Country Dogs and City Dogs

Every long-time runner is aware of the different attitudes toward runners by country dogs and dogs in big cities  
The latter, particularly in very large cities, will mostly ignore you, they’ve seen it all before
The country dogs are inclined to give the runner a hard time, perhaps part of a country animal lore
In any event, in 1971, I entered a 20 mile race in rural St Mary’s county

To build up my endurance in the expectation of running a full marathon the next year
I didn’t expect to run very fast, and in fact was the last finisher
About a mile before the end a small dog bit me,
his last chance to instill in a runner a dose of fear

I checked with my doctor who said there hadn’t been a reported case of rabies
in this area for 30 years,
He also asked about the demeanor of the dog, which didn’t seem rough
The dog seemed to me to be calm in fact
But intent on sending a message to an unknown runner to stay away from his turf

In any event about four weeks after the race I was shocked to read in the local paper that
A case of rabies had been reported in the area where I was bitten
I again checked with my doctor who told me the anti-rabies shots are largely ineffective after this period
And to stay calm until some more time had gone by

Which I largely did but not without moments of fear
In my 40 years of running I never again experienced a dog bite, you see
But when running in rural areas, I was always on high alert
Always checking if a dog was in my rear, trying to catch up with me

 

When Cash is not King

 

A number of years ago, my refrigerator
Reached a terminal state, no longer capable of resurrection
I visited an outlet of a national chain
And told the salesman which one I had selected

When he asked for my credit card, I told him I was paying in cash

Which was about 300 dollars for this refrigerator
He was bewildered, obviously having no experience
In cash payments, and sought out the manager

These two disappeared into some back room

Probably to phone the company’s national office
To help resolve their fiscal dilemma
As to whether to accept the $300 in cash which I had offered

In any event, they reappeared about 10 minutes later
With a newly created form, which seemed to be a shortened employment application
Which I was requested to fill out, before they would accept
Cash as payment for a $300 refrigerator

I filled out the form,
 And the deal was complete
Leaving me wondering the truth of the old expression
That cash was king

The Magical Q-Tip

I doubt there are very few beyond infancy unfamiliar with Q-tips
Their use to solve problems is often the best of ways
From touching up nail polish, to baby care
The Q-tip is virtually universally used in current days

Which brings me to the time when I used a Q-tip

To save my hearing aid, whose replacement would have been expensive
After mistakenly inserting one of them in a glass of water
Instead of the container where I intended to put them

To complicate matters, I had opened the plastic cover which covers the battery
Increasing battery life, but exposing the hearing aid’s electronics to the water
I wiped the water off as best I could with a paper napkin
But could not reach the electronics as the channel was too small

I figured the one which had been in the water was ruined
And cursed myself for being so careless
When I finally realized that a Q-tip was small enough to insert
And its cotton tip could absorb the water

The use of the Q-tip enabled me to quickly dry out the water
And the hearing aid continued to function
So God bless the Q-tip for helping me in a troubling situation
And thus there is another way to add to its many uses

Chocolate Cake Ice Cream

The most popular ice cream flavors vary from time to time

With vanilla and chocolate leading the way
But research does not reveal chocolate cake
On any list of favorite flavors that I could locate

This story relates back to the two summers
I worked as a Good Humor truck driver
Between my first two summer semesters at law school
No other job available to me could produce earnings that were higher

My route centered around the city of Thompsonville, Connecticut
Where shade tobacco was grown, on a farm several miles away
Which means the tobacco plants were grown under netting
Which product was used as the outer layer of cigars, very important to its taste

The shade grown tobacco farm was not on my prescribed route
But I often took the liberty of adjusting my route to produce greater revenue
For example I modified my route, to spend more time in the poorer areas of Thompsonville
Where there were more children, and many porches where people often gathered late

I became aware of the shade grown farm where
The men worked in the field, the women in sheds, processing what was grown
For some reason several asked for the sweetest flavor, which I decided was chocolate cake
And these tobacco workers decided this was the best flavor they had ever known

During my two summers as a Good Humor man, I visited this farm
The pay for the workers was very low
And the vast majority were broke, shortly after pay day
So pay day, and the next day, were usually the only times I would go

The day came which was the last day I would work for Good Humor
It was a tough job with long hours, and this was a pleasant thought indeed
My mind was focused on returning to law school
And I didn’t properly focus on what ice cream I needed 

To make a long story short, I forgot to order a case of chocolate cake
And when I showed up at the tobacco farm without chocolate cake
To say the least, the workers were very upset
And began shouting numerous obscenities, and I feared what turn this would take

I started to drive away, and was chased by many of the workers
Harm to the truck or me, was what I could foresee
And prayed the truck would not stall out
As periodically it would do, though infrequently

I’m willing to bet that this was the only time
The absence of a particular ice cream flavor
Almost caused a riot by frustrated customers
Who were outraged by the absence of what they most savored

Harvard Boxing Dreams

While at Harvard I was an active participant in the intramural boxing program

which was run by two fighters who were ex-professionals

On a lark one day I asked one of them if I could ever become a professional

The answer I got was that I had the basic skill but would have to train exhaustively 

The rest of the tale is pure fiction, reflecting an old man's dreams

I never became known as a boxer emerging from Harvard College but

I still believe it would been a wonderful stunt, even if it lasted only three or four fights

The Harvard crowd would come in large numbers to see If I could win, and townies to see the opposite 

Also in my dream was a young lady I'll call Lorelei

Who shared my dream in every possible way

She provided every creature comfort a man could desire

And did not deter my dream despite cat-calls from many a compatriot 

The point of all this is never forget what we once thought possible

It provides  pleasant moments of remembrance from our youthful days

And occasionally I think that had I acted differently

I might just have prevailed in boxing ways

Rockies and Vegas Odds

Early in May I wrote a poem which discussed the Las Vegas odds
Of the Colorado Rockies winning the World Series, then 150 to one
Checking on July 25, the odds were then 500 to one
Vegas is unimpressed by what the Rockies have thus far done

When I wrote the poem the Rockies record
was nineteen losses and twenty wins,  pretty fair
Completing a three game win streak against Arizona
It seemed quite believable this might be their year

Unfortunately from that point on, things did not go well
By the time of the All-Star break, for a variety of reasons
The Rockies had eight more losses than wins
And they seemed likely to repeat their last five losing seasons

But since the All-Star break there has been a complete turnaround
In the last eleven games, nine resulted in Rockies wins
And they are one game under .500 ball
Far better than the record before the All Star game had been

The primary reason for their recent success is  their pitching staff
They have been consistently effective, both starters and relievers
Making those of us who are serious Rockies fans
Starting to be true believers

Of course there is no guarantee
That this great pitching will endure
But watching a number of Rockies games
It looks like the pitching staff  has become quite mature

I am reminded of the time in 2007
Where the final 23 out of 24 games the Rockies won
And they ended up winning the pennant
Against early seasons odds of 70 to one

So Rockies fans, let us pray the Rockies can repeat
What the 2007 pennant success had been
And show Las Vegas it is really unwise
To underestimate the chances of any Rockies team

Dan Middleman

I have a relative

Dan Middleman by name

Who as a distance runner

Attained considerable fame

When Dan was about seven

He was a member of a soccer team, as I understood quite an ace

Which came to Virginia for a match

And the day before, Dan spent some time at my place 

Thinking Dan might be somewhat nervous

About the forthcoming day

I concluded that a distance run

As a calming agent  might be the best way 

I took Dan to Haines Point

Which when circled was about three miles, perhaps a bit more

I told him if he completed the course

We would then head for the ice cream store  

Dan ran the course

For a seven year old, quite a feat

So we headed for the ice cream store

To complete his treat 

Many years later I attended a meet in which Dan was running

In a Penn Relays 10 kilometer race

I stood at the rail, and shouted " ice cream" as Dan went by

In the hope it would inspire a faster pace 

I don't know whether Dan heard me,

Or whether his running was affected in any way

But in my mind it was the most meaningful

Shout of encouragement on that day

 

Dan became qualified in 1996

As an entrant In the Olympic 10-K race, which he didn't win

I wasn't there that day but had I been present

And able to shout "ice cream", who knows what might have been