I've always liked Italian cuisine especially pasta. So it was quite a wrench to make the decision to go gluten free 10 years ago. At home I could always make myself the various gluten free pastas that were available some better than others none as good as the real stuff however. But to eat out at favorite restaurants was a nightmare. No one served gluten free. Still I was determined to stay gluten free for my health. Then one day Laurie asked me to take her to her favorite Italian place called Paesanos. I looked at the menu and wept. All these great dishes with pasta. I settled for a salad. It was actually very good and I enjoyed a nice glass of wine with it. So it wasn't all bad. So when the next craving for something Italian came up I mentioned let's go to Paesanos again. This time the waitperson asked why just a salad. I explained my situation to her and she said she would talk to the owner about my problem. A few minutes later the owner came to our table and I explained that I'm gluten free. He wanted to know more about it and I told him in some detail. He asked if there were any alternatives to gluten pasta and I told him what was available. He asked where one could find these products. I told him most grocery stores in the area had a selection of them. He told me to choose any of the pasta dishes I would like for dinner and that he would personally go to the nearest grocery store to get some gluten free pasta. I was shocked! So I ordered one.
Well we had soup and salad and Laurie's dinner came and I told her go ahead don't bother to wait for me. It wasn't long after that when the owner comes to our table with an apron on and my gluten free pasta dish in his hands. He told me he went to the store and bought Quinoa pasta, cooked it himself and now wanted me to enjoy and to let him know what I thought of it. Let me tell you -it was wonderful. He told me that he would continue to carry the gluten free pasta so that I and others like me would be able to enjoy their great pasta dishes and not be limited to just salads. Now that's what I call great service. Paesanos has been and still is my favorite place to eat out. Laurie and I would go there for our New Year's eve dinners also. And they now carry gluten free bread that they bake at the restaurant and gluten free Tiramisu for dessert! Now that's Italian!
PS Rice is the best grain for gluten free pasta I've found.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
And Leo was his name-o
I once knew a guy and Leo was his name-o. L-E-O, L-E-O and Leo was his name-o. Yes Leo. Where would we be in this world without the Leo's for existential entertainment-o. I lived with Leo in a house with 3 or 4 other guys in the winter of 1976-77. It was the best of times it was the worst of times. No job couldn't find work living with my brother Jim and guys I grew up with. Gary, our neighborhood buddy we grew up with, owned the house. Leo rented a room as did my brother. I shared Jim's room till I hopefully could find work and I could be on my own.
In order to save money I stopped eating meat. I studied up on becoming a vegetarian. Combining different food groups to maximize proteins and so forth. One day Leo came home from work got out the biggest pot we had and threw in a huge root vegetable of some kind as big as your head huge. It might have been a rutabaga I don't know it sounds good though. He then filled the pot with water. I asked him what he was doing. He said that was going to be his dinner. Your dinner? Yes he said my dinner because he was going to be a vegetarian now too! I said Leo vegetarians eat more than just vegetables you know. No they don't he said and reached for a beer. And Leo was his name -o.
Speaking of beer Leo was very fond of it. We had no TV so the evenings entertainment usually consisted of sitting in the living room drinking beer and listening to music. Toward the end of the evening Leo would be sitting on the floor with his back up against the couch nodding off. His half full bottle of beer sitting next to him. He would catch himself falling asleep and spaz out jerking his arms and legs and always knocking over his beer spilling it all over the carpet. Since we were all responsible for cleaning up our own messes Leo would slowly get up walk to the kitchen to get a towel to throw down at the beer mess on the floor. He wouldn't actually clean it just throw a towel down at it. Night after night this happened. Gary would eventually have to clean the entire carpet. And Leo was his name-o.
Leo didn't have a car. But we only lived about a mile from where he worked. Still he took a cab every morning at 6:00 am. He would call the cab company then eat breakfast and fix his lunch for work and by that time the cab was there. The cab would arrive honk the horn and Leo would go to work. There were many mornings when that didn't always work out as planned. The cab wouldn't come when Leo thought it should so he called for another. The original cab would invariably come a minute later Leo would leave and then about 20 minutes later the second cab would arrive honking the horn constantly in hopes Leo would hear and come out. But Leo wasn't there and the honking would continue for 5-10 minutes waking everyone in the neighborhood. And Leo was his name-o.
Every Saturday morning I would be awakened to the sounds of arguing from Jim and Leo. It would progressively get worse until fists started flying and next thing I knew they would be rolling down the stairs locked in mortal combat. This happened like clockwork the same time every Saturday morning without fail. I asked Jim once why this would happen. He said Leo was being a hose head and needed his i dotted. And Leo was his name-o.
Once one cold wintry night, late, no music just us all sitting around staring at the roaring fire in the fireplace, Leo in the back sitting on the couch for once, we got totally mesmerized. Watching the fire dance and crackle and pop. You know how it is late at night keeping warm by the fire almost like being on a camp-out -then suddenly a big pop and crackle and a cinder flew out the size of a large walnut glowing golden red right in our midst on the carpet! We just sat there frozen not knowing what to do. Then from the back on the couch Leo slowly gets up walks up to the cinder picks it up with his bare hand and calmly walks over to the fireplace and drops it in. We looked at Leo in shocked amazement! Leo we said didn't that burn and hurt? It sure did he said and sat back down on the couch. And Leo was his name-o.
We had other forms of entertainment. We played ping pong in the basement. One Friday night I was playing against Jim and Leo was sitting on the stair steps waiting for his turn. Gary came home from shopping for a corded circular saw. Oh boy he said I can't wait to try this out tomorrow morning. Now Leo I don't want you to be messing around with this I just bought it. He set it down and went upstairs to have dinner. We continued to play with Leo watching. After awhile Leo looks over to the new saw and says I wonder what this is like walking over to it. Jim and I looked at each other -Leo, Gary said not to touch it he was going to open it tomorrow morning. I just want to see what it looks like. Jim and I continue to play. There was no stopping Leo once he got something in his head. He opened the box took the saw out and plugged it in. I wonder how well this cuts. Leo! put that down we said! But Leo found a 2x4 and started to cut it. He started to cut the wood--bzzz then nothing! We looked over to Leo and Leo looked at us. He had cut right through the electrical cord on the first cut! Oh No!! Leo started to look around. What to do what to do. He carefully repacked the saw including the severed cord back into the box. Then he looked around for a place to hide it. Why hide it? So Gary wouldn't find it he said.
The next morning Jim and I were playing again with Leo watching. Gary comes down the stairs all bright and cheerful wanting to play with his new toy. Leo sees him and starts to take off up the stairs. Gary is looking around for his saw but can't find it. Where's my saw? he says. Jim and I say nothing. Eventually he finds it opens the box and comes over to us with the saw in one hand and the severed cord in the other. LEO!!!! And takes off running up the stairs. And Leo was his name-o. L-E-O, L-E-O and Leo was his name-o!
Stay tuned.
In order to save money I stopped eating meat. I studied up on becoming a vegetarian. Combining different food groups to maximize proteins and so forth. One day Leo came home from work got out the biggest pot we had and threw in a huge root vegetable of some kind as big as your head huge. It might have been a rutabaga I don't know it sounds good though. He then filled the pot with water. I asked him what he was doing. He said that was going to be his dinner. Your dinner? Yes he said my dinner because he was going to be a vegetarian now too! I said Leo vegetarians eat more than just vegetables you know. No they don't he said and reached for a beer. And Leo was his name -o.
Speaking of beer Leo was very fond of it. We had no TV so the evenings entertainment usually consisted of sitting in the living room drinking beer and listening to music. Toward the end of the evening Leo would be sitting on the floor with his back up against the couch nodding off. His half full bottle of beer sitting next to him. He would catch himself falling asleep and spaz out jerking his arms and legs and always knocking over his beer spilling it all over the carpet. Since we were all responsible for cleaning up our own messes Leo would slowly get up walk to the kitchen to get a towel to throw down at the beer mess on the floor. He wouldn't actually clean it just throw a towel down at it. Night after night this happened. Gary would eventually have to clean the entire carpet. And Leo was his name-o.
Leo didn't have a car. But we only lived about a mile from where he worked. Still he took a cab every morning at 6:00 am. He would call the cab company then eat breakfast and fix his lunch for work and by that time the cab was there. The cab would arrive honk the horn and Leo would go to work. There were many mornings when that didn't always work out as planned. The cab wouldn't come when Leo thought it should so he called for another. The original cab would invariably come a minute later Leo would leave and then about 20 minutes later the second cab would arrive honking the horn constantly in hopes Leo would hear and come out. But Leo wasn't there and the honking would continue for 5-10 minutes waking everyone in the neighborhood. And Leo was his name-o.
Every Saturday morning I would be awakened to the sounds of arguing from Jim and Leo. It would progressively get worse until fists started flying and next thing I knew they would be rolling down the stairs locked in mortal combat. This happened like clockwork the same time every Saturday morning without fail. I asked Jim once why this would happen. He said Leo was being a hose head and needed his i dotted. And Leo was his name-o.
Once one cold wintry night, late, no music just us all sitting around staring at the roaring fire in the fireplace, Leo in the back sitting on the couch for once, we got totally mesmerized. Watching the fire dance and crackle and pop. You know how it is late at night keeping warm by the fire almost like being on a camp-out -then suddenly a big pop and crackle and a cinder flew out the size of a large walnut glowing golden red right in our midst on the carpet! We just sat there frozen not knowing what to do. Then from the back on the couch Leo slowly gets up walks up to the cinder picks it up with his bare hand and calmly walks over to the fireplace and drops it in. We looked at Leo in shocked amazement! Leo we said didn't that burn and hurt? It sure did he said and sat back down on the couch. And Leo was his name-o.
We had other forms of entertainment. We played ping pong in the basement. One Friday night I was playing against Jim and Leo was sitting on the stair steps waiting for his turn. Gary came home from shopping for a corded circular saw. Oh boy he said I can't wait to try this out tomorrow morning. Now Leo I don't want you to be messing around with this I just bought it. He set it down and went upstairs to have dinner. We continued to play with Leo watching. After awhile Leo looks over to the new saw and says I wonder what this is like walking over to it. Jim and I looked at each other -Leo, Gary said not to touch it he was going to open it tomorrow morning. I just want to see what it looks like. Jim and I continue to play. There was no stopping Leo once he got something in his head. He opened the box took the saw out and plugged it in. I wonder how well this cuts. Leo! put that down we said! But Leo found a 2x4 and started to cut it. He started to cut the wood--bzzz then nothing! We looked over to Leo and Leo looked at us. He had cut right through the electrical cord on the first cut! Oh No!! Leo started to look around. What to do what to do. He carefully repacked the saw including the severed cord back into the box. Then he looked around for a place to hide it. Why hide it? So Gary wouldn't find it he said.
The next morning Jim and I were playing again with Leo watching. Gary comes down the stairs all bright and cheerful wanting to play with his new toy. Leo sees him and starts to take off up the stairs. Gary is looking around for his saw but can't find it. Where's my saw? he says. Jim and I say nothing. Eventually he finds it opens the box and comes over to us with the saw in one hand and the severed cord in the other. LEO!!!! And takes off running up the stairs. And Leo was his name-o. L-E-O, L-E-O and Leo was his name-o!
Stay tuned.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Computers and Me
Computers and me go way back. I started studying them in 1967. My freshman year at the University of Detroit. They were as mysterious then as they still are today. I don't know why. Of course our computer back then was the whole first floor of the Admin building. It was huge. And hot. You have to remember back then transistors were not readily available so they used vacuum tubes. Like they used in old radios and TV sets. I don't know do some of you even remember them? Musicians especially guitarists know about tubes in their amps. Anyway the whole room was always very hot like 90 degrees or something even with a/c and fans running constantly.
We were told that computers were what the future was going to be all about. We knew that. In sixth grade we were told that by the year 2000 we would all have flying cars to go to work in too. I'm lucky if I can afford to put gas in my car today. I guess some things were more important than others. Now we were learning how to program this monster. There was no monitor. We programmed it by keypunching on cards. That means we had to learn the computer languages we needed for the type of program we were running. COBOL, BASIC, FORTRAN etc. To run the simplest program required hundreds of these punch cards. They had to be in exact order. If even one card was out of order your program would "bomb out". You would actually get a printout of a huge picture of a bomb as an error message. This was a most horrendous occurrence. Especially if it was an assignment that was due that day. You were in trouble. That meant you had to go through hundreds of keypunch cards to find which one was out of order. Or worse maybe you program was not logically well written. Yikes. If a card was out of place I never would go through all those cards. It was quicker just to re punch all of them! Tedious I know. And talk about wasting paper!
So down through the years I've taken many courses in computer training. Some on my own and some at the university level. I always ace these courses. So why is it that I'm so conflicted using them to this day? If the power goes out suddenly I do know how to turn the computer back on. But as far as unleashing the full potential of this beast I'm totally clueless. I mean I do still shave with a brush and double edge blade in a razor that was made during the war. That would be the Second World War. I don't know if that completely explains it though. It might have something to do with that time during my Freshman year that my buddies and I decided to try out this new thing called computer dating! Now there's the ticket! Just fill out the 10 page questionnaire of who you really are- your likes dislikes etc. and let the computer match you up with your perfect date! It's scientific! God knows we weren't doing so well at all the mixers we went to. So it couldn't hurt.
Two weeks later we were all excited to get our results. I just wish I could remember all the details. I know I asked a young lady out on a date. What her name was I can't remember. Where we went to I don't know. How it ended -blank. All I remember was that we had absolutely nothing in common -she wasn't at all like she was described as. That's it- we had a terrible time. It's all coming back to me now.
My buddies all had similar experiences. The whole idea of computers deciding something so personal as someone to date just seemed not right not organic enough. We decided that maybe the mixers weren't that bad after all and besides the music was usually good. I guess I just don't trust computers. It's all that garbage in garbage out stuff.
Stay tuned.
We were told that computers were what the future was going to be all about. We knew that. In sixth grade we were told that by the year 2000 we would all have flying cars to go to work in too. I'm lucky if I can afford to put gas in my car today. I guess some things were more important than others. Now we were learning how to program this monster. There was no monitor. We programmed it by keypunching on cards. That means we had to learn the computer languages we needed for the type of program we were running. COBOL, BASIC, FORTRAN etc. To run the simplest program required hundreds of these punch cards. They had to be in exact order. If even one card was out of order your program would "bomb out". You would actually get a printout of a huge picture of a bomb as an error message. This was a most horrendous occurrence. Especially if it was an assignment that was due that day. You were in trouble. That meant you had to go through hundreds of keypunch cards to find which one was out of order. Or worse maybe you program was not logically well written. Yikes. If a card was out of place I never would go through all those cards. It was quicker just to re punch all of them! Tedious I know. And talk about wasting paper!
So down through the years I've taken many courses in computer training. Some on my own and some at the university level. I always ace these courses. So why is it that I'm so conflicted using them to this day? If the power goes out suddenly I do know how to turn the computer back on. But as far as unleashing the full potential of this beast I'm totally clueless. I mean I do still shave with a brush and double edge blade in a razor that was made during the war. That would be the Second World War. I don't know if that completely explains it though. It might have something to do with that time during my Freshman year that my buddies and I decided to try out this new thing called computer dating! Now there's the ticket! Just fill out the 10 page questionnaire of who you really are- your likes dislikes etc. and let the computer match you up with your perfect date! It's scientific! God knows we weren't doing so well at all the mixers we went to. So it couldn't hurt.
Two weeks later we were all excited to get our results. I just wish I could remember all the details. I know I asked a young lady out on a date. What her name was I can't remember. Where we went to I don't know. How it ended -blank. All I remember was that we had absolutely nothing in common -she wasn't at all like she was described as. That's it- we had a terrible time. It's all coming back to me now.
My buddies all had similar experiences. The whole idea of computers deciding something so personal as someone to date just seemed not right not organic enough. We decided that maybe the mixers weren't that bad after all and besides the music was usually good. I guess I just don't trust computers. It's all that garbage in garbage out stuff.
Stay tuned.
Friday, July 29, 2011
I saw the Who at Southfield High School
I sure did. The day was Wednesday November 22, 1967. It was a spur of the moment thing. I saw an ad in the paper and decided to go. By myself. I was 17 and a big fan of the Who. I got to the Southfield High parking lot early I guess because there was hardly anybody there. Anyway I went into the gymnasium were the concert was to be held if you can believe that and sat down on the bleachers. By the way the tickets for general admission were $2.50. Boy times have changed haven't they? The gym slowly filled up I guess there were maybe a thousand people total. First time I ever saw real hippies. There were 2 acts before the Who. The first was the Unrelated Segments a local Detroit band. As I recall I used to see them a lot at the college I went to. The were pretty decent as I recall. The second act was a group that played the Detroit area also and had a hit played on the radio quite a bit. They were called Amboy Dukes. They had this crazy guitarist that played a huge hollow body Gibson Byrdland with a 100 ft. lead on it so he could go out into the audience and cause a ruckus. I remember thinking that this guy is quite the showman and might give Pete Townsend a run for his money. Oh his name-that would be Ted Nugent.
Well then it was time for the Who to come on. The curtain was closed and there were 2 microphone stands alone on stage. I thought there was going to be some kind of dramatic entrance. No they merely walked up the steps at the side of the stage just like you were going to get your diploma. Keith Moon was last and he was carrying a big bundle of drum sticks under his arm. Why was he carrying all those sticks I wondered. I didn't have to wonder too long because the curtain parted they strapped on their guitars and Keith sat down at the drums and started to play" Can't Explain". Well I think it was the first time Keith did a 16th drum fill on the opening bar that he splintered a stick way out into the audience. All he did was reach down to the bundle and pick another one and not even miss a beat. Amazing. I think he must have broke half a dozen sticks that first song. He was on fire that night. They played several more songs that show and ended with the perennial "My Generation". Here it comes I thought --will they or won't they trash their instruments here in the High School gym. I mean I was sitting next to an elderly lady looking as old as my Grandmother for crying out loud. Well they did. In grand fashion. Pete had been playing a Fender Stratocaster all evening and right at the crucial moment a roadie behind his speaker cabinet switched guitars to a cheaper copy to smash. And smash he did. He flipped it up in the air and caught it- banged it against the speaker cabs flipped it again but missed and it landed on the stage. Then he proceeded to smash the guitar neck first into the stage floor repeatedly until there was just splinters. I remember looking around at all the parents in the audience to see their shocked expressions. But was it for the smashing of the guitar or the pounding of it into the gym's stage floor? I've been told the dents are still there. I looked at my watch-they played exactly 30 minutes.
Stay tuned.
Well then it was time for the Who to come on. The curtain was closed and there were 2 microphone stands alone on stage. I thought there was going to be some kind of dramatic entrance. No they merely walked up the steps at the side of the stage just like you were going to get your diploma. Keith Moon was last and he was carrying a big bundle of drum sticks under his arm. Why was he carrying all those sticks I wondered. I didn't have to wonder too long because the curtain parted they strapped on their guitars and Keith sat down at the drums and started to play" Can't Explain". Well I think it was the first time Keith did a 16th drum fill on the opening bar that he splintered a stick way out into the audience. All he did was reach down to the bundle and pick another one and not even miss a beat. Amazing. I think he must have broke half a dozen sticks that first song. He was on fire that night. They played several more songs that show and ended with the perennial "My Generation". Here it comes I thought --will they or won't they trash their instruments here in the High School gym. I mean I was sitting next to an elderly lady looking as old as my Grandmother for crying out loud. Well they did. In grand fashion. Pete had been playing a Fender Stratocaster all evening and right at the crucial moment a roadie behind his speaker cabinet switched guitars to a cheaper copy to smash. And smash he did. He flipped it up in the air and caught it- banged it against the speaker cabs flipped it again but missed and it landed on the stage. Then he proceeded to smash the guitar neck first into the stage floor repeatedly until there was just splinters. I remember looking around at all the parents in the audience to see their shocked expressions. But was it for the smashing of the guitar or the pounding of it into the gym's stage floor? I've been told the dents are still there. I looked at my watch-they played exactly 30 minutes.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Fore!
Ah the gentlemanly art of golf. Many books have been written on the subject and for good reason. It's a very polarizing topic. You either hate golf or love it. There's no in between. I on the other hand am going to approach the subject from an entirely different angle. You see I was a caddy. It was my very first job. This was at the Detroit Country Club. I know the concept of Detroit and country club sound foreign maybe today but this was early 1966 and the Motor City was a very happening place. The Ford family golfed there as well as many other movers and shakers back in the day.
Caddying didn't pay very much. It depended on whether you got out or not. There were some days I don't think I carried a bag at all. Twelve hours of nothing but watching TV or shooting baskets in the backyard. On those occasions I did carry all I made was about $3-4 including the tip which was about a quarter. Some of the little old ladies tipped a dime! But it was my first job.
Speaking of little old ladies one time I was caddying for this woman who took forever off the tee. She always played last and I wanted to get a head start to the next hole so I would start walking slowly ahead at an angle to her so as not to get hit if she sliced. Well this one time she was taking forever and I'm slowing walking saying to myself come on just hit it already. No go still at the tee. I wanted to get a head start because the golfers were driving carts and the caddies had to walk and invariably they would complain if you weren't there when they were. Anyway I'm getting ahead of her now and the angle is getting less and less me being more in the line of fire if she doesn't hit it soon. Finally she swings and sure enough swoosh right by my nose less than a foot away. I secretly think she planned it that way just to keep me on my toes.
I don't understand why more people aren't hit on the golf course. I was standing on the green holding the pin with my back to the tee my heel on the edge of a sand trap. The next thing I know I hear a thud behind me. I look around and there's a ball an inch behind my heel. Some golfer was antsy and teed off without waiting for our party to leave. "Fore"
By the way Henry Ford II tipped $5.00!
Stay tuned.
Caddying didn't pay very much. It depended on whether you got out or not. There were some days I don't think I carried a bag at all. Twelve hours of nothing but watching TV or shooting baskets in the backyard. On those occasions I did carry all I made was about $3-4 including the tip which was about a quarter. Some of the little old ladies tipped a dime! But it was my first job.
Speaking of little old ladies one time I was caddying for this woman who took forever off the tee. She always played last and I wanted to get a head start to the next hole so I would start walking slowly ahead at an angle to her so as not to get hit if she sliced. Well this one time she was taking forever and I'm slowing walking saying to myself come on just hit it already. No go still at the tee. I wanted to get a head start because the golfers were driving carts and the caddies had to walk and invariably they would complain if you weren't there when they were. Anyway I'm getting ahead of her now and the angle is getting less and less me being more in the line of fire if she doesn't hit it soon. Finally she swings and sure enough swoosh right by my nose less than a foot away. I secretly think she planned it that way just to keep me on my toes.
I don't understand why more people aren't hit on the golf course. I was standing on the green holding the pin with my back to the tee my heel on the edge of a sand trap. The next thing I know I hear a thud behind me. I look around and there's a ball an inch behind my heel. Some golfer was antsy and teed off without waiting for our party to leave. "Fore"
By the way Henry Ford II tipped $5.00!
Stay tuned.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Laurie's Flowers
Here are some pictures from Laurie's flower garden that bloomed last spring and summer. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
Stay tuned.
Touchdown!
Growing up my brothers and I loved to play sports. Our neighborhood was overwhelmingly boys. We used to play football in a large field behind our houses right up to and including snow on the ground. This one time it was late Autumn and there was a chill in the air. It had rained the day before and there was a sizable puddle near the corner of one end zone. It was cold enough that it was lightly frozen. If you stepped on it you would break through it.
Well the game got going and it was very spirited as most of our games tended to be. I remember one play where I was to run a corner pattern for a pass. That's where you run toward the middle of the field at a 45degree angle, fake and then run toward the corner of the end zone. Everything went well including the fake. I found myself wide open running to the corner. The quarterback saw me and threw a pass long and high in the direction of the corner end zone.
It's amazing what can go through your mind in just a few seconds. Here I am probably no more than 14 years old and I'm thinking that pass looks too long and high! I sure would like to catch it. But I'll really have to run and it looks like it's headed right for the giant half froze puddle in the corner. The only way I'm going to get it is if I jump as high as I can and lay out onto the ground. Which in this case meant the frozen puddle. What to do-hmmm.
There's no tv cameras no grandstands with cheering fans no huge contracts at stake no pretty cheerleaders to impress. Just a boy on a frozen field in the midwest in the mid 1960's. Just a pickup game. I swear all of that was going through my mind as I'm running to that corner. I thought to just let the ball go but I knew I could catch it so I went for it. CRACK--- SPLASH !
I laid there stunned. Everyone ran over to me to check if I was alright. Yeah I'm alright -just wet and cold I said. One of the other teams players looked at me on the ground cocking his head one way then the other. You know Dave actually I think really you are out of bounds. The others came and looked and the general agreement was that I was just out by inches! They all looked at each other and nodded in agreement. But that was the best pass catch we have ever seen they said so--TOUCHDOWN!
Stay tuned.
Well the game got going and it was very spirited as most of our games tended to be. I remember one play where I was to run a corner pattern for a pass. That's where you run toward the middle of the field at a 45degree angle, fake and then run toward the corner of the end zone. Everything went well including the fake. I found myself wide open running to the corner. The quarterback saw me and threw a pass long and high in the direction of the corner end zone.
It's amazing what can go through your mind in just a few seconds. Here I am probably no more than 14 years old and I'm thinking that pass looks too long and high! I sure would like to catch it. But I'll really have to run and it looks like it's headed right for the giant half froze puddle in the corner. The only way I'm going to get it is if I jump as high as I can and lay out onto the ground. Which in this case meant the frozen puddle. What to do-hmmm.
There's no tv cameras no grandstands with cheering fans no huge contracts at stake no pretty cheerleaders to impress. Just a boy on a frozen field in the midwest in the mid 1960's. Just a pickup game. I swear all of that was going through my mind as I'm running to that corner. I thought to just let the ball go but I knew I could catch it so I went for it. CRACK--- SPLASH !
I laid there stunned. Everyone ran over to me to check if I was alright. Yeah I'm alright -just wet and cold I said. One of the other teams players looked at me on the ground cocking his head one way then the other. You know Dave actually I think really you are out of bounds. The others came and looked and the general agreement was that I was just out by inches! They all looked at each other and nodded in agreement. But that was the best pass catch we have ever seen they said so--TOUCHDOWN!
Stay tuned.
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