Chet understood that something was desperately wrong with his and Parker and Porters’ experience in the Haunted House! Parker had fainted during their visit inside the House and he had seen a vision of Armageddon! Now Chet was somewhat well-versed in eschatology or the study of last things. He and his mom, Thelma, and his dad, Carol, had been members of the Social Bretheren Church in Eldorado, Illinois…for a long as he could remember. His grandmother had often told him that during the time of the last battle on the Earth…that the blood would flow up to the horses bridle. He often wondered what the experience would be like…although he was 7 years old and in the 3rd grade. Chet was a bit on the, ‘fleshy,’ side…as his mother often referred to him and his eye glasses were similar to the bottom of Coca Cola bottles…although he preferred Chocola! Chocola was a popular soft drink in the 1960’s and had a small amount of chocolate syrup within each 16oz glass bottle. It like the other popular sodas of the day sold for 10 cents. But, back to the primary concern of why Parker had dreamt of Halloween when it was only October 6th? He pondered that the dream that she had described was eerily similar to his and Porter’s plans for the big night! Buddy, or Gomez the Shy Ghost, had already approached them regarding his joining the fun throng for a night of hilarity and abundance of popcorn balls and full size Hershey Bars…and candy corn. He had just received his Lost In Space Robot suit from Sears and Roebuck and no one knew of it accept Porter… How did Parker dream of him wearing the Robot suit? Porter had been strangely quite when Parker awoke from her nap when the hayride wagon hit the chug hole. He seemed to understand much more than he was willing to admit.

Parker was an energetic and vivacious young lady with a smile and kind word for everyone that she met. She was well grounded in the reality of the third grade. Chet had noticed that Parker enjoyed being around Porter and he…he thought what a good friend that she was!

Chet dozed as the rhythmic rocking and rolling of the hayride and his full stomach of smores and hot choclate and roasted wieners…lulled him to sleep. Suddenly Chet was on the television set of the Lost In Space show! He was not in his Sears and Roebuck Halloween costume…but was in the Hollywood made for TV version of the Lost In Space Robot! There was Will Robinson and Dr. Smith asking his for advice on some aliens that they had encountered. The lights on his clear globe of a head were blinking widely. The question that the Space Family Robinson’s son, Will, had asked the Robot was…’Will Parker and Porter survive the coming devastation?’ The Lost In Space Robot had answered in typical Lost In Space Robot form…and said…’That does not compute…’

The hayride stopped at Poor Boys Supermarket in Harrisburg because five of the kids had to use the rest room. Porter said to Parker and Chet. ‘Let’s get off this bumpy ride and stretch our legs!’ When Parker and Porter stood on the blacktop parking lot they looked around for Chet…but he was no where to be seen! They both searched for their friend…and determined that he was no longer on the hayride. ‘Where could Chet be,’ exclaimed Parker? ‘I did not see him fall off,’ said Porter. Doc Irvin told Parker and Porter that Carol, Chet’s father, had picked him up at the bonfire before they had left the festivities….

Chet…or Chet as the Lost In Space Robot…exclaimed…’Danger…Danger…Will Robinson!’

The temperature dropped to 34 degrees last night. The frost was on the pumpkin this morning…as my mother would often say! MJ and I were looking at a miniature orange pumpkin at Aldi’s market, Saturday. We chose not to purchase the fall symbol of holidays and fun…and then we decided that we needed one after […]

Life In The Slow Lane — The Jazz Man

Porter and Chet were excited about the possibilities that awaited them! Outside of their Halloween costumes…they had spoke of little else for the majority of the month of October. Chet had sent off for a full body suite representing the robot on Lost In Space. He had told his mom and dad that the cost of the suit could also be his birthday present…as he and Porter were both born on October the 24th! The entire Lost In Space robot suit, which included a full head mask made out of ‘space age polymer’…which in reality was just hard Hasboro plastic, was $49.95…before tax! The suit included robot arms that you pulled on over your arms. There were battery powered lights in the head that flashed red, yellow and green. This suit along with Chet’s amazing portrayal of the robot…was something to behold! Chet would begin to gesture his robot arms akimbo and utter the famous robot phrase, ‘That does not compute,’…and the crowd would go wild with delight! While Chet was the robot from Lost In Space…Porter was going to experience Halloween as the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Porter’s cousin Billy had a, movie quality, full head mask and Creature Hands that he let Porter borrow. There really was nothing to compare with the effect of the awesome costume! Chet and Porter’s friend, Buddy, wanted to accompany them on their Halloween revelry’s. Buddy’s mom had made him a ghost costume. She had named the ghost…Gomez. Porter noted for the record that he had never heard of Gomez the Ghost? Buddy responded that Gomez was a cousin to Casper the Friendly Ghost…but that Gomez was a bit shy… Parker spoke up, as she was the female accomplice in the adventure…and had been so since the Haunted House escapade at the first of the month, ‘I think that Buddy should join us as a ghost will round out our group nicely.’ Parker was going as Snow White.

So, the evening of Halloween finally arrived! There was the Lost In Space robot…stopping to conduct extemporaneous performances for each group of kids that walked by. The Creature from the Black Lagoon was making repeated menacing sounds and hand gestures…and attempting to see through the eye slits in the thick rubber mask…while his eye glasses repeatedly fogged up. Parker was walking beside Porter and Gomez…and Gomez had not uttered a word… Gomez was a full sheet that dragged the ground and Parker asked him how he could see…because there were no eyeholes? Parker or now…Snow White was followed by Seven First graders who were dressed as the 7 Dwarfs! Chet had taken notice that Gomez had not been going up to the front doors of the houses that the ensemble stopped at to plead, ‘Trick or Treat!’ He preferred to stand just outside of the front porch light…with he sheet flapping in the night breeze… After about the 5th stop Parker said that she heard someone calling their names…’PARKER….CHET…PORTER…WAIT UP!’ When they looked to see who was calling to them…there was Buddy running with his homemade ghost suit on…and trying to put his mask on! Chet asked Buddy…if you are just now joining us…who is the guy in the sheet… Parker went up to the sheeted ghost and pulled on the top of the garment and it fell to the ground!

Parker suddenly woke up when the wagon that they were riding on hit a chuckhole and the hay shifted that she and Porter were sitting on. She had not left Porter’s side since the terrible fright that they had experienced in the Haunted House…

Mary Jane and I dropped off our contributions to various organizations that help those in need, at our church, First Presbyterian, this morning. There was Jane collecting the donations…and I say to MJ every time we interact with Jane…’What a pleasant person!’ Around the corner walked Ro…who was busily preparing for the first congregational gather of our church in 7 months. Ro is a gem…and a tireless worker…and someone who I feel better for just being around and speaking to! I could see through the open church doors, Wendi, working on the needs of our weekly worship service and…all the more so since this will be an outdoor event! I have been impressed for over 21 years at the work ethic of my fellow Presbyterians! Wendi and her colleague, Sharon, are simply loving and caring people who cause our worship experience to be so meaningful and significant!

Happiness is not commensurate on happenings! I wonder if I have fully realized that the joys and blessings that I have been the recipient of have been facilitated by others? My mother often told me that money does not grow on trees! Certainly, the hard work of helping others is the reason that we enjoy so many enrichments and benefits.

We turned the furnace on the night before last. Sunday is suppose to reach 34 degrees farenheit and that is just 2 degrees above freezing! I love the changing of the seasons! Nature’s time clock fascinates me! But…I have a warm house to live in. Not as some of the houses that I have lived in though out my almost 63 years…where you could feel the cold wind of winter as it wafted around the front door and the threshold and the old single paned wooden windows… I vividly remember using Duck Tape to tape around our front door in Elkville, Illinois to stop the constant arctic air from entering our 4 room abode! I remember what it felt like and the painful reality of having enjoyed a sumptuous Christmas dinner at my mothers-in-laws and returning to my cold and happy home…with little in the cupboards and reading a book that I had received for that Christmas, ‘Hunger in America.’ My Christmas gift that year was a Texas Instrument computer that I connected to a 12 inch television monitor. I was working hard every day and MJ was homeschooling our 2 boys in order that I might spend some time with them…due to my evening and night workshifts…

Life in the United States is not the same for everyone! It not only is not equal…it is not the myth of ‘Pull yourself up by your boot straps!’ In order to pull yourself up by your boot straps…you first must own a pair of boots! There not only are homeless and hungry in America..there are many working families that are food insecure and afraid…and in danger of losing their next paycheck!

Not everyone owns stocks. It is a political myth that all Americans have a 401K… You are passing Americans sitting on the sidewalks next to your favorite restaurant or hotel or theatre or business or department store…that were a member of them middle class…before the 2020 pandemic…

I reflect often on my many years of friendship with my buddy, Steve. Steve and I were both born on October 24th. We were brothers from the beginning of our association. Neither of us had a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of… On one sunny morning Steve and I were traveling through DuQuoin, Illinois and Steve asks me if I would enjoy a breakfast of biscuits and gravy at the Maid Rite Cafe? I responded that I would indeed enjoy some biscuits and gravy. As we sat at the restarant table…the waitress inquired if we would enjoy some coffee? We both responded in the affirmative! As for me…I was always tired… When our waitress left our table…I asked Steve if he was, ‘Springing for the breakfast?’ He responded that he did not have a two nickels to rub together. I respondd that, ‘Neither did I!’ We left hastily and with our coffee still hot!

It is a political and religious myth that only the ambitious and motivated citizen of he United States is financially successful in the America. Each of us need a helping hand. Each of us need a leg up. Each of us need a mentor! Each of us need a friend………………

Jonathon and I are sitting on the screened in porch enjoying the fall breeze…we noticed that it is chilly! In fact I went back into the house and retrieved a sweater! I feel a little lighter due to receiving a haircut. I skipped it last month…and the gray hair fell on to my lap like […]

Cool Breeze — The Jazz Man