FEEDING FRENZY!

        FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH

         FEEDING FRENZY

  Ever since the movie "Jaws" premiered
in 1975 most every beach goer has, at one
time or another, cast a cautious glance
at the waves that form around them to
make sure there's nothing more than
Boogie Boards floating near by.
   I spotted a fin breaking the surface as I
rode the waves here in Wildwood on
Monday.
   Admittedly the vision of a Great White
flashed through my mind. But just as
quickly I realized what I saw was one of
the many dolphins that populate these
waters.
    It was a different story yesterday when
I saw, first hand, a real feeding frenzy
that looked like a school of sharks.
    A wave of sharp and ready teeth swam
up to the island in our kitchen where my
wife had set out the first tray of bacon!
    It was like lowering a wounded
seal into a tank of sharks! Seconds later
only one slice remained. And that's only
because the "sharks" in our apartment were
reminded to be polite and to make sure
everyone had at least one slice before
they went back for seconds. Most of
these hungry sharks are in or near
their teens. They have tremendous
appetites. Especially when the bait is
bacon!
   Not to worry! The wife came prepared
with a good supply of this popular
pork product and all the sharks in our tank
were happy with the deal!
   Hope they all had their fill and that all
your NEWS is good! 

On The Beach

             THURSDAY, JUNE 18TH

                ON THE BEACH
      Everyone in the family seems to enjoy
our annual vacation in Wildwood, New Jersey.
And for most of our crew a good part of that
enjoyment comes from the hours spent on
the beach!
     I also enjoy spending some time with an
old friend who has called Wildwood home
for most of his nearly 90 years.
    He knows more about the beach than
anyone else I know. As a kid he saw the
Hindenburg fly over it less than two hours
before it blew up at the Lakehurst Navy
Airfield. He's fished in and sailed across these
waters for years, served as a Lifeguard, and
a Dock master as well.
    But yesterday he told me about another
beach. One he visited unexpectedly in the
last part of World War II.
    My friend Bob was trained as a Navy
pilot. He was in the Pacific flying a
Corsair Fighter plane when he spotted
an enemy aircraft in the distance. He
closed in for the kill. But, he sneezed,
jerking his head forward for just a second.
     When he looked up the Japanese Zero
had disappeared! Well, not really. The
enemy pilot did a complete loop coming
down right behind my friend!
    It's the kind of story you'd expect to
see in a movie. But this was real!
    The Zero opened fire and damaged
the tail of the Corsair. My friend was
going down!
     Bailing out was his initial reaction.
Until he saw the sharks in the water
below. The small island just ahead
suddenly looked like a better bet so he
decided to set down there.
     He said things might have worked
out better had he not made the mistake
of lowering his landing gear. As soon
as the wheels hit the sand they sunk in
tossing the plane's nose into the sand.
     Fortunately, in this case, Bob was
tossed out. He hit hard and was out
cold for awhile. But he survived with
fairly minor injuries. He was glad to be
alive and forever grateful he never got
a bill for the loss of the plane! At least
that's what he tells me.
     When Bob got back into action he
was transferred to a multiple engine
amphibious plane from which he was
ordered to look for submarines. He
never saw any!
     We're losing the likes of Bob all
too quickly and, with them, the stories
they lived to allow us to use our beaches
for fun and recreation rather than life
saving landing fields.
      I'm so glad he decided to share his
story with me and, through this Blog,
with us!
      Hope you'll appreciate your shore
vacation even more after reading this
and that all your NEWS is good!

Just Hanging Around!

        WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH

     "JUST HANGING AROUND!"

  Technology is changing everything! It's
even given new meaning to old phrases.
   "Just hanging around", to guys like me,
meant staying in one place taking it easy.
   "Going for a spin", suggested heading
out in the car.
    "Getting up in the world", meant
succeeding.
    And "Doing the Twist", was all about
knowing how to do the dance by that
name.
    Yesterday several of my grandkids
incorporated all of those phrases as they
boarded the latest piece of technology
generally known as a Rollercoaster.
     I love roller coasters. Wait. Let me
rephrase that. I love watching other
people go on roller coasters.
     But "The Great Nor'easter" is one
of those new fangled steel coasters
apparently designed by some mad
scientist determined to see how loud
humans can scream before they either
lose their lunch or black out!
      I stood under the thing as those
kids Hung around above me, went for
a number of spins, and were twisted
beyond belief! They certainly go up
in the world!
     I have a much greater appreciation
for the simplicity of the Merry Go
Round than ever before! 
     Hope I'm never found on that thing
and that all your NEWS is good!

BIG or SMALL?

     TUESDAY, JUNE 16TH

       "BIG or SMALL?"

    So...in the 1988 movie "BIG"
Tom Hanks discovers a Fortune
Teller machine called Zoltar and
is granted his wish to immediately
grow from a kid to an adult.
    Low and behold..what do I
find on the Wildwood Boardwalk
but a Zoltar machine! It was
calling out just like the one in the
movie!
    Now if I went to the machine
and asked to grow older, odds are
someone would have had to call
the coroner.
    Logically then, I wondered if
this magical machine would make
me young again?
    As I wandered away I began to
think it had worked! A Tram Car
had to blast out it's warning as I
stood in its path........as any kid
might do.
     Next I found myself in front
of the Curley Fries stand! It's my
favorite food joint on the Boardwalk
and I've been visiting it since before
my teenage years. Was I back?
     This could work out really good,
unless I'm trying to get into a PG13
movie! On trying to ride a bike
without a helmet! Or saying I don't
want to eat broccoli.
      Hey, maybe this "kid thing"
really isn't so great!
      Then again, I seem to be
worrying prematurely. My knees
hurt.....guess my age hasn't
changed after all!
       Hope your wishes, whatever
they are, come true and that all your
NEWS is good!

   

Tickets Please.

     Vacation destinations like Wildwood
are very well policed! I know this from
personal experience.
      A couple years ago while on holiday
here I had some problems with the tail lights
in my old Suburban. I was stopped by two
officers who asked if I knew the lights
were out.
     "Oh really" I replied. " I didn't know."
     The young men were very nice and
told me to have the problem fixed as
soon as possible. Three blocks later another
different team of officers puller me over.
Explaining that I had just discussed the
situation with their colleagues they too
set me free.
      My niece's husband fixed the trouble
the next day assuring me of uninterrupted
travel for the rest of the week.
      Yesterday I spotted an officer who
was evidently working alone. I say that
because he was on a bicycle. I'm a
trained observer!
      I say him as he said something to some
folks in a parked car at one of the city's
many parking meters. He seemed excited.
His bicycle even fell to the pavement.
     The next thing I knew the driver of
the car in question made a U turn and
pulled up to a meter on the opposite
side of the street.
      At first I suspected the guy was
parked at a meter that had run out of time.
But if that were the case, how could
pulling up to another meter solve his
problem?
      It was about then I realized the
driver, even though in his car, had
apparently pulled into a Handicapped
space without benefit of a Handicapped
sticker on his vehicle.
      I believe he may have said something
unflattering to the officer which, of
course, guaranteed a Traffic Violation
Ticket!
     Our driver waited till the bike cop
was safely out of sight, then sped down
the street! I wouldn't be surprised if
he encountered some more of Wildwood's
finest a little further along in his travels!
      Hope he's got quarters for the meters
and a little extra for bail.......and that all
your NEWS is good!

  

Proud As A Peacock!

              SUNDAY, JUNE 14TH
   
          PROUD AS A PEACOCK!

    We're off on the road again! And a special
thanks to Uncle Karl for house sitting again
while we're away.
     Most of my FB friends have never met
Karl. He's one of those unseen faces in the
crowd.
     I on the other hand have been surprised
at how many people recognize me.....when
I'm nowhere near home!
     I recall having a couple come up to me
in a Florida restaurant who remembered me
from my many years at WYOU TV.
    It's even more surprising when people
will recognize me just by my voice. That's
happened a few times on the phone even
when the party on the other end doesn't have
Caller ID.
    It's flattering to be recognized.
    I was both surprised and impressed
yesterday while visiting the Cape May
Park and Zoo.
    I was about 20 yards from the entrance
when a park employee called out my
name. I didn't recognize the gentleman
and wondered how he knew me.
     A Peacock was walking close by and
it occurred to me the bird made him
think of the NBC mascot........ and that
triggered his memory of the stories I
did for Channel 28 while still with the
Nexstar Broadcasting Corporation.
     It was, again, very flattering. Until,
as I looked at him, he said...."Oh, is
your name David too?"
    It's the first time I met a Peacock
named David!
    Hope you won't forget me and that
all your NEWS is good.

 

Graduation Daze!

     SATURDAY, JUNE 13TH

      GRADUATION DAZE

     I'll remember always, Graduation
Daze! I know it's suppose to be "days."
But they've left me in a "daze!"
     Last night my grand daughter
graduated from the 8th grade at the
Bear Creek Community Charter School.
     She was honored for her academic
work, her musical efforts, and , in a
special award, for her tremendous
reading accomplishments!
      About a week ago another
grand daughter graduated from Pre
School. She'll move up to Kindergarten
next semester.
      About a week before that the third
grand daughter graduated as valedictorian
of her 8th grade class at Wilkes-Barre
Academy.
     That's three graduations since the
end of May. And all of these kids are
still in school!
     Two of them are still looking ahead
to High School and College graduations.
Our Kindergarten recruit could be
facing two or three more before High
School.
     Back in my day I had one graduation.
That was from High School. And, in
retrospect, I was probably lucky to be
included. I didn't get any awards. I
suppose I could have been nominated
for the  "Also Attending Was ...Award."
But they didn't have any of those.
     There was no College graduation.
I didn't go. But I did teach in two of
them! So there!
      My wife was a straight A student
so, I suppose, the grand daughters are
taking after her! Good for them!
      And good for you Kara, our
latest graduate! You, like your two
cousins have made us very proud!
      I'm proud to claim part of your
success by admitting I couldn't help
with that homework!
      Hope you appreciate my
"contribution" and that all your NEWS
is good!