......Call me Emerson......

                That's what Teddy wanted to be called, Emerson Fittipaldi...after his Formula One Driver, his Hero.  Ted had many names, from Ted...Teddy...Theodore...and one that I comically named him as 'Square Man' due to his somewhat square stature. 
But no matter what name he went by he always loved a good time, with his love of Sports and helping others out. I knew Teddy from High School, well I should say that I knew of him since he was a Freshman & I a Senior. We both grew up in the same Town, although far apart just as the four years between kept us from really knowing each other until the days at the Pub & Stage Three. We all know & remember how those were times of vague existence of good times & hard work. Actually, work was the main denominator that brought us closer together. 
         It wasn't long after his father died that Ted became the driving force in his father's business as a local contractor. He had developed some interesting clients over the years. Some his Dads, but one stood out the most that myself, Walter, Charlie & Bobby Lane & Big George,became involved with. He called him 'Frenchy,'A man that was of wealth from Sharon, who owned a resort in the Islands & a Summer home in Sharon. His hobby, believe it or not was Cars. He owned a Stock car, & raced at Limerock at certain times. Myself, as most of you know Cars is a passion of mine, so there you have it, Ted set up some work with Frenchy, & he would have us do the work needed at the time. Teddy showed  up long enough to say 'I'll be right back' and then come back for lunch, which he took care of...generous to a falt.
        He played the part well, dressed to the 'T' ....preppy style...clutching a glass of mixed Vodka, in one hand & a bag with our lunch in the other.....
        So it went with him  always the 'Hero' getting us work when we needed it, or just having a good time, as we needed it.

        Theodore, or Teddy or Ted, he was always on top of the game no matter what he always came through with that Big Grin like he had the best news ever to tell you, & for the most part he did, it was another job or an event that we all were going to go to, or the pay check he knew he must deliver on time. What ever it was Ted would come through & we all benefited in one form or another. 

         Music, of course was another love, & this month shows just how much we all come together with the news of many Deaths of famous Musicians!
         I'm going to take a part of an article I just read in the News today. .....it's titled Cultural Grief....

         Mornings of late take on a new dread.
         Wake up. Roll over. Grab you phone. Check who's trending today.Scroll down to see whose photo has circulated on Facebook since last night.
         Which of my Heroes am I Mourning today..?!
          From Glenn Frey to Natalie Cole to Lenny Kilmister to Alan Rickman, to the ever beloved David Bowie.

         Bowie being Teddy's most favorite, And now the both may have  the peace & joy together that they all deserve. 
  
         I would like to also mention that Theodore's most loved & adored close friend Mary Eisenmenger took great care to see that he had been most comfortable in all his days, along with our good friend Barbara who made sure that his Hair was with not one strand out of place, keeping him looking the best as only Emerson would have wanted it.......



         ......as the 'list' continues to grow, may you all find Peace & Happiness ...Loving one 'n other...while we enjoy this time together.....
          
         
        

......LOOKING BACK TO SEE IF SHE WAS LOOKING BACK TO SEE IF I WAS LOOKING AT HER....

              ....What makes this thing we are tied to, call TIME...
         Can we really adjust to the changes it brings us.....
         How will we move to that beat that calls us to listen,
         in our Hearts our Souls & most important our Minds.

         To think that another Year has past, in the Blink
         of an Eye...or so it seems, now that it's gone.....
         How do we involve ourselves in trying to dissect 
         the one thing we can't Control......

         We keep looking back to see if there was something.
         just one thing that may give us the satisfaction of doing
         that one thing we can't change now that the Year is Gone,
         or maybe it was in Poor Judgement & now that too is gone...

         Do we Punish  ourselves for making that mistake..?
         Or was it a Mistake or just bad timing...?
         Our inner clocks just keep ticking so that whatever we do,
         we can't turn back the Hands of time to correct it!

            
               What a long strange trip it's been....
         It goes back further than just this past year....
         To look at the years before....I have used 40 as a guiding 
         Post to bring us only to a small portion of what the Past 
         has brought us.
         
              Bringing back all those Memories of Friends we have
         lost, then confining in the ones that are still with us to try &
         understand those losses, in hopes of securing the right answer.
         Only to find out there is no 'Right' or 'Wrong' answer.....
  
               We move on from there, to think of just one of those 
         friends sets us back in time & uncertain memories....
         Such good friends they were, joyful & free, serious &without 
         hesitation make you feel that all is well, & we are just young
         without fear of the consequences...to keep moving & not
         slowing down for anyone.....
    
         I had the privilege to know many good people who became 
         great friends & that they continue to inspire me in any of the
         quests that I choose to follow, & that feeling stays with me 
         until it's my time to go with hopes that my Spirit will be 
         allowed to bring more Happiness, Joy, & Love to others....
    

               .....may you all have a most wonderful New Year, 
               and that Love & Peace follow you where ever you 
               shall go......
              
                    
          
         

....Adding anther from my Book of Poems & Prose......

..Page 6&7

                    State of Broke Down People.....

                  Girl appears Broken with Fear
                  and with Fright she Runs
                  from the Shadows of Death,
                  or a Boy that's maybe Dear.

                  Run the length of the Street,
                  Around the Corner to Stare
                  Look hard at your Destiny,
                  Only Hell are you to Meet.

                  A man, Still, with no Harm
                  but you're to Hate Him
                  and Run the other Way
                  to be Grabbed Fast on your Arm.
  
                  Shock taken in Despair 
                  Captured only by Feeling
                  nothing has Held You.....
                  only Falsehood is There.

                  Scamper to Hide in Corners 
                  to the Slums where alleys Prevail
                  Fall your Half lifted Body,
                  then be Swept up by no Mourners.

                  If you do Survive to Tell 
                  and Seek out your own Truth,
                  You will turn to Hate.....
                  For your last Home is Hell.
                 
...Page 8

                        Time for Living.....
      
                  Days are Hot, Long, and Stale....
                  The next might bring Rain or Hail.
                  Love, like this day differs as much...
                  You have to grab hold, just don't Touch!

                  Become aware of this as time goes on...
                  and you will live through life as easy as a Song.
                  Beware of faults in Love and Life
                  Pick the Truest for you Wife!

                  Behold, Death is yet Far....
                  So live your life the Fullest without Mar.
                  When the time for you to Pass,
                  And you believe in yourself, you will Last!


       
                             

....Posts from my Book of Poems & Prose....this one from another writer...Yevtushenko..

                        I'm adding this one as part of some other writer's that I connected with back then.....1968 >'74....
                His name is Yevtushenko, and the name of the Poem is......'Waiting'......

       My love will come, will fling open her arms and fold me in them.
         Will understand my Fears, Observe my change in from the Pouring Dark, from the Pitch Night without stopping to bang on the Taxi door.
          She'll run upstairs, through the decaying porch, burning with Love  and Love's happiness, she'll run dripping upstairs, she won't knock, will take my head in her hands, and when she drops her overcoat on a chair....it will slide to floor in a Blue Heap.....


         .....Another from that same Writer, it's titled Gentleness......

    This can't go on:
          Is after all injustice of it's kind how in what year did this come into fashion..?
          Deliberate indifference to the living, deliberate cultivation of the Dead, their shoulders slump and get Drunk sometimes, and one by one they quit; Orators at tt the Crematorium speak words of gentleness to History.
          What was it took his life from Mayakovsky?! 
          What was it put the Gun between his fingers?!
If with that voice of his, with that appearance, if ever they had offered him in life some crumbs or gentleness.
          Men live, men are trouble makers.
          Gentleness is a Posthumous Honour.....

     
               .....from pages 3&4....... 

               .....now on page 5...I will add one of mine...

                 Girl of the Damned

Be down girl of the Damned, don't rise to the wealth of it...
They will take you and your land...you need all, so take your little bit.

Hit, leave, be gone forever. Leave this Household Slum with bed.
It should be Burnt, but never... it will stay and just get lost instead.

....A Delight Last Night....

             For those who don't take advantage of Public Television, I would like to share with you what I have found to be ever so interesting, Moving, & Memorable.
         It mainly happens on a Saturday Night, when as you know not much on your normal National Stations. Although through the week you can catch many shows of varying interests. This particular time frame on Saturday include several shows.....the first one I got hooked on since it's set in the Islands somewhere in the Carribean.
It's called Death In Paradise. A 'who done it' set in a most beautiful setting, along with Music & Scenery to keep you focused, and of course a cast of characters that make it fun to watch in such a Dream like setting. 
         My dream of course is to visit such Island, and lucky that I have a friend that lives on one in the Virgin Islands...St Johns.

        After that show they present you with an old Movie which I am so glad to have caught up on some of them. The one last night would have to be one of my favorites as far as old cars and car chases go....Bullitt....now that I was so happy to reflect back on with all the ...well now...old cars from 1968, and a chase scene with Steve McQueen driving that unforgettable Green Fastback Mustang, going up against that Black Dodge Charger!! Has to be the best chase scence up against only the one in 'French Connection'!
       Not only did I see so many cars I loved...his girl friend, Jacqueline Bisset drove a bright yellow 59>60 Porche convertible!
I also found out that they filmed around a Weekend which Steve's character had to find the Villian by Sunday night. Well I just couldn't believe it when the show a Marquise out side a Resturant saying it was Mother's Day, May 11th.....that with the fact that it was one of my favorite Movie's, just made it to the top......

      Someday I would like to DoNATE to this PBS station coming from FSU...Florida State University...which I read that they might sell, but not to worry about this staion. I sure hope so, it would be a shame to not be able to watch, not just the Movies but other worthwhile shows like the Nature show and all the Music shows....

entering Page 39 of my Book of Prose & Poems....

                         
                  
                  
                    From Skies of Grey and Nimbus Clouds,  
                         a drop of Rain did fall.... 

                         
                              Many continued without delay...
                          and formed a Stream that covers the Earth below.

                              The Stream did swell O'er rocky Glenn...
                  Rushing Current to enter every River Bend.

                      The Ocean not rising to meet the Flow
                  but Laughing upon the Shores...
                         
                       Tipping Her Hats in the Breeze, 
                  she washes Particles of Old showing age
                  and Restlessness without fear of Death..So Bold!
         
                       The People they run quick along the Sandy Shore,
                  Quick to enjoy it Evermore......

...Submitting page 37 of my Book of Poems & Prose

                                              HAVE YOU EVER..?

                                             
                                              Have you ever seen
                               a Cat without a Tail.....
                               have you ever seen
                               a Fast moving Snail ?

                               Have you ever seen 
                               a Bird without Flight...
                               Have you ever seen
                               a Star without a Night ?

                               You have seen
                                these all
                                if you have a 
                                House without a Wall....

                                Or a House
                                without a Door...
                                to Walk into your House
                                which has no Floor.

                                If you live in an
                                Empty Home......
                                you are but left
                                to Wander and Rome.

                                Have you ever heard
                                a Voice without a Song 
                                have you ever done
                                a Right Without a Wrong ?

                                Have you ever Walked
                                but never Stepped.........   
                                Have you ever Dreamt 
                                but never Slept ?
                       
                                Have you ever heard 
                                a Heart without a Beat ?
                                or have ever Tasted                   
                                a Candy that wasn't Sweet.

                                Have you ever Loved
                                Yet you were alone....
                                Have you ever returned 
                                to that Empty Home ?

       ...Emptiness is but Sweet Sorrow...only to be filled 
                 with Joy upon Tommorrow ........