FrogPond

Last Sunday was my older daughters HS Graduation. She has been out of school since the fall semester, but they must attend the graduation in order to get the certificate (and because my wife insisted that she get to she it.) As I sat in the crowded gymnasium with the kiln like temperatures and the various scents of overdressed, perfumed, Midwesterners on a church day beating down my senses, my thoughts drifted to a day almost 12 years ago. I had just been diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and was looking at X-rays and CT scans showing a series of 2 cm tumors under my collar bone, and a large 18cm tumor in my chest wrapped around my heart and

I just got back from exercising my franchise as a member of a democratic nation. That's right, I voted. I have been waffling on wasting gas just to ignore the unopposed races (all our local elections are unopposed) I cranked up the pickup and drove on over to Sunny side Park and let myself into the Boy Scouts meeting hall. The local retiree who never misses a fish fry, town meeting, little league game, or dog fight was standing at the door. He immediately asked for my ID and gave me the once over. Hmmm, denim overalls check, work boots check, denim jacket that has seen a lot of use check (he might be one of us), ponytail che... uh.. !!!Alarm