9/16/09

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, your don doesn't seem to possess the ability to cry. For the second time in the past week though, I did find myself at least a little choked up. The first time took place in our nation's capital on Saturday as a few hundred thousand people stood and sang along with Ray Charles' version of America the Beautiful. I'm well aware that roughly half the country will agree with any given political view and roughly half the country will disagree, but to see so many people standing and singing along with such an awesome recording was quite moving. I think that almost everyone in this country thinks that America the Beautiful captures the spirit of what we're all about, even if we disagree vehemently about the methodology.

The second time came tonight.


The gentleman standing alone at the center of the photo is Ernie Harwell. If you need to know who Ernie Harwell is, I'll help you out. Mr. Harwell has an incurable cancer and will be leaving this world within the next year or so. He spoke to the crowd at Comerica Park this evening and I was fortunate enough to be in attendance. (I can't remember if it was 'appreciation' or 'gratitude' or something else that I was supposed to express, so we'll just say that my friend Ashley gets 'mad props' for getting me a ticket to the game tonight.) For the second time in the past week, I was most certainly overcome with emotion.

Ernie's speech was exactly what most of us would have expected. He didn't try to make another Lou Gehrig moment out of it, nor to reflect on any of his own personal accomplishments. Instead he chose to take a couple of very brief minutes and thank the people of Michigan for the opportunity to broadcast Tiger baseball for more than 40 years. He didn't dwell on his own fate, but instead expressed admiration for the residents of a state that has most certainly fallen on hard times of late. "The Lord has blessed me with a great journey," Mr. Harwell said. And at that point I came about as close to crying as my present abilities seem to allow. A fan from Lincoln Park caught that one, Ernie. Thanks for the memories.

Aside from a little re-shuffling of the personal schedule to accommodate the ballgame, today went about as planned. I was able to tie up some loose ends and also visit with a friend for lunch. After lunch, while I was at the terminal trying to tidy up my truck, I received a satellite message. It stated that my gold service ring had arrived in Joplin and that I could either pick it up there or have it shipped to me. (Shipped to me, obviously.) So it followed that I would need to receive a fax and send back a release form asking for the ring to be shipped. I sat in the drivers' lounge for a while but my fax never came in, so I blew it off and left. Screw it. I'll get my damned ring sooner or later.

Two more days off before I have to report for duty, it seems. My, how the time flies.