest daughter and husband bought their first house. They also adopted Falco to play with now lonely Tally, our 10-year old schnauzer

My wife’s youngest daughter took a new job with Stanford Hospital and moved with her husband to San Francisco

We’ll end the year and day #7,861 together with dinner at Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa and start the New Year with theme park visits with my grand children

We looked at retirement properties along the Gulf Coast of Florida

We celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary at Joel Palmer House in Oregon wine country

We met my cousin in Phuket, Thailand

I finished Game of Thrones

We went to the King Tut exhibit at OMSI in preparation for next year’s trip to Egypt

I completed the 11th consecutive year of my daily running streak

I had just one minor cold this past year

I just now finished my 1,178th blog post

 

Happy New Year to all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Panama City #1177

The Florida weather has been similar to Portland with gray skies, cool temperatures, and rain showers. I think we were hoping for a warmer welcome. We’re in Panama City, witnessing some of the remnants of last year’s hurricane Michael. I’m sure the local residents are leery of anyone or anything named Michael – like me. The Sheraton Beach Golf and Spa Resort where we are staying just opened again after 10 months of repairs. There is no beach, just a lagoon, no openings at the spa, and we don’t play golf, so there’s little for us to do. This morning we meet with another realtor to explore some beach condos, and will end the year in this deserted massive resort with lots of pelicans. It’s also been two straight nights without a visible sunset.

I was excited to see the downfall of “The Ohio University,” in both basketball and football, with some personal issues at stake. In return, I got some of my own vengeful medicine through watching I.U. basketball fall apart against Arkansas. I was stuck trying to follow the game on my phone, since the BIG Ten Network was not available on our T.V. My wife watched Dirty Dancing and then Kingsman 2 out of boredom while I silently brooded about the ineffective Hoosiers and drank a bottle of Merlot. I got up and ran around the golf course this morning to take out my frustrations. I.U. football in the Gator Bowl against Tennessee is next on my sports agenda. Hopefully, that game too won’t be a disappointment, and I won’t be a double holiday loser like Buckeye fans. 

It’s day 7,680 since I first got together with my wife nearly 21 years ago. Our relationship is almost at the legal drinking age. We’ll celebrate in Las Vegas, where we were also married at the Bellagio over 18 1/2 years ago. Our upcoming stay at the Westgate will be much less glamorous that our honeymoon night, but at least neither of us will have to attend corporate business meetings the next day. This will be our first trip there jointly retired, and we’ll do a side-excursion to the Grand Canyon. We also hope to see the Neon Boneyard & Museum where we’ll take in some of the colorful history of The Strip. My wife will soon book some shows, but unfortunately Lady Gaga is not in town. She has her sights on the Michael Jackson ONE Cirque Du Soleil performance. 

Tomorrow, we’ll head to Tampa and more property shopping before our New Year’s Eve dinner at Bern’s Steak House. It was founded in 1956 by Bern Laxler and continues to stay in the family; currently operated by his son David. They also established the Epicurean Hotel across the street where we’ll be spending the night. We’ve been practicing staying up late, hoping to finish dinner at midnight and then conveniently stumble to our bed. (Even though it will only be 9 p.m. back home in Portland). This will be my third dinner at Bern’s, dating back to an Advertising Federation convention many years ago when I was President of our Indianapolis Club. My wife and I also had a meal there to honor our 2nd wedding anniversary. It will be a great way to celebrate our love, accomplishments, retirement, and the new decade ahead. As I think about it, today was my last day of work three years ago. 

Panama City is showing some signs of sunlight and patches of blue sky. We’ll soon be touring a couple of condos in a beachfront high-rise. We can’t decide if a view of the ocean is a priority, but at least in this area there are places in our price range. It would be nice to step out in the sand every day, but we’d be living in a isolated area inundated by tourists. Today, that’s all we are here in Florida, as we continue to explore the Emerald Coast. The “Toes in the Sand” tour continues….

 

 

 

 

 

Old Sport Shorts: Christmas Miracle #1168

“On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me”….a last-second win over Notre Dame. The up-and-down Cream & Crimson are winning ugly, with gut-wrenching twists-and-turns that simply wouldn’t happen with a good team. This I.U. group will be lucky to return to the NCAA tournament after several years of frustration. It’s all I can expect in their quest for twenty victories. Win number eleven is now in the books with “pipers piping,” in celebration, as Arkansas awaits its chance to knock-off the undefeated home Hoosiers later this month. Unfortunately, a really ugly loss at Wisconsin is keeping fans like me more than humble. It clearly explained why Indiana is considered a second-division BIG conference team by most of the experts. 

It was the “can I buy an extra vowel?” freshmen tandem of Armaan Franklin and Trayce Jackson-Davis that were responsible for today’s win, along with Butler graduate transfer, Joey Brunk. None of these three players were on last year’s squad, but the same shooting problems still haunt the team’s overall performance. We were comfortably in control and up by seventeen with fifteen minutes left, and then suddenly five down as the clock was winding down. Two three pointers by Franklin and a bucket by Jackson sealed the gift-like comeback. It was hard to believe that they lost that much ground, considering the slow pace of the game. Honestly, I expected it to be a close game between two mediocre teams, and certainly did not anticipate the I.U. bulge. We needed it!

On a football note, I’ve decided not to attend the Gator Bowl while we’re in nearby Tampa on January 2nd. The gridiron Hoosiers had unexpected success this season with 8 overall wins, but I was not enthralled with the prospect of a pricey ticket, long drive, parking hassles, and maybe even a loss. I’ve lost confidence in I.U. basketball, but have never had it for I.U. football. I’ve been to two other I.U. bowl games in my life and saw a Liberty Bowl victory and an Independence Bowl loss. Their opponent, Tennessee, has a rich football history, and I expect them to rise to the occasion and their fans to turn out in droves. Other than the Rose Bowl appearance in 1967, this is the most prestigious post-season invitation our team has ever accepted. My wife set up a dinner with a long-lost girlfriend that night, and they’ve promised to at least have the game on for me to watch. 

I bought myself a new pair of I.U. socks for Christmas this year.  That will probably be the extent of my Hoosier gifts under the tree. I consider the Crossroads Classic victory my best present so far, gift-wrapped by the two freshmen sensations. As my wife pointed out, if they hadn’t pulled off the comeback, I would have been in a “pissy” Scrooge-like mood for tonight’s holiday dinner with my hometown Hoosier friends. I had to watch the televised action with a lot of signal interference through our cable service that only added to the second-half frustration. It didn’t seem to bother me when they were pulling away just after the break. The last fifteen minutes were all Notre Dame until the final minute rescue. 

I can end the year with one more basketball victory, and start the New Year with a bowl championship, along with an unprecedented nine in the win column. It’s the first time in many years that both sports are still in contention for January wins. In the second game of the Crossroads, Butler seems in control against Purdue. Even though the Bulldogs look impressive, I.U. actually has a chance this year to be the best team in Indiana, a small concession in the whole scheme of things round. The two rivalry games against the Boilermakers will likely end in a split, with each team prevailing at home. So far, a BIG conference team has yet to win an away game, and I expect that any road win will be considered a major upset. Will the Butler do it again? Can the Hoosiers do it again and go a “drummers-drumming” 12-1? So far, it’s been a “Christmas Miracle” of overtime and final-second gifts on the court. 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Holiday Highlights #1167

Day # 4,010 of my running streak was completed in the rain, after weeks of somehow escaping from the inevitable here in Portland. Tally, now our only schnauzer, wasn’t happy either going out in a downpour. It certainly speeds up her sniffing-around time as she looks forward to being wrapped in a towel afterwards. There was no warm towel waiting for me when I returned from doing my 3.1 mile daily duty. Only 8 days now until the 11-year mark. That milestone will hopefully be reached in the warmer weather of Florida. 

Tonight is the annual holiday dinner for our Portland clan. We joined the tradition five years ago in our move here for my wife’s job. I then spent two years working in local radio before my retirement pension kicked-in. My wife just joined me, so everyone at the dinner table will for the first time be gainfully unemployed. Her new freedom will give us much more flexibility in achieving our travel goals. Through June of next year, we already have scheduled at least a week per month away from home, including Orlando, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Bali, and San Francisco. We’ll continue to plan for future down-time between already-booked river cruises through Egypt and Russia, plus an ocean voyage from Barcelona to Oslo, Norway. 

As I dry out from my morning run, I’m watching my I.U. Hoosiers play in-state rival Notre Dame. It’s part of the Crossroads Classic that I’ve attended many times while living in Indianapolis. The second game of the annual double-header will be Purdue against Butler. The teams rotate each year, but Indiana and Purdue never play until their two traditional conference battles. Even though I.U. has only lost one game so far this season against weak opponents, it seems like they’ve badly struggled, especially considering the thorough beating by Wisconsin. They really have trouble scoring and will soon face a tough conference schedule that will certainly be challenging. Hopefully, the luck of the Irish will wait for another day. 

We’ll have overnight guests tonight since the restaurant is in walking distance and the wine will be flowing. With the limited confines of our retirement apartment, we’ll have to do some rearranging and inflating in order to accommodate. We hope to have more room in our next move that could be determined in the upcoming Florida trip. We’ll explore the Gulf Coast for property options that should include a dedicated guest room and an office. Right now, we don’t have that luxury, but have already had multiple visits by friends anxious to see Portland. 

Tomorrow night we’ll entertain my wife’s oldest daughter and her new husband. We’ve had two weddings this year, so there’s been extra gifts to buy. However, there will be no travel back to Indiana that has always been a holiday tradition. Our flight to Orlando on Christmas Day will start something new. We also just booked a flight to San Francisco to see my wife’s youngest daughter and husband. it will be the initial visit there since the wedding at the Presidio three months ago. All in all, there will be a lot of first-time holiday highlights this year!

 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Water Cooler #1164

It’s now been three years since I started this retirement blog. It’s helped me transition from a disciplined sales career into establishing a steady morning routine of running and writing that I’ve religiously stuck to these initial years. My goal was to run and write everyday and I now have 1,164 posts to show for it. I’ve written poems, eulogies, and random thoughts to express my emotions – it’s now my water cooler, as I share my day with others on the internet as I used to at the office or with my clients. I hope to continue it for many years to come. 

On the entertainment front, we just finished with The Crown and have one final episode of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to watch. I continue to follow Curse of Oak Island and Vikings, while my wife is into HGTV. I’m reading Criss-Cross by James Patterson, but my interaction with books has been limited to bed time. It’s difficult to get into a story when it’s consumed in bits and pieces, so I often lose track of who’s who or who done it. It will be good to sit on an airplane, “forced” to read for hours at a time.  While at home, I tend to be too easily distracted by other things because of my limited attention span. I’ll suddenly shift from T.V. to genealogy to blogging to collecting with too little focus on each interest. It’s definitely time to hit the road. 

With regard to sports, I did hear back from I.U. basketball legend Kent Benson in response to the jersey that I sent him. (See Post #1149). It had it in my sports memorabilia collection for years, but with his recent family medical issues, I thought it might serve a higher purpose. Fed Ex had trouble with the delivery address but went out of their way to find him – all part of the “Christmas Spirit.” It’s been 43 years since he wore it during the historic undefeated 1975-76 seasons and National Championship run. In his e-mail he expressed gratitude to receive it and was touched by the letter that I enclosed. I’m just glad it’s safely in his hands. 

Moving to other memorabilia, I lost out on a 1949 St. Louis Browns signed baseball that was up for auction on E-Bay.  My interest was the Sherman Lollar autograph (See Post #5). He caught for them and owner Bill Veeck between his Yankees and White Sox years behind the plate. I’ve added a couple of unique “Sherm” pieces to my collection recently, including a post card from his bowling lanes and a Trivial Pursuit card where he was the answer to a question. He was my player idol as a child, but obviously not the most recognizable name in sports. I’m always surprised when other collectors are interested in merchandise related to him. In the case of this particular baseball, there were two other signatures, and someone outbid me at the very last second. There are tricks that I’ll need to learn more about if I intend to effectively compete in this process. I now feel even luckier that I recently won the 1956 White Sox baseball on the Heritage Auction site. It sold for much less and not only featured the Lollar autograph but also White Sox Hall-of-Famer’s Larry Doby, Nellie Fox, and Luis Aparicio. 

Looking ahead, we’ve arranged several holiday get-togethers with friends before we head to Florida next week. While we’re enjoying the warmth, we’ll also coordinate with former co-workers, family, friends, and neighbors. My wife has arranged dinner with a friend she hasn’t seen in a good forty-years. It’s not as long apart as some of my recent fifty-year reunions, but she is more than four years younger. We’ll also look as some potential retirement properties along the way. That’s it from the water cooler today!

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Grant Part 2: Nitro #1162

Somehow, my then shy friend Grant found a girlfriend, even though she lived in the neighboring community and went to rival Concord High School. I don’t remember how they met, but they were constantly together or talking on the phone. I think that our friendship might have suffered if they hadn’t fixed me up with her best friend. We would walk from school downtown to the telephone company and would use their phone booths to check-in with the girls every day. We also each installed lights on our bedroom phone and disconnected the ringer so we could talk to each other at night. He showed me how to set-up a switch on my parents bell box so that no sound from an incoming call would wake them. On several occasions, I forgot to flip the switch in the morning and my mom’s friends wondered why she didn’t answer. “Oh Sorry – my bedroom phone was off the hook.”

My parents were rarely gone, so I did not have the luxury of limited supervision like Grant. I had to do a lot more sneaking around than he did, since Grant Sr. was a widow and constantly on the road. We did a lot of double-dating once we got our driver’s licenses but I had stricter curfews. He had his Pontiac GTO and I drove my dad’s Mustang convertible. I remember that he installed a baffle on his muffler that could be controlled inside the car. This allowed the muscle car to roar when the muffler was bypassed and brought out the red-neck side of Grant. He was constantly working on that car, giving him mechanical skills that were definitely not my forte. When we were both in college, I visited he and Keven at Purdue and was shocked to find his engine parts spread out over their living room floor. This was the infamous Fiat that he always claimed was Italian for “fool.” I had also fallen in the foreign car trap when I bought a new Triumph. I was having similar engine troubles with my car and Grant convinced me that I could fix it myself. “Consider the average IQ of a mechanic,” was his justification. I followed his lead and completely disassembled my engine to the horror of my dad. He got home from work and found me in the garage surrounded by parts, each tagged with a note to remind me where it went. At least, I didn’t do it in the living room like Grant, but this was the kind of influence he had on me. There was nothing that he was afraid to do himself.

Back to high school, we were in a German class together and Grant was really struggling. He was distracted by the language lab equipment and the headsets that we used to learn the language. He hooked his up to listen to music while the rest of us were doing German drills. He also allegedly installed some kind of remote device in the classroom clock that allowed him to change the time so we could get out of class early. He and the young instructor, Frau Anchor, never got along, but she recognized his intelligence and I believe tried to seduce him. I was still pretty naive at the time, but she would sit on the desk in front of Grant and I in her short skirts. She had him stay after class many times and one night he decided to tee-pee her house, crashing the GTO trying to escape after her porch lights came on. In retrospect, it was classic sexual harassment on both of their parts, and I think he failed the course. We never discussed it.

As far as chemistry class, I found a formula for a contact explosive called Nitro-Tri-Iodine in a science magazine and send in $1 for the recipe. It required Iodine crystals that Grant could buy at Johnson’s Drug Store where he had a part-time job. The other ingredient was ammonia that you could also buy over the counter. Combining these two simple ingredients formed a paste that was stable until it dried. However, once it set for awhile, it would mildly explode when you touched it and leave iodine stains on your hands. One day we painted the handle of the pencil sharpener in our homeroom class with this substance and waited for someone to use it. It resulted in a small eruption of purple stain, almost like an electrical shock and we saw great potential for further pranks. Most ammonia that you buy in the store is diluted by water to a small percentage. Grant figured that if we could distill pure ammonia it would create a more violent explosion. We borrowed the equipment and chemicals from the classroom lab and worked all night in my parent’s basement making this very caustic, smelly ammonia. We then mixed it with the iodine crystals and dipped strips of paper in the solution that we formed into little cracker balls that would explode on contact when you threw them on the ground. We tested them outside and then carefully placed them on newspaper sheets on the concrete floor while we got some sleep. When we got up the next morning my parents were gone and there were purple stains everywhere. My first thought was that my dad had accidentally stepped on it on his way to the incinerator, and so I immediately checked his shoes in the bedroom closet with no signs of stain. The only thing that we could determine was that perhaps a bug had landed on one of these paper wads and set off a chain reaction. We used the remaining strong ammonia to clean up the stains and did some quick paint touch-ups of the pristine white walls before my parents got home. It was a mess. It was not our only experiment with dangerous explosives.

On one sleep-over occasion we made Nitroglycerine in his basement, once again using borrowed equipment from the high school lab and taking full advantage of our lab assistant status. We always replaced everything, especially the beaker that exploded in the course of this experiment. “You’ll shoot your eye out” was never our biggest concern, because fortunately guns weren’t on our radar. I did inherit a chemistry set from a friend of my dad’s that included the metal elements used to make fireworks. It also contained a jar of mineral oil that was used to stabilize a chunk of potassium. When potassium is exposed to water it releases explosive hydrogen and spins madly out of control in it’s container. Who knows what else was in that cardboard box under my parents stairway for years. It could have been a disaster, but somehow we survived our crazy experiments. 

I think we both got A’s in chemistry, but he went on to make science his career. On the other hand, I buy cars that don’t require any maintenance skills and rarely take-on a D.I.Y. project. I once visited him in Seattle where I watched him play soccer, ate dim-sum, and then drove together to the base of Mt. Rainier.  In Boston, I ran the historic streets training for my first marathon, while he attended classes on the path to his doctorate. Years later, I also met him for a drink before our travel connection out of the country. That may have been our last get-together. He was the hung-over, best man in my first marriage, but I don’t remember my roles in his. We also dined together as a group at the Diamond Harbor Inn on Diamond Lake before our Senior prom. I managed on my own to somehow get a date, but she was disappointed when Keven showed-up in the exact same dress. I also think he attended one of our high school reunions. I’ll dig through some of the pictures. 

After we were both married, the four of us toasted to the new year with some wine that Grant & I made back in high school, via one of our overnight experiments. It was sugar and Welch’s Grape Juice that was stored in his basement in a giant plastic medicine display bottle that was formerly in the front window of Johnson’s Drug Store. It must have been four feet high, one of his rewards for working there. We forgot that it had been fermenting for all these years, until it sprung a slow leak. We actually had to crudely filter the contents through paper toweling to remove all the sediment before braving its taste. The rest of the batch was dumped once we realized it wouldn’t kill us or be a hazard to any of the nature around us. 

Grant was usually with his steady girlfriend, so he didn’t hang out much with the boys, as I did. Although, there were several wild parties at his house through the years, he wasn’t as outgoing and socially engaged as me. On one occasion, we found Grant’s glasses perfectly intact in the middle of Lexington Blvd. in front of the house. He couldn’t find them when he got up that next morning, but they were sitting safely on the yellow line of the heavily traveled street. We also made road trips to both Purdue University and Mackinaw City, Michigan back in 1969, telling our parents that we were touring potential schools. If I remember correctly, we were actually headed to Purdue the first time when at the last second decided to keep driving, pulling into a rest station in Upper Michigan to catch a couple hours of sleep. I don’t know where we were headed, but I have a history of taking advantage of my freedom and just driving. For example, Grant did not accompany me when I told my parents we were going camping at the Indiana Dunes State Park but ended up in California. As my dad later quipped, “Well, Thank God There’s An Ocean.” Otherwise, there might have been nothing to stop me. What stopped us in Michigan was the fact that while we were sleeping, several feet of snow fell and trapped us in the car. It would take too much effort to explain how we got out of that mess, but it involved both of us pushing with the accelerator held down by a stick. 

One time, I witnessed a big fight between he and his dad. It was as angry as I’ve ever seen him, as fists were flying and words were exchanged. It was one of those rare times when Senior was home, in total contrast to my family upbringing. Grant seemed to be naturally very patient at that time, and I can’t recall a single argument or disagreement between the two of us. I was certainly jealous that he had a steady girl when it required a “committee of support” for me to even call for a date. We never had many deep discussions about girls or family. We were always plotting our next experiment. 

On the other road trip occasion, there was a mutual friend of ours whose brother was in a Purdue fraternity that was hosting a big party over the weekend. Grant was impressed with the ingenuity of a pop machine that held beer. Since beer cost twice as much, an empty can dropped between quarters. Perhaps, that’s what inspired him to attend Purdue. We did run into some heavy drugs on campus, but neither of us were into pills or even pot in high school. That eventually changed for me, and I’m sure he couldn’t resist the similar temptation to experiment. As you can see, it was in our DNA.

I’m pretty sure that Grant met my son, Adam.  I know he was at our Eagle Lake house and helped me build a greenhouse. He was happy as long as he was involved in a project and I had plenty of them. Adam was born in 1974, within the window when he was still living in Indiana. I had to consult his obituary to get a timeline, but he finished his doctorate in 1979. There was so much in there that I didn’t know or forgot about Grant, but it’s been wonderful to think him so much these past few days. It must have been in the late 70’s that I spent time with him in Seattle and Boston. That makes sense because I completed my first marathon in 1979. It’s hard for me to imagine that Grant was so into soccer because sports or any physical activity were not high school priorities. Soccer was certainly not popular in the late 60’s but I’m glad he finally found a game that was challenging to his intellect. He did not even participate in the bicycle endurance racing that our mutual classmates drug me into. I understand that it was another sport that he adopted later in life and used to commute to work.  

I’ve recounted some of the most memorable experiences of our teenage years together. It’s hard to believe that the two of us were really only together for a handful of years. His future wife occupied most of his time, while I did some wrestling, ran track, and got involved with the choir. I had other friends that got me into much more trouble than Grant ever did, and I always knew that he would go on to accomplish great things. It was sad that his life was so short, but he fulfilled his desires. He had the million dollar lab that he always talked and dreamed of as a career goal. He was most comfortable with books, beakers, and gadgets. I’m sure that he spent every waking hour in it, consumed with ambition and knowledge. I heard that he died at his desk on Thanksgiving, and regardless of whether that’s totally accurate or not, he was focused on science more than family or friendship. I think that I got the best years of his life, before he drifted into the world of academics and discovery. Thanks, Grant, for seeing me as the brother we both never had. 

 

 

 

 

Retirement is not without Hassles: Flashes of the Past #1158

It’s a gray, rainy day here in Portland, a good one for another movie. It will be the third movie this week, taking full advantage of our annual Regal Unlimited passes and Trimet Hop cards to get there. It’s affordable retirement entertainment that shows our practical side – in total contrast to the unavoidable, excessive spending when traveling. I’m watching an early morning basketball game between Oregon and Michigan, while still shaking my head about last night’s I.U. ugly victory over Nebraska. It was with all the horror of a Friday the 13th thriller. I guess we could also blame it on the recent “Cold Moon.” Hopefully, the Ducks will play better than the Hoosiers.

Yesterday was eventful, as I shared lunch with a friend that I hadn’t seen in over 50 years, and most likely the longest time apart between conversations. I recognized him right away and enjoyed our conversation, although I think he was leery of my intentions. He told me that he’d been contacted by two other people from his past and they wanted to sell him something. I assured him that my motive was strictly friendship, but in researching the tragic death of his wife I now understand his paranoia. I took a picture of the two of us and posted it on my Facebook page, along with two other group sites including “I Grew Up in Elkhart, IN” and “Elkhart, IN Class of 69.” The response was incredible from people that I hadn’t heard from in years. My personal page only generated 54 reactions but the other two combined were well over 300 and seemingly going viral. I heard from other home-towners that either live or have family in this area, and those curious about our whereabouts all these years. Most were enthralled with the coincidence of both of us living here and finally getting together 50 years later.  

My friend did not remember the Playboy story about his mom cutting out the pictures, but said it sounded like something she would do. (See Post #1154). He was not into social media, so I will have to relay some of the questions and comments that people posted about the two of us. I hope to get back together with him after we get back from Florida. I have never gotten this much interaction on Facebook, so I’ll be busy following-up with all these “flashes of the past.” 

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