Last evening I attended Aylesworth Elementary School’s spring musical program featuring international folk songs performed by second graders, including granddaughter Becca, who was really into it. The opening song, “What a Wonderful World,” set the tone and reminded me of excellent recorded versions by Louis Armstrong and Joey Ramone. Becca was one of four people selected to act out a Zimbabwe greeting song called “Sorida.” She told me afterwards that her favorite number was “Australia’s on the Wallaby.” The final part of the program featured fourth graders playing instruments called recorders, which were similar to flutes. The place was packed, and I noticed that Portage seemed much more diverse racially than when Phil and Dave were in school 30 years ago.
Radio sports jocks were salivating over all the stuff going on last night on TV, including the Black Hawks, the Bulls, the Cubs, the White Sox, and the NFL draft. I watched the anemic Cubs lose to the Mets but was happy my Philadelphia teams, the Phillies and the Flyers, won. Jamie Moyer, age 47, pitched great, and in hockey the Flyers took their initial Stanley Cup series from the Jersey Devils.
Between the road trip and work around the house my back has been bothering me, so this morning I paid a visit to chiropractor Manuel Kazanas, whose adjustments have been godsends on various occasions when I have thrown my back out. One time right before heading to Saudi Arabia for a three-week teaching stint I tried to get in too much yard work and could barely move until many worked his magic. I probably go to him no more than one or two times a tear, but he never pressures me to schedule a return visit.
WDRV (97.1, “The Drive”) has been playing classic rock songs from A to Z. On the way to Manuel’s I heard “Born to Be Wild” and “Born to Run.” After the adjustment I was back in the car and heard “The Boxer” and “Boys Are Back in Town.” Taking boxes for packing to the car, I discovered a slow leak in a back tire and got it fixed (it picked up a nail) for ten bucks (plus five dollar tip) at a place in Lake Station. WDVR was just starting on the C’s (“Cadillac Ranch”) by the time it was ready.
When I attend my fiftieth high school reunion in October, perhaps I’ll give a humorous talk on girls I had crushes on, starting with Judy Jenkins, Carol Schuman, and Pam Tucker. I originally thought I’d do the historian thing and sum up some of the key events that occurred during our senior year in politics (West Virginia primary), civil rights (sit-ins), world affairs (Castro), and popular culture (the twist). On the sports talk radio show “Mike and Mike” the two guys frequently use the term “man crush” to describe admiring someone excessively and wanting to be their friend (“Seinfeld” did an episode where Jerry had a man crush on Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez and was jealous when Keith wanted to have a date with Elaine). The guy in school I wanted so badly to be friends with was Dick Garretson, a great, zany guy. We were friends but I wasn’t as close to him as, say, Bob Reller or Buck Elliott was.
Former student Jeff Renn wants me to speak to members of the Hobart Kiwanis Club next Wednesday at 7:30 in the morning. I’m torn between a serious topic based on my Gary book or something spicier, such as “Social Life in Hobart,” featuring bars, July Fourth celebrations, bowling alleys, sports, high school high jinx, and the Jaycee Fest. I did something similar in Steve McShane’s class (see my February 26 blog called “Indiana History”) that seemed to work.
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