Where ?

 

* "I'm just going to the Super Bowl celebration tonight. I'll be safe there."

* "My children are at school. Who doesn't love children? Who would want to harm them?"

* "Honey, I'm going to the grocery store. Be back soon."

* I am going out for a jog. I won’t be bothering anyone."

* "Hi, Dad. I love it here at college."

* "Postage stamps are up again. At least it's safe here."

* "I cannot wait to get home from work, but yeesh, the traffic is at a standstill."

* "This concert in Las Vegas is so great! I'm having a ball!"

* "Hey Susie! Wanna go to the mall?"

* "The Godzilla movie is coming out tonight. Wanna go early? It's going to be packed!"

* "Honey, I'll be late tonight. Don't forget tonight is our men's league baseball game at the park."

* "I love my job at the Capitol Building."

* "I'm minding my own business."

* "We're going to the Black Lives Matter rally."

* "My car broke down. Can I use your phone to call for a tow truck?"

* "Honey, do you need anything from Walmart?"

* "(knock knock) "I'm lost. Can you tell me where the nearest (fill in the blank) is?"

* "I just heard gunshots down the street. Thankfully, we're safe in our home."

* "I'm walking home from my friend's dinner party." **

* "Man, work has been so intense of late. They just fired Tom."

* "Church services were great last Sunday. Can't wait to go back tomorrow."

* "What are you doing in this neighborhood?"

* "My gun is tucked safely away under my bed where no one can find it. Johnny, you stay out of my room!"

* "Not sure why, but the Proud Boys are protesting at the library."

* "Can you show me your driver's license?"

Tell me, what has happened to our country, our world?

** My friend Eric's son was killed walking home one summer night on a "safe" Philadelphia street.

Happy birthday, son!

 

47 years ago this afternoon (even though it seems like yesterday) I was at work at Pike Lumber Company when my (then) wife Phyllis called me and said, “Now be calm. I’m not sure but I think I’m in labor.” I asked if she wanted me to come home, and she said, “No, not now, but if I need you, I’ll call.” I worked with her Dad so I crossed over to his workspace to let him know.

You have to know her Dad Abe, and also my boss Tony—both pranksters supreme. For the rest of the afternoon, every time the sawmill phone rang, I was sure it was Phyllis. Little did I know our plant manager was sitting in the bunkhouse calling and Tony would not answer the phone. He just let it ring and ring and… I was going crazy!

When I got home, Phyllis was pretty certain she was in labor but all we could do was wait. Late that night, around 3 am Phyllis was awake and had called the hospital to let them know her condition. Somehow I slept through all of this, but she awoke me, as I recall around 4:30 am. We arrived at Rochester’s old Woodlawn Hospital, a ten-mile drive from home, just after 5. She was wheeled into the delivery prep room where we waited for the doctor.

Just around 5:50 we were escorted to the delivery room… our bundle of joy, our baby boy Wesley Adam, was born at 6:16 am on February 1st, 1977.

During delivery, I almost got thrown out of the room. When the needles came out (for a local) I covered my eyes. The doc said, “If you’re going to get squeamish, you should leave.” I was fine, I said… once you put the needles away. So brave I was (haha).

The nurses told Phyllis afterward that that was one of the quickest deliveries they had ever seen, and if we planned on having any other kids we should camp out at the hospital.

Soon, all of our parents arrived (mine, that is). We lived with Phyllis’ parents at that time so they actually drove us to the hospital.

Anyhow, the most precious moment of our 19-year-old lives arrived that morning, and our lives were never the same after that.

These are, of course, my recollections. I’m sure Wes’ Mom Phyllis has even more stories to tell. This is my story of becoming a Daddy; it is Phyllis’ story of becoming a stupendous Mommy. A story about the happiest moment of our lives.

Happy birthday, Wes. Your parents love you!