Yeah, I know it’s been a little while … but if you saw my desk right now (not to mention the field work I’m lookin’ at), then you’d see why I relate to that donkey over there to yer left …

Matter of fact, I’m on the road as I write this (no, not literally! Geez … isn’t that reserved for cell phone maniacs? lol).

But, tell ya what: I’ll be back in the dungeon … er office … tonight, and I’ll make sure to unlock th’ door so we can get back to our regular jawjackin’, okay??

Until then, stay as cool (and dry) as possible … and I’ll talk with ya then …

You find heroes in the most unusual places …

I remember, about fourteen years ago, I first met Chuck Leadingham — and, quite frankly, I don’t think either one of us was impressed with the other!
He was an Ashland (KY) city cop, about the size of a brick house and with an attitude that seemed to match.  I, on the other hand, was this crazy live-wire guy from outta town that would talk to a wall if it made a sound! (WHOA!  That’s a hyperbole, folks.  I’ve never really talked to a wall … well, exceptin’ my ex father-in-law, maybe …)

As time went on, I found out more about Chuck … and, the more I learned, the more I liked the guy:  Involved with kids in the PAL (Police Athletic League), takin’ underprivileged youngsters down to Wal-Mart for Christmas presents (part of the Shop With A Cop program) — and extremely faithful to and proud of his wife, Denise, and their two children.

He worked his way up the ranks, I was told, without any ”special favors” or whatever; at the last, he was the APD’s Field Commander.

Today, the SUV is sitting beside Unity Baptist Church, draped in black crepe.  Beyond the flags that lead to the front of the church … beyond the mounds of flowers and grieving friends, officers and others … lie the bodies of Chuck and his beloved Denise.  They were killed a few days ago when their motorcycle’s rear tire blew out.

Now, I’ve gotta make it to the funeral in a moment, so let me touch on these lessons quickly:

• First, all of us who knew Chuck can tell ya that he was living proof that one person can make a difference.  He/she can rise to whatever level he/she aims for! 
• Second, never take for granted that you’re gonna be safe on a motorcycle!!  Imagine … a simple nail or whatever took out two vibrant lives!!  And anything that’s that simple to take outta commission shouldn’t be totally trusted, right?? Gimme four wheels any day! 

Okay … mebbe my timin’ was off; I shoulda started this after the funeral.  Right now, gotta go.

Talk to you this evening, okay??

OUCH!!  Has it been that long??Huh?? Oh … I was just sittin’ here, readin’ about all the stuff that happened back in ‘68.  Man, it seemed like everything was changin’, didn’t it??

I mean, ya had kids (well, 18-year-olds, anyway) wantin’ to vote, African-Americans wantin’ equal billing with whites, women wanting more rights (including equal pay), and we all wanted lower prices … and the end of that senseless “Vietnam War”.
And ya know what?? We finally got those things!   Awwww, sure it took awhile to get some of ‘em enacted … and that war finally stopped for us five years later (but Nixon did start cuttin’ back troops in ‘69, remember?).

But the most awesome part of it all was that most of it was ’cause young people stood up and roared in the face of the Establishment!!  Uh-huh … from colleges and simple farms to The Beatles and beards, the word went out to put a stop to prejudice, hate and war.

Ahhhh, but today?  Gee … lemme think about it a minute:  We’ve got … ummmm, kids (well, 18-year-olds, anyway) wantin’ to be taken seriously in society, African-Americans wantin’ fair treatment in our courts (no, I mean as jurors and witnesses as well as defendants), women wanting better physical security (including an end to harassment), and we all want lower gas and grocery prices … and the end of that senseless “Iraqi War”.

Hasn’t changed much in forty years, has it?  But, today, those youngsters who changed so much back then have all grown up and have families of their own to worry about — well, that and bills, mortgages, their health and keepin’ the boss happy  (in other words, everything our folks worried about!).

But, listen — if we knew how to change things back then, why don’t we all get together and do it now??  We’re all a little bit wiser, right?  We’ve been through the ropes, right?
And we do have a bit more “clout” than we had back then, right??
Then what’s stopping us?  No, we don’t haveta “take to the streets” like we used to; we’ve got this internet now and can write, campaign, protest or whatever … and do it faster and more effectively!  We’ve got cell phones and Blackberries and other gadgets that make “gettin’ our voice out” more efficient .. and effective!

A SPECIAL VID

I dunno about you, but this video reminds me of those days, and how we’ve fulfilled everything it said.  Now it’s time to think about makin’ this nation - this world - safe so the troubles we face won’t have to be handled by The Coming Generation.

THE KNICKERBOCKERS: THE COMING GENERATION
(it’s the “B” side of their hit 45, “LIES”)

Now, this vid’s from Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and is a bit on the worn side, but … well, just listen to the song:

Okay … I’d like to hear some noize about this subject, okay? Write or leave a message at the beep … ummm, I mean on the comments side and tell me: What’s on your mind?

C’mon in … the door’s open …

Huh??  Oh … I’m just … readin’ the paper here.  Y’see, a guy I knew up there with Ashland’s Police Department was … well, he and his wife were killed in a motorcycle accident on Saturday, and …
y’know, ya can’t believe someone you know and dealt with often (no, I wasn’t arrested by him for anything!) has gone so suddenly.  I mean, accident and all, ya still can’t help wonderin’ “Why them??”
‘Course, I’m not alone in my thinkin’.  Read on:

STREET-SIDE:  I’m learnin’ that folks as far away as Fort Mill, S. C. have gotten word of this crash and are sendin’ their prayers to Chuck Leadingham’s family … An email from someone in Marietta, Ohio — where the story seems to have broken first — said that “if anybody reads about it, they’ve got Denise as working in ‘Summit, Ohio.’  The FCI is in Summit, KY” …  and a guy from West Virginia told a local news reporter, “at least he wasn’t killed in the line of duty …”  Listen — any death of someone young, whether it be in a wreck, from illness, or by the business end of a gun barrel, is tragic … Natch, the folks around Ashland — from the regulars at Jolly Pirate Donutes to the shoppers at the Mall — are all shaken up …

A QUICKNOTE  … and I don’t think it really has to be said, does it?:  If you’re ridin’ a powerbike, please keep an eye on its condition!  According to prelim reports, the back tire blew out, which caused Chuck to lose control and hit a guardrail, throwin’ both he and Denise off the bike.  Now, knowing Chuck, I’m sure they were wearin’ helmets … but the fact remains that these machines are definitely more lethal than a car in the event of a wreck.  So keep yours in top condition …

SPOTLIGHT … Actually, this is a “retro” spotlight, and the man I’m about to spotlight has passed on to his reward.  But, since we’re talkin’ about Ashland, it’ll give ya an idea of the type of folks they have up there.
Here … pull up a chair and listen …

About three years ago, 88-year-old Charlie Kopp was tending to his disabled wife, Helen, before going to open his store (Kopp’s Office Supplies) for the day.  When he awoke, he went downstairs to (I assume) get the paper or something — and fell down the stairs!
Well, since he was gonna get breakfast ready for his wife, he got up painfully, went back upstairs and fixed her meal.  After getting her to the table, he sat down with her to eat and enjoy her company.  There was no doubt that Charlie loved his wife dearly, and wanted her to be comfortable and happy.
When he got up to wash the dishes, he noticed that the back of his neck hurt somewhat, and, only after finishing the dishes did he call one of his employees and ask for a ride to his chiropractor’s.
The man got to Charlie and Helen’s house and, when he entered, found some blood coming out of his boss’s ear!  So, instead of chiropractor, he was gonna take him to the hospital.
Now, Charlie first wanted to make sure his wife was okay and, when he was satisfied with that, he agreed to the hospital visit. That “visit” turned into a “stay” though, when the doctors found out that Charlie had …

broken his neck … and wrist!!

He was more interested in taking care of his wife than he was complaining or worrying about himself.  Even as he went into rehab after surgery, he was still demanding to know that Helen was all right.

Although Charlie Kopp’s gone from us now, we all can learn about love and devotion from this one story … from Ashland, Kentucky …

Okay … that’s all I’ve got room for right now, so I’ll see ya tomorrow with more!  Until then, tell me:  What’s on your mind?

Just for fun, and because it IS Labor Day (when EVERYBODY oughtta just “take a break” and kick up their heels a little) I thought it’d be cool to tell ya the story of the day my whiskerlickers (ie, cats) took over the PC:

Y’see, the cats like to hang out in my upstairs office. One afternoon — having finished my paperwork — I took my Westie, Brandi, out for a walk.
Leaving the computer on and shutting the door behind me, I went downstairs and, with scruffy canine on her leash, started out of the house.

Well, I thought I’d shut the door behind me! Apparently, one of my “Meow Mafia” found that it didn’t “catch”, and pushed it open. This, of course, led to a wave of feline foragers infiltrating the room — and, with a blank Word document on the monitor, the temptation to check out my keyboard was too strong for them.

Finding all kinds of strange characters on that page when I returned, I could just imagine the four largest cats (Sugar, Gadget, Doo-Wop and K-Cat) seizing the chance to take over and express their opinions (either that, or trying to order cat food over E-Bay®!).

Doo-Wop: Hey, guys, LOOK! Th’ old man’s left his writing thing on! Let’s see if we c’n type somethin’ like he does!

Sugar: Um …. I dunno, man! Is that Brillo-backed excuse for a mutt around here?

Doo-Wop: Naaaah … she’s gone for a walk. (He looks puzzled at the keyboard) Hey … any of y’all know how to work this thing?

Sugar: Awwww, move over, Friskie-face! I’ve seen th’ old man use this, so it can’t be that hard! Now … what to talk about? (he stops to think, then perks up his ears) I know! Hey, Gadget … how do ya spell “neutering”?

Gadget: O-U-C-H!! But why are ya writin’ about that?? We oughtta tell them to send cat food or somethin’!

K-cat (entering the room with a scrunched-up nose): WHOOOOO-EEEEE!! Don’t y’all go back to th’ litter box for a few minutes, ya hear? It’s a mite pungent … HEY!! You’re on the ol’ man’s writin’ thing!

Gadget: Yeah … Sugar’s tellin’ folks some stuff about fixin’ cats …

K-cat: Why? Did one of us break or somethin’??

Doo-Wop: Awww, get serious, Stinky! There’s so many little kittens out there with no home, scroungin’ outta trash cans and sick. Heck, I see ‘em everytime I’m up there in the man’s kitchen window, catchin’ some rays …

K-cat: Brother, you can’t even catch a decent mouse! But I saw ‘em, too … and grown humans can’t take care of all of ‘em! There’s just too many …

Sugar: D-UH! … that’s why I’m writin’ this, dude! See, folks’ve gotta remember to get their pets fixed so it won’t be like that.

Gadget: Yeah. the man. took us to that vetur … that vetra … that doctor up the street, remember? It don’t cost a lot, and it didn’t hurt us!

Doo-Wop: Hmph … speak for yourself, specs! I couldn’t scratch myself for weeks! But you’re right. I mean, about the … whatcha call it? Nootering? An’, ’sides that, the humans oughtta watch out for their pets … sometimes, when they get out, they could get dead by one o’ them big things the man calls “cars.” Or by big, mean dogs or somethin’!

K-Cat: Yeahhhh! Well, ‘cept BRANNN-deeeee! That mutt can’t even catch her own tail! (all the cats begin to laugh as K-Cat continues) Anyway, why don’tcha write about that new thing on the magic picture box that the man likes to watch? I think it’s called the Dog Whisperer, or something.

Gadget: Oh, yeah! It’s where that man … what’s his name? Ummmm, Cesar sumpthin’, an’ he shows how to train (hee!hee!) dogs! It’s on that Aminal Planet TV channel.

Doo-Wop: Hmph … hasn’t done much for that overgrown flea-flicker that lives here, has it?? Ya notice they never haveta do that with us?? Shoot … just give us a little room, some good food and water, and we’re good to go!

K-cat: And please – after what I been through …don’t forget … a clean litter box!

Gadget: But the human Cesar takes the dogs, an’ … an’ makes ‘em learn to do something called heel, and be good, not bite … you know, stuff like that.

Sugar: Yeah … and didja know that when doggies are fixed, sometimes they’re easier to train? An’ it doesn’t cost a bunch of those green papers humans call money, either!

K-Cat: Cool! Hey … while you’re on that thingy, see if the ol’ man got any o’that HE-mail he talks about. Mebbe somebody’s got a purty girl cat …

Gadget (anxiously guarding the door): NO TIME!! Hurry … the ol’ man’s just come in the back door!

So they all take off like a flash, knocking off the keyboard, turning over the chair – and leaving a mess on the desktop! .

Anyway, HAPPY LABOR DAY, EVERYBODY! (Now, where did I put that pooper-scoop??)