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?

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