Heartache and Pain

“I gotta take a little time
A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case I need it when I'm older”
Opening lines of Foreigner’s “I Want To Know What Love Is.”

A sports jock on WSCR (The Score), referring to WDRV (The Drive), claimed he’d never listen to a station that played Foreigner. True, many of their songs were shallow and repetitive (i.e., “Head Games,” “Hot Blooded,” “Cold As Ice”), but who can resist singing along to Lou Gramm while in the car? I love their rendition of the 1984 power ballad “I Want To Know What Love Is,” recorded with backing vocals by a gospel choir. The song plays in the background during a chilling scene in one of my favorite “Miami Vice” episodes called “Rites of Passage.” The Pam Grier character is making love to Detective Rico Tubbs while her sister, entrapped in a prostitution ring headed by John Torturro as David Traynor, is being murdered with a syringe. How versatile Torturro is. I love him as the nerdy Paulie in “Jungle Fever.”

San Antonio Spurs Coach and Region native Gregg Popovich will be on hand for the Thanksgiving weekend Lakeshore Classic at the Genesis Center. Born in East Chicago and a Merrillville High School grad, he and Chamber of Commerce director Chuck Hughes, coordinator of the event, played together on a championship AAU basketball team. Hughes told Post-Trib correspondent Tommy Williams of running into Popovich 15 years ago and being asked if they were still “hooping” at 39th and Broadway on the old Glen Park school playground. It was a place kids like Popovich from could test their talents in pickup games against Gary’s best black players. With “twin towers” David Robinson and Tim Duncan leading the way, “Pop” has accumulated four championship rings. Only Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), Pat Riley (5), and John Kundla (5) of the old Minneapolis Lakers have more.

In the news: All 33 Chilean miners reached the surface after being trapped underground for 69 days. Wearing special Oakley sunglasses until they got used to the light, they embraced loved ones, sang, prayed, led the crowd in cheers. President Sabastian Pinera pronounced them to be heroes and gushed that the rescue was one of his small country’s proudest moments. Darcy Wade exclaimed on Facebook: “Yeah!!!!!!!! People working together and helping their fellow mankind – now there’s an idea.” They’ve been invited to visit several countries and a possible reality show is in the works. Their lives will never be the same, for better or worse. One guy’s mistress showed up, so angering his wife she refused to be in attendance.

Police commander Rolando Flores was zealously investigating the murder of American David Hartley, attacked while jet skiing on the Mexican side of Lake Falcon. Drug cartel members murdered him and delivered his head in a suitcase to the Mexican military.

During a debate between Delaware Senate candidates Christine O’Donnell and Chris Coons the daffy Republican “wingnut” (as Chris Matthews on MSNBC likes to call Tea Partiers like her) drew a blank when asked about recent Supreme Court decisions. Her mentor Sarah Palin fanned on a similar question during the 2008 Presidential campaign. One of O’Donnell’s commercials starts out, “I am not a witch.” She probably has no clue that it reminds older voters of Nixon’s “I am not a crook” speech.

The Post-Trib and The Times have on-line obituary Guest Books where people can offer their condolences to family members. John Bianchi wrote to the Pontney family: “I am very sorry for your loss, my prayers and thoughts are with you all. I worked with Rich at Inland, he always raised my spirits.” Returned to Burns Funeral Home for the second time this month. Rich fell and hit his head four months ago and died as a result of complications. I expressed my condolences to wife Audrey, son Rick, and daughters Megan and Shannon, looking radiant despite her grief. Rich was so full of life, the heartache and pain must be almost unbearable. Shannon was like him in so many ways.

Toni and I saw the Second City traveling troupe at Chesterton High School with the Wades. In the crowd was Education professor Paul Blohm. Beforehand loud music impeded conversation, but I did enjoy hearing MGMT’s “Electric Glide.” Brady and his attractive girlfriend preferred sitting with their friends. We were in the first row but weren’t pulled up onto the stage or asked questions by a faux fortuneteller, as several people nearby were. In one short piece two parents were called to talk with their son’s school counselor. “Is the problem ADHD, ADD, ASD,” they ask. “No, it’s DUMB,” the counselor replied. The five young comedians were excellent. I don’t usually like improvisation all that much, but they did a hilarious, impromptu “Lewis and Clark in Mexico” skit featuring Sacajawea and her sister Wacojawea. Whenever the narrator stopped the action Lewis, Clark, and the two Indian maidens had to break out in song starting with the previous line.

Got a Facebook message to the effect that former student Samuel A. Love and high school classmate Wendy “Snowhite” Wellin had changed photos. For a minute I thought that it meant they had “exchanged” photos and gotten to know each other through me. Strange as that seems, I guess such a thing is possible. Also on the Wall: Sam turned his profile picture pink to support breast cancer detection. Miranda posted a photo of her in a high school band uniform and also noted, “Finally beat my time for cross country.” Dean posted a great photo of Toni, Joanell, and me by the front door of our condo. A friend mistook me for Dean commented on how good he and Joanell. I kidded him about it, saying she must have thought he shaved off his beard and grew his hair long. Sent Joanell my “Retirement Journal” after she mentioned enjoying my 2000 “Survival Journal.”