Walgreens and Me

I was sick last week and the doctor gave me a prescription for some medicine. It was late and Walgreens was the only drug store opened. I walked in and I was one of just a very few people who were in the store. I went to the pharmacy and handed the guy behind the counter my prescription and he shouted back, "There are at least 14 people before you. It will be a fifteen minute wait."

Well, I saw no one in the store, but didn't feel well enough to argue, so I sat down and proceeded to wait. After about five minutes another man walked up to the pharmacy window with a prescription that needed filled. The same man behind the counter looked at this guy and said, "There are at least 32 people ahead of you. It will be a forty five minute wait."

I have no way of knowing whether the guy behind the counter was busy or not, but it sure seemed to me that he just didn't want to be bothered by work.

There is no real point to this story. It was just something I witnessed that made me reflect on my own actions when I don't want to be bothered. And I think I just might have learned a lesson here.

What The World Needs Now

Living in the midwest, I and many others experienced yesterday 40 mile an hour winds, blowing and blinding snow, below freezing weather, a dangerous driving environment and basically blizzard like conditions all day long.

Having to be out in the weather driving for a portion of the day I noticed how everyone on the road looked out for each other. After all, we were all in this situation together. People were friendly and helpful to their neighbor and there was peace and good will - at least on the roads.

During all of this, race, religion and political views were never an issue. It was just one day of helping our fellow man without making judgements or having opinions.

Maybe the world needs a good old-fashioned snow storm to remind us that we're all in this together and hatred, war and gridlock is not good or helpful to anyone.

John Lennon, My Life And Time Gone By

Thirty years ago tonight, John Lennon was murdered outside his home and I was there.

I worked for Leo Antiques on 2190 Broadway which was about eight blocks from the Dakota where the Lennons lived. Leo is no longer with us and the store has since closed, but every December the second floor of Leo's turned into the largest Christmas store in New York City.

That day thirty years ago, my boss, Leo, had flyers made out and my job was to go through the neighborhood putting them in doors to try to attract business. My last stop of the day was the Dakota. I knew that John Lennon lived there as well as Gilda Radner and Leonard Bernstein, so I took my time while in the building to try to catch a glimse of a celebrity.

At the end of the day instead of going to my normal hang-out - the Dublin House on 79th street, I decided to go one block from the Dakota to a bar on 72nd street for a few drinks. As I was leaving, several police cars and an ambulance raced past me and stopped at the Dakota. I thought about turning around, but since sirens were pretty common in New York I decided to head home.

When I got home I heard on the radio that John Lennon had been shot outside the Dakota and I soon realized that those police cars and the ambulance were for him.

Everyone knows the importance of John Lennon's music and I can't contribute anything better than what's already been written about him and his death. All I know is that every year at this time I find myself thrown back into my youth and am reminded of a person who's time on this Earth was cut way too short and then find myself questioning my own life and where it has gone.

Thanks For Your Loyalty, Mister Santo

When I think of my childhood, I think of Ron Santo. This goes way back to the 1960's when a neighbor boy asked me if I was a Cubs fan or a Cardinal fan. I had always been a fan of Baseball and didn't know I had to choose sides - something I still don't understand. Anyway, I couldn't give my friend an instant answer, so I told him I would sleep on it and get back to him.

I decided that since the Cubs were from Chicago and I lived in Illinois, then I would be loyal to my state, so I proudly told my friend that I was a Chicago Cubs fan. And now some four decades later I remain one.

The Cubs had some pretty good players back then, which included three future hall of famers and one guy that played just as good, but for some reason or another never quite made it into that exclusive club. That player, of course, was Ron Santo and his sixty decade love for his team is what inspired me most about him.

To me, Mister Santo was more than just a good ballplayer and passionate announcer. Instead, I looked at him as an embassador of loyalty. In this day and age of "me first," it was always nice to look at a man who sincerely cared about an orgainization that gave him his start.

All of us can learn a lot from Ron Santo's loyalty. And not just for our favorite sports team, for it goes much deeper than that. It starts with the people that shaped us into who we are today like teachers, family members, spouses, mentors, bosses and the list goes on and on. It's important that we remember these things and sad that it often takes death to remind us of what really matters. Thanks, Mister Santo, for when I think of your life, it gets me back on course.

Overcoming Disappointment Through An Unlikely Source

There are times in life when we have to face disappointment. This can take on many forms. Sometimes it's in the guise of a family member or friend. Other times disappointment can be related to work or even play. All of these frustrations eventually work themselves out either by moving on or accepting the way things are with the person or problem that has you disillusioned.

However, one of the hardest obstacles to overcome is when we feel disappointed in ourselves. Often it's something we said or did, or didn't say or do. Other times it's looking at the so called success of our peers and feeling a sense of failure or incompleteness within our own life.

When this happens, we sometimes find ourselves fighting these feelings of self disappointment with denial or justification or give into it completely by going into depression or self doubt. These are all natural feelings, but ultimately time wasting.

The best way to learn about and overcome disappointment is through baseball. Yes, I said baseball. Look at the facts. The best hitters in the game get out seventy percent of the time. What's more important, though, is that they get chance after chance to redeem themselves. A batter could strike out three times in a row, but still has the opportunity to win the game with a home run. Just like real life.

A person is like baseball. They can go from goat to hero with just one swing. However, the secret is to keep on swinging.

Meat Eating Vegetarian

I am not a vegetarian, but I could easily become one because I actually like and eat vegetarian dishes more than meat ones. The only thing keeping me from banning meat from my diet is the fact that I like the occasional hamburger and I prefer meat in my lasagna. In fact, I love these two dishes so much that I can honestly say that being a vegetarian is not in my future. I'm also aware of the protein that meat provides and have no time or interest in finding alternative ways to get that protein in my diet.

Sub consciously I think many people think the way I do. Face it, when you're at a gathering and pizza is ordered, it always seems like the chesse or the pizza with the vegetable toppings go first. Likewise at a buffet. There always seems to be meat left at the end of the meal, but the vegetables?

Many people dismiss vegetarians as crack pots or politically correct trouble makers, but the bottom line is that their food is not only good for you, but it also happens to be delicious. I wish that more meat eaters would open their minds to vegetarian eating, for its much more than nibbling on carrots and eating salad and nuts. Much more.

The best way to discover the wonderful world of this misunderstood dining choice is to either have a vegetarian cook for you or go to a vegetarian restuarant. You will discover that what you thought you knew, you really don't know at all.

My Conversation With Diane Keaton

Having been an actor in New York City in the late 1970's I had an occasional brush with the rich and famous. My acting career was nothing to brag about and many of these celebrity encounters happened during my day job working in a pawn shop on Broadway. From Dr. Ruth to Caroll Spinney (Big Bird), Madonna to Tony Randall, John Lithgow to soap stars Michael Zazlow, Clint Richie, Cindy Pickett and Jerry verDorn, they (and many others) passed through our doors at a regular pace.

It's actually pretty common to see celebrities in New York City. A lot of them live there because they can lead somewhat normal lives without fans bothering them wherever they go. They can do normal things and fit into life like everyone else. And that's exactly what Diane Keaton was doing on the night we met.

My roommate and I were walking down the street and discovered this bowling alley on Amsterdam Ave. We lived near by and didn't know it was there, so we decided to check it out. To our surprise it was pretty crowded.

They sat us in this lane right next to another couple, so we had to share the area that held the bowling balls. It turns out that couple was Diane Keaton and the actor Bob Balaban (Close Encounters of the Third Kind). My roommate and I minded our own business and Ms. Keaton and Mr. Balaban minded theirs, although it was pretty hard not to stare, especially after Diane Keaton would throw a cutter ball - which she did several times.

At one point I was seated right next to her. And that's when it happened. She turned to me and said, "I'm terrible". I responded by saying, "No, you're not".

I lied. My only conversation with Diane Keaton and I lied. Sorry, Diane. I hope you understand. I just didn't have the nerve to tell you that you sucked at bowling.

Anyway, that was the extent of our conversation. It's something I know she has long forgotten, but I'll always cherish that night.