CapeCodToday Blog Chowder

The Power of Unconditional Love

Watching your child struggle in school when you know how smart and wonderful he or she is can truly be heartbreaking.  The most important thing you can do for your child is stay consistent with your expectations and to not lose an ounce of faith that she will succeed.  Your child needs to know that you believe in her, even though she is having a hard time or is even repeating patterns that are only giving her difficulty.  Children with ADHD are often bored in school, miss important information, assignments and deadlines because of attentional challenges and then feel terrible because they just can't seem to pull it together.  Throughout all of this you need to remain your child's champion and continue to reinforce the importance of self awareness and skill building so that your child perseveres and overcomes her challenges.  Help your child figure out what she needs to do differently in order to reach her goals.  You can do this by asking your child what he or she thinks might help and then listen to what she says, really listen.  Don't add in your own ideas until you have heard what your child has said and only then weave in your suggestions.  To learn more about how to support your child join us at Titcomb's Book Shop on Rt. 6A in East Sandwich on May 13^th at 7 PM for the launch of our newly released book Navigating ADHD:  Your Guide to the Flip Side of ADHD.  

What would you order for your last meal on earth?

I'd order a medium rare, bacon cheeseburger with blue cheese and onion rings

By Walter Brooks

My favorite bacon cheeseburger today is at The Beehive on Tremont Street in Boston and the Land Ho! in Orleans or Harwichport.

My wife and I were dining a decade ago at the Julien at the Hotel Meridien (now the Langham) in the Financial District in Boston, when she was served a foie gras so sumptuous that she said it's what she would order if she were on Death Row and had one meal left on earth.

Or course, if anyone eats foie gras often enough that last meal will come much sooner, but it made me think about what I would order, and then even a harder choice:

What if you had to eat the same dish every meal?

Now this is a tougher choice, and while a bacon cheesburger with blue cheese won out, Yankee Pot Roast and Sauteed Cod were in the running for a while.

So my question for YOU, dear reader, is to add a comment below with YOUR choice if you had to eat the same meal at dinner for the rest of your life.

The Julien is gone, and so are many of my old Boston favorites like this list of other great Boston restaurants which are no longer with us:

Jasper's - Waterfront
Allegro on Boylston
Aujourd'hui- Four Seasons Hotel
Back Bay Bistro - Boylston St, Boston
Bay Tower Room - Downtown
Cafe Florian - Back Bay
Capriccio Plu - South End
St. Cloud - South End
L'Espalier - on Boylston St
Season's - Season's Hotel
Devon on the Common
Cafe Budapest - Brookline - Back Bay
Chef Chandler's - South End.
West Street Grille - West St
The English Tea Room - 29 Newbury St
The Commonwealth Grille - Back bay
Dartmouth Street - Back Bay
Delmonico's - Lenox Hotel, Back Bay
Du Barry - Back Bay
European - North End
Dini's Seafood - Tremont St.
Harvard Book Store Cafe - Newbury Street
Hermitage, old I.C.A. on Boyelston.
Jimmy's Harborside - Waterfront
Julien at the Hotel Meridien
Le Marquis De Lafayette - Hotel Lafayette
Maison Robert - Old City Hall
Maison Jacques - West End
Michael's - Waterfront
Mister Leung's - Back Bay
Newbury Steak House - Back Bay
Panache - Cambridge, Chef Margaret Fari
Peacock Restaurant - Craigie Cir, Cambridge
Premier Restaurant - South End
Rarities - Charles Hotel, Cambridge
Rebecca's - Charles St, Beacon Hill
Romagnoli's table - Faneuil Hall
St Botolph - St Botolph St
The Winery - Long Wharf
Zachary's - Colonnade Hotel
Joseph's Aquarium - Waterfornt
Dakoto's - Downtown
Betty's Rolls Royce - Faneuil Hall
Bandy Pete's - Downtown
Icarus - Tremont St, South End
Biba - Harvard Cafe, Cambridge
Blacksmith House- Harvard Sq, Cambridge
Ken's Deli - Boyslton Street
Walmouth's - Downtown
Oasis Cafe - North End
On the Park - South End
Jeffery's - South End
Ottavio's - North End
Falstaff Room - Sheraton Back Bay
Rocco's - South Charles St., Chef Danny Weisel

The NFL vs. what I learned at Business School

The public at large seems to yawn at the prospect of no football

By Christy Mihos 

At Business School my marketing professor always touted "own nothing, collect fees" - my Dad always lectured "less is always more" - two good credos to live by, but I could never get into a business that my marketing attempted to teach.

The average life-span of an NFL player's career is 3 ½ years !!! Most former players die before age 60 and most are bankrupt before their second year out of the league.

Today the sports world is rocked with the real possibility that the entire National Football League 2011 season may be canceled and the ramifications for future years might be worse.

An incredibly successful business institution has come to the abyss as that old objective "money" and "who's ox is being gored" has set the two sides to war. Are they really going to slay the golden goose over money?

The public at large seems to yawn at the prospect of no football. The players are ready to do what they have to and protect their interests, and they must. Today's news of the death of Miami Dolphins great Jim Mandich at age 62 is troubling. The average life-span of an NFL player's career is 3 ½ years !!! Most former players die before age 60 and most are bankrupt before their second year out of the league.

The Romans said to their conquering heroes that "Glory is Fleeting" ----they must have seen the future for NFL players. The injuries to retired players have not been given the rightful attention which must be a major role in any settlement. I know of no other profession where the stars of the industry are forsaken when they retire.

The NFL owners are now on the verge of milking this cow until there is no more cow.

The Owners, many "captains of industry" look like their 1890s counterparts. Each building lavish stadiums, communications networks, real estate empires feeding off the engine of professional football. They're in a world of hurt if the Federal Judge in Minnesota does what many believe she will do and garnish their television revenues and declare the lockout null and void---she wants a rightful settlement; maybe she's also looking out for the mere mortals who depend on that industry to pay their food and gas bills.

Besides their enormous investment in adding value to their respective teams, what owner can look themselves in the mirror each day knowing your players career is now at 3 ½ years and they can't collect a pension unless they play at least four years? The Owners also want to extend the official season to 18 games plus more revenue split. The owners are now on the verge of milking this cow until there is no more.

I say now is the right time to call a halt to this historic revenue grab and keep the games at 16----no pre-season game; attend to the players needs for a more secure quality of life with post-career intervention of their medical claims---damn it, take care of them. They play the game while the owners sit lavishly yards away from any physical torment. Should the season[s] be canceled it's the owners too that will take a beating.

They will look longingly at what might have been if they were less demanding and less selfish of their desire to kill a great institution and business, as they now so willingly choose to do.

Christy Mihos lives in Yarmouth. He was a former member of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and ran for Governor twice, in 2006 as an Independent and in 2010 as a Republican. During his business career he twice created large chains of Mini-mart/Gas Stations.

Times biting the hand that feeds us

Local editorial cartoon is bad for Cape Cod #1 business
It demonstrates a lack of knowledge of the daily's editors

On right is the editorial cartoon at the top of the Cape Cod Times editorial page Saturday April 30, 2011.

It would be a harmful and anti-business thing to publish even if the the point of the drawing were accurate, but it is not.

The editorial page editor has been around Cape Cod for several decades, and unless he's never read anything about tourism in that time, knows as we do what happens to the Cape's tourism when gas prices escalate.

He knows, or certainly should know, that every time there is a hike in gas prices, is HELPS rather than hurts the domestic tourism business.

As recently as this week we reported, once again, that Americans were not curtailing vacations, but were choosing US destinations over ones they had to fly to, and were choosing ones closer to their homes, and Cape Cod is within a tankful of gas from one-third the US population:

Gas prices aren't affecting tourism to Cape Cod
Provincetown among country's favorite

Travel Daily News reports that despite high gas prices, a new survey from HomeAway, Inc. finds the majority of Americans still plan to take a summer vacation, but will adjust their plans in light of rising costs by choosing destinations nearer their homes. Luckily Cape Cod is within a day's drive for one-third of America's population.

According to the survey, 81 percent of respondents report they will take a vacation this summer regardless of the price of gasoline. Of those who typically take a summer vacation each year, 38 percent will not change their vacation plans, saying increased gasoline prices will not affect their travel.

Hawaii was picked as the top "dream" summer vacation spot, but Provincetown is the most popular vacation destination this summer on HomeAway.com. The rest of the top 10 most popular summer destinations are beach areas, with the exception of Las Vegas and New York City.

Read the Travel Daily News  story here.

Cape businesses should ask The Times "why"

Whoever chose this specific Indianapolis Star cartoon was picking it out from dozens available for The Times editorial page and the very start of the tourist season here.

Did that editor think it was funny? Funny for the majority of Cape Cod businesses which depend on our brief summer tourism season for almost all their income each year?

There is not a business here which isn't helped by tourism. Even those not in the hospitality industry directly get much of their business from those which are. One survey claims over 60 percent of all the money earned by everyone on Cape Cod each year comes from our summer visitors.

We hope Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce head Wendy Norcross calls The Times out on this hurtful gesture, as well as the heads of  all the local town chambers of commerce.

You can contact The Times' editorial page editor Williams Mills at (508) 862-1251, or email him at wmills@capecodonline.com.
You may also write CapeCodTODAY an letter at editor@ecape.com.

Falmouth 'Church vs. Beach' debate escalates; Mom blogs Brown, gets his attention; Keating on redistricting

TODAY's quote: "That is a good question." - Mr. Putnam said, before suggesting that one- or two-time requests might be better received by the board than those such as the church's, which encompasses every Sunday throughout the summer.

Falmouth snarled in 'Church vs. Beach' debate

The Falmouth Enterprise reports that this week the selectmen were still ambivalent about allowing a local church to hold services on the town beach in Falmouth Heights.

For more on this issue read Free of religion vs.
freedom of the beach here.

The newspaper says that a group of at least 37 residents have asked selectmen to reconsider granting the church permission to hold worship services at Falmouth Heights Beach every Sunday from June 5 to September 11 between the hours of 5 and 6 PM.

Falmouth Baptist Church Pastor John Mr. Ely asked for some clarification, wondering if the selectmen's decisions would then apply to all groups seeking use of public property.

Read the Enterprise story here.

Don't mess with mothers, Sen. Brown

Maybe he'll send flowers to Moira on Mother's Day next week.

The Boston FOX channel reports about Plymouth mom Moira McCarthy who felt she was dissed by Bay State junior US Senator Scott Brown when a meeting about her daughter's Type I diabetes turned into a photo op for the senator.

So she blogged about it as 'An Open Letter to Sen. Brown' and people picked that up and Tweeted it, and someone added to Brown Facebook where it finally got his press secretary Colin Reed's attention.

Moira said she assumed the conversation would be pleasant because Sen. Brown gives off the appearance of a likable truck-driving, regular kind of guy. But she says the conversation was anything but, and all Sen. Brown had time for was a photo op and that's it.

In her blog post Moira writes, "And then you arrived. 'I hear you want a photo?' you said, and motioned for us to pose with you. We did, and then I - chosen by our team as the lead speaker for the meeting - brought up what we were there for. 'Senator Brown, we're here to talk to you about Type 1 Diabetes...'

"Before I could get my entire thought out, you held your hand up in front of my face to stop me (I thought: did he learn that when his daughter's were teenagers?) and said, 'I already know all about diabetes. My grandmother had it.' I don't believe you ever actually made eye contact with me. But then again, it was hard to see past your 'truck drivin' hard-working regular American guy' hand."

Read the Fox story here.

Keating: Not much change for 10th in redistricting, just 80,000 more people

Congressman Bill Keating doesn't believe his district will change much beyond adding about 80,000 more residents as Massachusetts shrinks from ten districts to nine according to a story in this week's Register.

To accommodate more people, it would seem obvious at this point that the 10th would have to expand west from Bourne; perhaps through Wareham to Fairhaven. Keating agrees the district will likely not expand north of Quincy into Boston. If his district adds the next town west, New Bedford, it will resemble the district make-up before the last redistricting when Gerry Studds held the seat.

Although the state's population grew slightly in the past decade, the west and southwest grew far more

Read the Register story here.

Scroll down to:
Six Cape towns, Park, request 'No Dump' status;
Gas price won't affect tourism here;
Ex-sports league treasurer accused of theft;
Audra is frightened, again;
4Cs President Schatzberg to retire;
Did you get up for 'the wedding'?

The Rich Falmouth Mosaic

Here are just a few examples of small efforts making a big difference

I've often said that one of the things that makes Falmouth such a great community in which to live and work is that is made up of a mosaic of humanity - people from all walks of life - various cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds -  who blend together to make the fabric of our town. Wikipedia tells me that a mosaic is "the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces." Sounds good to me.  The image of the Falmouth community is strengthened and sustained by many small pieces - many personalities who make their mark on the ongoing work of art that defines our villages and local identity.

Howard Campbell certainly made his mark and has defined his brightly colored (probably with tiny whales) piece of the mosaic.  A career mentor and educator in Falmouth, Howard passed away last week, leaving fond memories with a generation of Falmouthites who remember his kind demeanor and colorful pants that he frequently wore while principal at Morse Pond and Lawrence Schools.  He was the principal at Morse Pond during my two years there, and was a reassuring presence in the corner office.  In retirement, Howard spent virtually every Veterans' and Memorial Day on the steps of the library as a member of the Greater Falmouth Mostly All Male Men's Chorus.  Like so many others, Howard took time to give time after retirement, making his mark far beyond his vocation.  It's people like Howard that make the Falmouth mosaic so special.

Special and mosaic are fitting words to define Falmouthite Jim Bowen.  I had the opportunity to break bread with my old friend Jim a couple of weeks ago, and we shared stories about our time on the Main Street committee, the community-based group that oversaw the sometimes tumultuous renovation of our downtown back about fifteen years ago.  Jim owned Headlines on Main Street, and was a driving force behind the Falmouth Village association and the Main Street project.  We spent many nights (sometimes frustrating ones) at meetings, debating the virtues of red brick versus bluestone, and whether or not to have parking meters along our main commercial thoroughfare.  These days, it's hard to imagine meters in our welcoming village.  These days, Jim is actually living the mosaic in addition to being part of one.  He has taken on the creation of mosaics as an artistic avocation, helping to create the beautiful work of community are along the Shining Sea Bikeway, and teaching this art to all generations of Cape Codders.  He is now focusing his efforts as a curator for a national mosaic exhibition to be held here on Cape Cod this summer.  Artist.  Civic volunteer.  Friend.  Jim's piece of the Falmouth mosaic is both colorful and shining brightly.

Many of us, while speeding through Rte. 28 in East Falmouth, pass through the newly improved area known as "Reine's corner" with trepidation, as the improvements by the Commonwealth's MassDOT Highway division appear to have simply replicated the old hazardous curve and not really made any improvements.  If we do slow down a bit though, it's hard not to notice the large building with "ROCKY'S GYM" emblazoned on the side.  Rocky, of course, is not Sly Stallone's alter ego, but East Falmouth native Paul "Rocky" Rodriques, who has brought his own civic commitment to his slice of the 02536.  Rocky is donating gym time on a regular basis to Falmouth youth as part of his "lead by example" program to reduce youth obesity.  Rocky is giving back by giving time.  He another shining piece of this mosaic making Falmouth better a day at a time.

Keeping our parks and school grounds maincured and clean, our trees emerald green and healthy, and always looking for innovation and environmental stewardship, Brian Dale has certainly made his contribution to the Falmouth mosaic.  Stepping out of his work truck and into a new venture after nearly 30 years with the Town, our retiring Parks Superintendent and Tree Warden has been a tireless advocate for a better Falmouth for a generation.  I'll never forget the day several years ago when i was working in Attleboro, having a tough day, and Brian showed up at my office door for lunch.  That sort of kindness and friendship is rare.  Brian is a man who has made a difference - in our community and in our lives.

An assemblage of small pieces, indeed.  Here are just a few examples of small efforts making a big difference.  Others exist in every village.  I encourage you to shine up your own piece of the mosaic and be part of the solution. 

This column is reprinted from the Falmouth Enterprise.

MOTHER'S DAY

A Condensed Screenplay
By David Rojay
Copyright 2010

Location: A two-lane highway in West Virginia. A sedan with a sixty-five year old father driving and his son, a twenty-five year old soldier in uniform. They are very quiet as if they hardly know one another.

Son: I've been meaning to ask for the last hundred miles, why are we in West Virginia?

Father: Where should we be?

Son: Well, for one thing if you're going to Pittsburgh from Fort Campbell, the logical thing is to go north to I-70 and follow it east through Ohio.

Father: Well, let's say I had my reasons; besides West Virginia is very beautiful this time of the year.

Son: It's a hell of a lot better than Iraq.

A long silent period passes.

Father: You wanna talk about it?

After a pause

Son: What's there to say? You were in Nam-same story, trade jungle for sand.

Father looks at son, knows there's nothing to say. Car passes sign that says Grafton, West Virginia. A few blocks later he pulls into a restaurant parking lot.

Father: I can't believe it, the place is still here.

Sign says, "Ernestine's-twelve kinds of pie". Father and son are seated as waitress approaches.

Waitress: Got luncheon specials left in the kitchen-meatloaf, chicken pot pie, Salisbury steak-comes with mashed potatoes and gravy, your choice of cole slaw or green beans and a piece of one of our twelve pies-that's apple, cherry, blackberry, pecan, sweet potato, peach cobbler, rhubarb, lemon meringue, banana cream, chocolate cream, coconut cream and strawberry.

All this is delivered in a fast staccato but not so fast that both the father and son could not settle on meatloaf and strawberry pie. The specials are promptly brought from the kitchen.

Waitress: They've been under the heat lamp.

Father looks at waitress' nametag which reads"Geraldine".

Father: Your name rhymes with "Ernestine".

Waitress: My mother. My mom left the place to me nine years ago, but I've been working here since I was eighteen; that's thirty years ago.

Father: My goodness you must have been here the last time I was here twenty-five years ago.

Waitress: Twenty-five years ago I was a skinny blond.

She leans down onto the table.

Waitress: With a great ass.

Camera cuts to picture of girl with nice ass walking away from table where a younger father is seated with his wife.

Wife: What are you looking at?

Husband: Nothing.

Wife: Yes, you are.

Husband: Well, I'm not getting any at home.

Wife: That's because I'm pregnant.

Husband: And that's why we're going to Pittsburgh.

Wife begins to cry.

Husband: What are you crying about? First of all, you're only two months pregnant.

Wife: But my mom told me to forego sex and that's what I'm gonna do.

Husband: Your mom, your mom; I didn't marry your mom.

Wife brings coffee cup to her lips but her hand is trembling.

Wife: I thought you loved me.

Husband: I do love you, baby; but explain this to me.

Husband whispers.......................

"How did you sleep with Clifford all those years and not get pregnant and we get married and boom, you're pregnant."

Tears begin to flow. Waitress watches from across the room.

Wife: There wasn't anything between me and Clifford.

Husband: Bullshit, Glenda. He used to come in and brag to me and all his friends from the first day he nailed you.

Wife sobs out loud.

Husband: This wasn't our deal. We had an agreement before we got married. I already had children and we agreed that we wouldn't have children.

Wife: At least not for a long time.

Husband: Long time-we're married two months and you're pregnant two months. How long can I wait. You're twenty-eight years old, I'm forty; my kids are eighteen and seventeen-when they get out of college you'll be thirty-two/thirty-three years old.

Waitress decides to intervene.

Husband: What did your mom say?

Wife: I never told her.

Husband: You mean we spent most of a weekend at your parents' and you never said a thing.

Waitress: Can I get something else for you folks.

Husband: We're all set. Thank you.

Waitress: Well, then Happy Mother's Day.

Wife: We came down here to see my mom, but we couldn't stay, we gotta be in Pittsburgh in the morning.

Waitress: Well, it's a pity you don't have time to go to church-the church that started Mother's Day is right down the street.

Husband: Started Mother's Day?

Waitress: Yes, it was started right here in Grafton in 1908 at the Methodist Church.

Wife: Let's go down there.

Husband: It's too late.

Waitress: You could get in for the last of the service.

They arrive at the church to find people standing in the front entrance.

Husband: Looks like other people had the same idea.

Wife silently works her way through the throng and finally stands in front of the crowd by the door. The Minister seems to be preaching right to her.

Minister: We must all remember that motherhood is a precious thing. Motherhood brings life into the world and every life; every consciousness is a part of God. As it says in Corinthians 13:13: "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." And the question is hasn't your mother given you faith, hope and love. Now let us turn to page 214 and sing Peace in the Valley.

Wife works her way back through the crowd to her husband.

Wife: (Quietly) Let's go.

Wife takes husband by the hand. Once they are back in the car, she turns to him.

Wife: I don't want to do this, baby; I can't do it.

Wife begins to cry into her handkerchief. Husband looks at her. He loves this woman and it hurts him to see her like this. When they leave town and are back driving thorough the countryside he says-------------
" Ok, Glenda, I guess we'll have a baby; but I want you to get one thing straight, it's gonna be your baby. Your feeding baby, your diapering baby, your middle-of-the-night baby. All right?"

Wife begins to laugh and cry at the same time then she crawls across the seat and begins to kiss her husband.

Husband: I'm gonna have a wreck.

The car pulls out of the shot. In the next shot, the father is driving and looking at his sleeping son.

Dad: (Quietly under his breath) All those years.

Son is waking up from his sleep.

Son: What?

Dad: Oh, I was just thinking about you growing up.

Long pause

Dad: Do you remember the crab creek?

Son: The what?

Dad: You know that creek that had crabs in it. We used to stand on the little bridge and look down and watch them; sometimes a couple of them would be fighting.

Son: And one day a guy came along with a net and scooped up about a dozen of them.

Dad: Yum, yum, makes me hungry.

Son: I'm glad I'm a vegetarian.

Dad: Isn't that a little difficult in the Army?

Son: Not at all; there's always plenty to eat in the Army.

Dad: That's because you've never been out in the jungle eating K-Rations.

Son: I know the whole story, Dad, everybody's tour of duty was the very worst one.

They both laugh. Once again there's a long silence

Dad: Do you remember sitting in the gazebo in front of the post office?

Son: Yeah, I remember Bruce playing his flute. He did all right, picked up fifty dollars in an afternoon.

Dad: Do you remember asking me if human sight was the first time the universe had seen itself?*

Son: I don't think I ever said that; I know you tell people I said that but that sounds like one of your lines.

There's a slight tinge of hostility in his voice.

Dad: What's bothering you son?

Son: What do you mean?

Dad: I mean ever since I picked you up there's been a distance; there's been a wall between us.

Son: Well, you didn't have to pick me up, Dad.

Dad: Ah, come on. My son comes back from Iraq and I'm not gonna go pick him up? What is it, out with it, what's bothering you?

Long pause.

Son: It's a girl.

Dad: It's always a girl.

Son: Yeah, but this girl's pregnant.

Dad: Is this an Iraqi girl?

Son: Are you kidding? It's Specialist First -Class Johnson. She just got discharged and she's two months pregnant.

Dad: What are you gonna do about it?

Son: I don't know how I can have a kid at this point. Besides, she wants to get an abortion.

Dad: She wants to get an abortion?

Son: We've decided that's what's best.
Dad: Who's decided?

Son: Ok, I decided. I just can't do this right now.

Pause

Dad: Son, if there's a will there's a way.

Son: Platitudes, platitudes.

Dad: Like I said, if there's a will there's a way.

Pause.

Dad: Do you love this girl?

Son: I thought so; now, I don't know.

Dad: If you love her then your mom and I will back you up.

Son: And you'll finally get your grandchild.

Dad: That's not it.

Son: The grandchild your daughters haven't given you.

Dad: When you have a kid and you first see that look of love in their eyes, you'll know it's worth it. It's not all sweetness and light; there'll be times when you're trying to feed them and they throw their food on the floor. There'll be times when you're in the park and they climb out of their stroller because they want to push it..............backwards; but there'll also be times when you walk to the crab stream or the post office gazebo. Later on when they have a solo with the school chorus and the guy in the row behind you says to his wife, ‘Listen to the voice on that kid.'-------------- (father's tone changes) "Don't get me wrong, kids aren't free. They steal years from you, they change your life."

Son: Well, then are they worth it?

Dad: Don't you think you're worth it?

They stop for gas and restrooms. As Dad pumps gas, he sees his son on his cell phone.

Back in the car-------------------

Son: I hope you don't mind, Dad, Lisa is going to drive from Columbus in the morning. She'll be at our house in time to eat. Is that ok?

Dad is smiling broadly.

Dad: You mean she's going to bring my grandson?

Son: Or your granddaughter; but she's afraid she'll be late.

Dad: When you call her tonight, tell her we'll wait as long as it takes. It's gonna be your mom's best Mother's Day ever. In fact, maybe you should give your mom a call.

Son hits "mom" on his cell phone. Close up of woman smiling as her cell phone rings.

Mom: Hello, my baby.

Son: Hi, Mom.

Mom: I can't wait to see you.

Son: Me too, Mom.

Mom: I've got the fridge stocked with all your favorite food and I want to tell you right now that I don't want you to do anything but rest and relax for at least a week. Your friends have been calling and stopping by. You'll have a good time.

Son: Ok mom, don't worry. Mom, Dad drove through West Virginia and we stopped in this restaurant that had the best pie.

Close up of Mom, her smile becomes wistful.

Mom: Ernestine's-Grafton, West Virginia.

Son: Yeah, that's it. That's where they had the first Mother's Day Service and tomorrow's Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

Mom: Thank you, my baby, your being with me tomorrow is the very best Mother's Day present of all.

Son becomes very serious.

Son: Mom, I need to tell you something.

Mom is immediately concerned.

Mom: What is it, is everything all right; are you ok.

Son: Sure, Mom, I'm fine. Mom, I met this girl.

Mom: Oh, that's wonderful. What's she like, can we meet her.

Son: I.....I asked her to come to eat with us tomorrow and Mom.........she's pregnant.

Long pause. Close up of Mom; she is surprised then ecstatic. A tear trickles down her face.

Son: Mom....

Mom: It's wonderful. It's so ironic, you know, I was two months pregnant with you when your Dad and I were in Ernestine's having pie and it was Mother's Day and the waitress said we should go to the church where the first Mother's Day Service was held. And we did; and now twenty-five years later, the circle continues. Do you love this girl?

Son: I do, Mom, I don't want to live without her.

Mom: And does she love you?

Son: Yes, Mom, I know she does.

Mom: Then everything will be fine, your Dad and I will be there when you need us, everything will be wonderful. This will truly be the best Mother's Day ever. I love you my baby.

Son: I love you, Mom.

Mom: Let me speak to your Dad, Sweetheart.

Son hands phone to Dad.

Dad: Our boy's home, Mom.

Mom is quietly crying.

Mom: It'll be hard for them at times, but they have one another. Thank you for giving me my son.

Dad: It was all worth it, baby, it was all worth it. (After a pause) Happy Mother's Day, Sweetheart.

Camera stays on mother's face and slowly fades to black.

*This line appears in the novel, The Long Bridge Runner, by David Rojay and is under that copyright.  

____________________________________________________________________________________           

Be sure to watch David Rojay on The Dave Rojay Show each Saturday night at 9:30 on Channel 17. Read A RED STATE HERO and THE LONG BRIDGE RUNNER by David Rojay on capecodtoday.com and finally check out David Rojay on YOUTUBE. For more information, Google "David Rojay".

Patriots Draft Update

Patriots Draft Tackle, Quarterback, Cornerback and Running Back(s)

The Patriots didn't even try to help their pass rush, which is hard to believe. However, they did draft the guy who'll be playing QB in 2015.

We left holes at the guard, center, WR, OLB and DE position unfilled. We did get a cover cornerback and a pair of running backs. Our flagship pick was mammoth tackle Nate Solder.

How much better are we today than we were Wednesday? Only time will tell. Due to his trading wizardry, Bill Belichick now has a pair of picks in the first and second rounds of the 2012 draft.

Here's who the New England Patriots have after 2 nights of drafting:

17- Nate Solder, Colorado, OT

He's pushing 6'9", weighs 3 times what I do, and can shove back a Greyhound bus. He may study under Matt Light for a year, but we're months-not-years from pairing Solder with 6'8", 320 lbs of Sebastian Vollmer as the outer edges of our Tom Brady protection.

He's a former tight end, too... so don't be shocked if you see him catch a few Vrabel-style touchdowns.

28- Traded to New Orleans for a 2012 #1 and a 2011 #2.

33- Ras-I Dowling, Virginia, CB

If all goes well, he will team with Devin McCourty to give us some pass protection at the corners. He's 6'1", so we won't give up as many of those Darius Butler alley-oop touchdowns. New England is 1 of 4 selecting cornerbacks around this spot in the last 5 years or so

He may start out as the nickel corner while studying under Leigh Bodden, and he has the size to play safety if Lee Meriwether is released.

His name, as we have mentioned, brings to mind a Batman villain.

56- Shane Vereen, Cal, RB

This pick came from New Orleans in the Mark Ingram deal. If Ingram is a bust and Vereen (no relation to the dancer) plays well, the Saints gave us a #1 to take the better running back.

Vereen is small and quick. He is an excellent pass catcher, sp he may be the end of the Kevin Faulk era. Highly-regarded Mikel Leshoure was taken one pick later.

60- Traded with Houston for a 3rd and 5th round pick.

73- Stevan Ridley, LSU, RB

Second RB in a row for the Pats. No, he doesn't rush the passer. I get the sense that we aren't going to pay BenJarvus Green-Ellis whatever he'll be asking for after his 1000 yard season.

Stevan (pronounced "Steven") had one fine year at LSU. He shocked many by coming out before building a reputation, but 3rd round isn't too bad of a spot. This is our Houston pick.

Ridley is more of an every-down back than Vereen is, and would play the BJGE role to Vereen's Danny Woodhead complement. He looks like this.

74- Ryan Mallet, Arkansas, QB

Tom Brady's eventual replacement, a fascinating pick. 6'6", 250 pounds, a rocket arm, and meteor head. He comes to us via our Randy Moss trade.

Mallet dropped in the draft after not impressing anyone during the pre-draft team meetings. He blew off a meeting with Carolina to go get drunk, for instance. Many teams that needed a QB right away passed on the Bledsoe-esque MC Mallet.

He has plenty of time to hone his craft while studying under Brady, and is fine insurance in case some safety smashes into Tom's knee again.

92- Traded to Oakland for a 2012 #2 pick and a 7th rounder in 2011.

At long last, have you left no sense of decency Ms. Parker?

What an embarrassment

Did everybody hear Audra Parker's take on Cape Wind's supposed threat to right whales this week?  To paraphrase Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now:

"The horror ... the horror... Cape Wind will produce sounds that could hurt the ears of right whales!".

Has Parker really sunk this low?  My God!  What an embarrassment.  Here's a picture for you:  Imagine, in your mind's eye, the original meeting of the ultra-wealthy owners of beachfront Osterville property that kicked off the Alliance.  Now imagine people rising to express their opinions and someone saying:

"To heck with how this thing will look from my backyard.  What I want to know is ‘what will these things do to the sensitive hearing of right whales!'  ".  

As we all know, the Alliance mainly carries water for rich beachfront property owners concerned with their views and for the fossil fuel industry (the Kochs included).  And now they would have us believe that they're worried about right whales?  I know, I know... try not to laugh too hard at that.

Of course, we've known for years now that the Alliance will take ANY position to oppose Cape Wind regardless of its truthfulness and significance.  Let's see how many I can think of:

Birds, aviation radar, damage to the sea bottom, danger to ferries, turtles, destruction of the fishing industry as we know it, ditto for tourism, Indian burial grounds, Indian worship ceremonies and now.... the sensitivities of right whales!!!

No matter to Ms. Parker that right whales have seldom if ever been sighted near Horseshoe Shoals.  No matter that right whales visit Nantucket Sound very rarely and then only for short periods.  No matter that Cape Wind has agreed to sound reduction in the extremely unlikely event that right whales do appear near Horseshoe Shoals. And no matter that the Fishery Service says  "Cape Wind is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of right whales or other whale species".

Perhaps a better quote in response to Ms. Parker's statement would be an adaptation of Joseph Welch's to Joseph McCarthy:

"Have you no sense of decency, Ms. Parker, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency"?

Obviously not

THE ROYAL WEDDING: Perspective From A Fan of The Food Network

Today in Londontown.

Walking down the aisle with dad.

The Westminster Abbey.

Taking the vows.

The ride to Buckingham Palace.

The kiss.

Today's Royal Wedding of the eldest son of Princess Diana, the distinguished gentleman, Prince William to the stupendously endowed with feminine beauty Kate Middleton got me thinking, first about her photos in a bathing suit and what a lucky chap is Prince William and then I got around to the food.