Well worth losing sleep over
Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 5:22PM FRIDAY
Last Friday evening, it rained. Of course, living in Florida, it can storm at a moment’s notice, bringing with it the wrath of rumbling thunder and lightning. Anyone who reads my blog understands that I take an Internet time out from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm Monday through Friday to watch Jeopardy. Last Friday was no different until, suddenly, in the middle of the Double Jeopardy round and without warning, an intensely brilliant white light burst through the living room window, accompanied by an immediate explosion of sound, louder than anything I’d heard before. CRACK! In that split second, it was gone, and so was our electricity. Within minutes, power returned, but no cable. After the box rebooted, the living room TV cranked back up, but my show was over. Darn, I missed Final Jeopardy.
As sudden as the surge was, I quickly jumped to my feet to peer out the front window because I smelled electricity in the air. Sure enough, a wire was down in the front yard and it was hissing and spitting and reeling like a lithe snake in the dead of night, emitting an eerie orange glow that pierced the night air and glistened on the drops of rain that continued to fall. I walked to the phone to call 911, but there was no dial tone. We had switched to all cable only months earlier, so the phone and Internet were out-of-order. How funny, I thought, because the living room TV was working fine. I took out my cell phone and called to report the incident. Then, I called the cable company and the tech said the modem box that controls the phone and Internet was sending him no signal. Modem fried. The soonest anyone could come would be next Tuesday. To someone with a blog, that’s like… forever! Oh well, back to the matter at hand. I knew I would have the Internet the next day - for a few hours, at least.
Within minutes, the fire company arrived. There was no way I was going to set foot out there and risk a deathly jolt from the wet ground that lay ahead. As the fire/emergency crew assessed the situation, the power went off and off it stayed. The hissing line was dead in the water. Situation under control.
One of the things we know from living in the lightning capital of the world is to be ready, so a battery operated camping light alloted enough brightness for us to move around inside the house. Without power, the air conditioning wasn’t working, either, and it didn’t take long to warm up. After about 45 minutes, I decided to take a walk outside and scope the place out. I walked over to the power company truck and asked the driver when he expected it to come back on. Of course, he could only guess. He was awaiting another truck bringing someone to do the work. His job was to take a look and report. That’s after 27 years with the utility, he said. No more fixing lines. The younger ones do that now. One neighborhood child came by and asked the same question, but by that time we had already moved on to other topics. There was nothing any of us could do but wait. The driver and I talked for about an hour, until it was time for me to take my nightly insulin shot. He told me about some of his experiences with the company and how cutbacks have really streamlined things, but hadn’t made things better. It was more work, in other words, but with that came more hours and more pay. Not so bad, then. Not bad at all for a man in his fifties. I told him I write about the Anthony case. Interestingly, he was quite fascinated by it and he began asking questions like if she did it. He said his best friend’s son went to high school with her.
Someone drove by and stopped to ask what happened. He said he was heading up to the bar on the corner, G’s Lounge. The utility guy said, good luck, the power’s out there, too. He said that under normal conditions, it takes three surges to the substation to shut power off. In this particular case, after the third time, power remained on and he had to manually turn it off. I guess it fused something together. This took out a good part of the neighborhood. I asked him how many volts were in that downed wire.
“7200,” he responded.
Wow, that’s a lot of juice. We turned back to the Anthony case. I said that had I been many years younger and met her in a bar, I’d find her quite attractive, which is what your friend’s son must have thought. Of course, this would mean PRIOR to any murder. He agreed, but then he told me he asked the son if he had ever hit on her. Did he ever do anything with her? No, the son said. “She was passed around too much in high school. Everyone had her.”
That was an interesting observation and one that I wouldn’t ordinarily expect, but there are many surprises when it comes to this case. Of course, in a court of law, that would be hearsay and therefore, inadmissible, so take it the way you want, but it was a statement just the same. Had it not been for the strike that burned a hole in the ground, I wouldn’t have known.
After a good conversation about other things, it was time to go inside. I wished him well and said good night. I went into the house and tried to sleep, but only lightly dozed until, just after midnight, the power returned and the cool, dry blast of the air conditioner fanned across my hot skin. Relief! Good, because I had a football game to go to and I wanted to be as refreshed as possible. Despite the lack of sleep, I woke up feeling fine. There was a big day ahead!
SATURDAY
Weeks earlier, I had published a 2-part series that began with Gainesville serial killer Danny Rolling, When karma strikes twice, and finished with John Huggins, Slowly, the wiles of justice churn. In the Huggins case, Jeff Ashton was one of the prosecutors and Chief Judge Belvin Perry presided. Of course, people like to comment and that’s where a lot of thought goes on. It brings my blog to life! During those ensuing comments, a dear reader and contributor, Nika1, offered to take me to a football game, the one against Kentucky, to be precise, and I took her up on that offer. She lives in Gainesville and told me about the wall in memory of those slain by Rolling in 1990.
In back-and-forth e-mails to-and-from my now defunct account, we set the trip up and finished it with a phone call. I didn’t want to drive my car that distance. She suggested taking the Red Coach. The Red Coach? I had never heard of it, but I took a good look. How could I not? It’s first-class all the way, with wide leather seats that fold down almost into a bed. There’s a movie, and wi-fi, to boot. The best part? It’s only $15 each way. Heck, it would probably cost me $20 in gas anyway. All I had to do was drive down to the airport and park. For free.
While waiting to board, riders were dropped off from Miami. I spoke to one gentleman from Ocala who knows the Brantley family, football players all. John Brantley IV is the Gator quarterback. It was nice to learn a little more background before the game.
Off we went! I brought my computer along to catch up on e-mails and comments, but alas, the wi-fi was not working. I tried to sleep a little, but Nancy Drew was blaring from the speaker above me. Our movie du jour.
When the bus arrived in Gainesville, Nika1 was waiting. I knew, as soon as I saw her, that she was my blogging friend and not there for anyone else. I got out and we lightly embraced. Aaaah, such a warm and friendly greeting! We walked over to her vehicle and stowed my belongings. I must tell you that sitting on the front passenger seat were a Gator t-shirt and hat, both brand new. Without hesitation, I took my shirt off in the parking lot to the delight of no one, but I was in Gator country, by golly, and I’m a Gator.
Off we went!
People were everywhere, all dressed in orange and blue, the university’s colors. Young, old, and everything in between, wore nothing else. We parked and took a walk to one of the book stores. The aromas of tailgating barbecues wafted in the air. The book store was a sort of mall with two food courts. We were hungry and it was time to eat. The bus left at 12:30 and arrived just before 3:00. The game wasn’t set to begin until 7:00, so there was plenty of time to kill. I’ll tell you, by the time the day was over, we must have walked 10 miles, but it did me a lot of good. As we milled around the campus, which is vast, she pointed out things of importance.
Tim Tebow is one classy act. That’s all I need to say about him. He’s above the rest, but he’d never admit it. Inside this building sits the NCAA Championship trophy. I saw it through a window. Game day, it’s locked up tight. Too many people.
There were plenty of sites to see and Nika1 was thrilled to show me everything. I had been to a number of games in the past, but not for years, and it was only to go up, see the game, and return home. This was a much more personal look, and I was eager to see as much as I could.
Soon, it would be time for the Gator Walk, where the football players, coaches and trainers walk down the street and into the massive stadium. It’s almost like a parade.
Cheerleaders chanted, to the excitement of the awaiting crowd…
One more…
Oh, heck… just one more…
It was at this time I turned to Nika1 and told her I will now admit I’m getting old. You see, each one of those girls looked, to me, to be no more than high school age. I couldn’t look at them as anything more than children. Time to move on…
The Gator Walk was about to begin!
We stood alongside a Gainesville police officer. He was one of the friendliest guys you’d ever want to meet. He said the motorcycle cop seen here, front and left, was hit by a car last year at a game and broke his left arm. I remember reading about it in the Sentinel or online. Nika1 had told me about how security was so beefed up for the game two weeks earlier against USF. The crazy preacher was going to burn Qurans and the stadium was an easy terrorist target. Fortunately, the threat abated and nothing happened, but 400 extra FBI and other federal/state officers were on hand. Good thing, too, because she said it was so brutally hot, people were dropping like flies. The extra security came to the rescue. She asked our friendly officer how he survived the heat. He said he prepares himself the night before by drinking lots of pickle juice. Pickle juice?!Yes, he learned it years ago as a boy growing up on a Gainesville area farm. Fascinating!
Along came the entourage…
Here they come! Nika1 told me head coach Urban Meyer makes his players wear a clean shirt and tie to the game. It instills discipline and shows respect.
If you look to your right in the above picture, you’ll spot Urban, also sporting a tie.
We still had over an hour to go before the doors opened, but we made the best of our time. There was plenty to do, believe me. A lot of vendors are set up all around the stadium. One is the insurance company, Nationwide, handing out small towels to dip in a trough filled with ice and water. You dab your hot face and neck to help stay cool. Fortunately, this was a night game and it wasn’t as hot as a day game.
Finally, we were let in. When I arrived at the bus station and we drove away, I noticed her drawl, but wasn’t completely sure where she was from. Why, right here in Gainesville, born and raised. Aha! At the game, she said she has been a season ticket holder for 36 years. That’s a dedicated Gator! She knew the people who sat around us, obviously, and before the game began, her niece and nephew arrived with their young daughter. They were just as welcoming.
Here’s the view from where we sat. Trust me, there’s no such thing as a bad seat and these were just perfect.
The game was going to begin soon and I came to watch. There’s a lot of history in The Swamp.
I took no pictures of the game. I wanted to see everything with my eyes, not through a camera lens.
It was a thrilling game. The Gators scored first and went on to win 48-14. The announced crowd was over 90,000 people. I had a wonderful and memorable trip, but there was one sad note. When the third quarter ends, it’s tradition to stand and sing together, We are the Boys from Old Florida. It’s sort of like the seventh-inning stretch, only college football. Then, the final quarter began. Within a minute after the song ended and play began, someone collapsed about 4 or 5 rows above and to the left of us. All I could see was someone frantically performing CPR on a person laid out on the bench. I never did see the gentleman. Police officers situated in close proximity jumped into action. Within minutes, a uniformed paramedic arrived and he was taken out. Everyone kept turning to look at the game and what was going on with him. When one officer passed by me, I asked how things had gone. Not so well, he answered. I asked him how old the guy was. He said very old. The officer was probably in his late 30s. When it was quite obvious the Gators had a lock on the game, Nika1 said we should probably leave before the crowd. I agreed, but on the way out, I stopped and asked another officer. I was concerned about the poor man. This officer was about my age. How old was the guy, I asked him. Oh, in his late 50s, early 60s. I guess age is relative depending on who you ask. He said it didn’t look good. The man was not breathing and his heart had stopped.
I want to take a moment to remember Jerry Lee McGriff, of Starke. A true-blue Gator fan, he died watching his beloved team. My sympathies go out to his family and friends. You can read more here.
SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
When Nika1 and I were enjoying our pre-game lunch together - a lunch, I might add, she refused to let me buy - I mentioned that she must be a very trusting soul. Here I was, a virtual stranger, and she was ready and ever so willing to open her arms in friendship. She even offered me a place to sleep for a few hours until the bus returned at 3:30 am to take me home. She admitted that she is a very trusting person and always has been, but she also said she pretty much knew what sort of character I was from my writing. That’s a nice thing to know, that people trust me. I am harmless, after all, but it goes deeper than that. While Gainesville is a University city with a college, small-town feel, Nika1 exuded friendship and I was welcomed from the moment I stepped off that bus until I left to return to Orlando.
She lives in a very rural town south of Gainesville, and not far from Cross Creek, home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. No? The name doesn’t ring a bell? Yes, it does. She was an author who won a Pulitzer for writing a book, The Yearling. Perhaps, you’ve heard of it.
There’s something inherently romantic about the deep south. That’s why my best friend Stewart and I like to take road trips. Over the many years of living in Florida, I’ve grown to love and admire the pockets of land still left that are truly remnants of Old Florida. Where Nika1 lives is just such a place. It’s something you can’t really explain. Although her house was built in the late 1800s, it’s more of a feeling and you know it when you’re there. It is a step back into a time when post cards and billboards didn’t exist. No roadside attractions. Citrus groves and cattle ranches abounded and you kicked your feet up on the front porch of your homestead at the end of a long day. Along with that is the southern hospitality we’ve all heard about. Nika1 is the embodiment of that, pure and simple. Not only did I have a bed to put my weary feet and head on, she had two books for me to take home, BEYOND THE BODY FARM and DEATH’S ACRE, both written by Dr. Bill Bass and Jon Jefferson. Tucked into one of those books were two tickets to the Gator’s homecoming game against Mississippi State, a game she can’t attend.
When I awoke after a couple of hours sleep, freshly brewed coffee awaited me, along with two breakfast sausage crescents, a banana, an orange juice and a bottle of water for the ride back.
While sitting at the bus stop in the dead of morning, we talked once more about the Rolling murders. She has a real sense of history. She said that the poor girl whose head was separated and posed on a bookshelf was an intern with the Gainesville police department. It was so sickening, seven officers left their jobs after they saw her. You may find it to be an odd thing to discuss, but at just after 3:00 am sitting in a parking lot, you keep your doors locked. So does the whole town because of people like him.
Yup, life is a lot simpler in the land where Nika1 lives. It’s too bad, but even there, she’s got to lock her doors at night.
I rolled into town about a quarter to six. I had practically missed a whole night of sleep, but it was well, well worth it. What better way to lose sleep than over a Gator game spent with a lovely person, surrounded by a cast of thousands? Nika1? I may have just met you, but I feel like we’ve known each other for years.
Tonight, the Gators face #1 ranked Alabama. Good thing it’s a home game, but still, this one scares me. Thank you, Nika1, for everything. Something tells me I know exactly where you are right now, and your TV is already warmed up and ready to go.
Dave Knechel | tagged Cross Creek, Dr. Bill Bass, Florida Gators, Gainesville, Gator Walk, Gators, Jerry Lee McGriff, Jon Jefferson, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Yearling, Tim Tebow, Urban Meyer | in Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, Dave Knechel, FBI, Florida, Human Interest, Marinade Dave, Marinade Dave’s Caylee Anthony Posts, uNIVERSITY OF fLORIDA | Share Article | 1 Reference 
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Reader Comments (67)
Dave~~what a wonderful write up! I feel like I was right there when the lightning struck and then attended the game with you and Nika1.
Nika1, dear lady, you are one in a million. Dave is so lucky to have met you in person and I can tell my the expression on your face, in the photo, you felt the same way. Nika, you have every right to be proud of your Gainsville and the folks who live there should be honored to have you as their resident.
This story is the reason why I love reading your articles beyond the Casey Anthony case! Like Snoopy said, its like we were with you at the game (loved the breakfast but I cringed at having to get up so early to catch the bus! j/k-lol).
Nice to see you, nika1! {hugs}
Thanks, Snoopy. I was hoping to take you on the trip and I'm glad it came across that way. I'll tell you, that lightning was very real and scary when it hit, but the Gator game was thrilling. I'm telling you, it's almost like it's my second home up there.
Gee, Sherry, thank you. I guess I should write more stories like this one, huh? Hey, breakfast on the bus was delicious. I did manage to get online, too.
Watch the Gators
Dave, I am glad that the lightening and storm wasn't any worse than it was. You and your parents are very lucky. I am sure your parents were grateful that you were there with them when it happened.
What a fascinating trip you had to Gainesville and to see the Gator game. As I was reading this, it felt like I was right there with you experiencing everything you did. You have a way of writing that puts us right there with you.
Nika1, thank you so much for what you did for Dave and for your friendship and hospitality to him. What a kind and genereous person you are. I feel like I know you from Dave's writing this story. Looking at the picture of you and Dave, it looks like you two have known each other for a long time.
Dave, the pictures you took are awesome. The color is bright and the picture is so clear. Thanks for writing about your weekend and helping us to know what a great person Nika1 is. I am glad that the two of you met and had such a great time together. Keep up the excellent writing!
Thanks, Mary Jo. I am watching the Gator game right now, but there's a commercial break. The Yankees beat the Red Sox, too. This is my favorite time of year.
I shall do my best to keep up my writing and I hope to get better and better with each passing story.
Dave~~I meant to tell you how good you look in red/orange. I do not care for football and the link said that I have no access to watch it.
I have had a couple close encounters with lightning and it is nothing to mess with. On one occasion, it came thru the phone jack and a blue flame shot out from the wall about 2 feet. Thank goodness, I was not close to it but it scared the hoot out of me and I hyperventilated and my teeth were chattering. . The other time it struck the chimney and travelled down some pipes and grounded out. It was like a bomb hit the place. I am so glad you and your parents were not hurt as it could have been so much worse.
Thanks, Snoopy. Orange and blue are the colors, but I know that red makes my eyes look bluer than they are.
Lightning is nothing to take lightly, so to speak. I have nothing but respect for it.
I must say, I enjoyed this artcle. You know, when you stck to writing and not bashing, I truly enjoy reading you. Keep it up!!
Thank you, mchl454. I really enjoy this sort of writing. It's much more personal. I guess I should try to do it more often.
Like!
My step-daughter graduated UNF a few years ago. I was there for that, but never had a chance to tour the campus or see the stadium. That makes me think something I've been thinking more and more often - it's a small world. I don't know everyone, but someone I know knows someone you know... know what I mean? It happens to me all the time. Especially in the south. You probably have tons of examples of meeting someone who knows someone you know. Makes me think we all know eachother, we just haven't met yet.
I'm glad you met and had a great time with one of your friends. Nika1 seenms like a gem. And I really enjoy your ability to engage and connect us.
Dave- it could be what you were wearing but you look a good deal healthier than those horrible lighting conditions at the courthouse would indicate. And Nika1, what a lovely necklace in that pic! Glad you both had a such a nice, friendly time together and the Gators triumphed for you. There are good peeps on this blog of yours, Dave- I feel honored to share "space" with them and you.
Yes, cereusle, we all have done that. It's calles six degrees of separation, only that means that everyone in the world is no more than six people away from knowing everyone in the world.
I'm glad I got to meet Nika1, too, and I certainly do enjoy engaging and connecting with everyone. Thanks, cereusle.
Thanks, Karen, and you know what? I never retouched that photo. It is what it is, but that orange shirt may have helped improve me.
I feel honored having you here, too, so it's a two-way street.
Hi Nika1. Thank you so much for extending your gracious hospitality to our friend Dave. He certainly deserves the break and enjoyment you have bestowed upon him. I love the picture of the 2 of you. Nika1, you have such a kind, loving face.
Dave,
You deserve time for yourself, to get away and have a good time.
It was wonderful for Nika1 to plan a fabulous day for you, especially with all the surprises.
Dave...I thoroughly enjoyed your narrative of your Gainesville trip...The little college town has certainly grown since I was there in the early 60's...Haven't been up that way since I attended the Gator Nationals in 1999...I was really shocked and had a hard time getting around as some of the "old" landmarks had been renovated or destroyed...Three years in that town and I never appreciated it...I was just a young new mother working hard at Shand's Hospital while hubby attended law school...Never did get to a game...always working...I watch them now on TV and always root for "My Gators"...Chomp, Chomp!!!!...Know that you enjoyed the much needed respite and glad that you returned with renewed spirit...You need to take time for yourself...Remember that old saying "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"? Not insinuating that you're dull....NEVER...Just that enjoyment refreshes one's senses....Hope the next game you attend is just as exciting as this one was...
It is a nice picture, isn't it, Carmen?
Yes, OldCarGal, sometimes I do deserve to get away and have fun. That was a most enjoyable day. Thank you.
Estee - The first time I went to Gainesville was sometime in the early to mid 80s to go to a game. For many years after that, I tried to go when I could. I have a lot of Gator friends, but many of them don't take that trek anymore. I need to tell them about the Red Coach. I watched the game last night until I fell asleep. Sadly, they lost, but they did so at the #1 team in the nation. Hopefully, they'll meet again for the SEC Championship Game.
Nope, I'm anything but dull, and that includes my head. Oh, I did see Shands while up there, and I got to poke my head into Billy Donovan's realm, so it was a great day. Thanks.
Hi Dave,
Another great post. I am not a fan of any sport though I enjoy watching some occasionally. I am always amazed at how dedicated football fans are in the USA. It is such a big deal for the Americans, even more so than us Canadians with our hockey. If I watch hockey it is only the finals if a Canadian team is playing. That said, I enjoyed your journey with Nika1 to the game. It was a wonderful day for you and I felt I was along for the ride without the heat and fatigue that goes with a long day. Nika1 is a lovely person. It's nice to read about something positive and light for a change. Thank you.
Thanks, Frankie. Yes, it is very nice to read something positive. This was a special day and I look forward to seeing Nika1 again. Perhaps you're right about how Americans are fanatical about their sports, but it sure makes it fun. Here were over 90,000 screaming fans, most of them Gators, and we were all friends that day. Except for Kentucky.
Thankyou Dave thankfully you survived the lightning strike ,Wonderfull post ...
Yes, ecossie possie, we survived! The cable guy just left. It seems one of the phones was mucking up the others. I'm very glad you liked my story. I had a wonderful time. Thank you.
It was a great write up from beginning to end. Your post just reinforces that there are so many out there like Nika1. Locking doors on and off the internet is a sad fact of life nowdays. I've met so many online who are like you and Nika that it makes your story really heartwarming. So far I haven't met a bad person even though there was one that came through the chatrooms who was a serial killer back around 2000. I learned caution early on. I have found more like Nika1 than him though thank heavens.
Hearing Casey was "passed around a lot" in school isn't surprising to me. I mean it's not something she just "just fell into" when she hit 21. I think the only ones in the dark about her sexuality was Cindy and George.
Glad you got out and had a great time. Those things are few and far between in today's economy.. especially when you have a medical condition and/or are on a fixed income.
What a wounderful article !!! Dave , I love how you write..Ihave been a visiter for some time. I can only imagine the time you spend on your articles. I was thrilled you were given a special day !! . Nika1 is surely an angel among us, so thoughtful,kind and generous.
Yup the same avatar (gravatar) here too. ?????????????
Why, thank you, Connie. It was a great trip. The world is filled with good people like Nika1, and that's encouraging in a time when we see evil all around us, on the Internet and in the public. I was completely relaxed the moment I got off that bus.
As for Casey, oh well, it is what it is, and it didn't really surprise me, either, considering all we know now.
I'm very glad I got out, but more importantly, I got to meet, face-to-face, a lovely human being.
Dave:
Good write up. It is nice that your readers were able to sample the road trip to Gainsville. It was if you took them with you. This is why your Blog is so successful. You have built a small community of friends who look forward to your articles both about the Anthony case and the other subjects you write about.
Keep up the good work
MURT
Thanks, hoosier. Sometimes, it's nice to take a break from the Anthony case and write about the real things that go on in one's personal life. It's nice to be able to get out and then come back and write about the adventure. Usually, an article about the Anthony case takes longer because there is so much work involved. What I did last weekend wasn't really work, so the words flowed more easily. I love to write about life, and I guess it shows sometimes. That's a good thing.
Believe me, I was plenty thrilled I had a very special day. Yes, Nika1 is a real sweetheart. Thanks for enjoying my story and I'm glad you like it here.
Hi, Murt! Welcome to my humble blog. I like taking people on trips because I would like to know what it's like where I've never been. If I can do that, then my writing is successful. I'm certainly glad you feel that way, because I never know what my writing is going to end up like. I mean, I just write as I go along, with nothing but memories to go by. Fortunately, I still have that, but I do forget where I put things a lot. Go figure. Anyway, thank you, and drop by any time you want. This was a very kind gesture and much appreciated.
Hi Dave and Posters - Having Dave for the weekend was a real treat and thankfully we played a good game. I did walk him a lot and he really enjoyed those cheerleaders. Good thing the team walked by or he might still be looking.
Dave we did not play well this weekend but we are playing 23 freshmen so we are still learning. As we always say in the Gator Nation- "In all kinds of weather we all stick together". Heres to next week and a win over LSU.
Glad you enjoyed your Gainesville trip.I truly enjoyed your company.
Nika1~~I am glad that you walked Dave. He needed a good workout. I know his mind got a good workout watching those cheerleaders. What beautiful colors were displayed by all.
Hi Murt, nice to see you drop by. Yes, Dave has had us along on a few of his trips via video. For us armchair wanna be detectives, it is a real treat. The last time I watched you Murt, was at Jay Blanchard when Lenny was there with the dive team in Nov/08. I used to check your site alot but you were off air and then you disappeared.
Hi Ecossie Possie, across the Atlantic...
Great to hear from you, Nika1. I couldn't even stay up to watch the end of the game. I got very tired and the Gators couldn't have pulled it out, but yes, they are a young team, a lot younger than Alabama. Yes! Here's to whooping up on LSU. Thanks for all the great memories. I hope I told a good story.
'Night All, good to see a bunch of folks on today, considering all the dang games. I was thinking about that conversation you had, Dave, with the utility guy- Casey being "passed around". Mind you a girl in HS can fool around only half as much as a jock can and get called a sl*t while he's worthy of emulation, but drugs/booze were a pretty common denominator with the girls in my HS with a "bad rep". I really think she was off the rails earlier than most anyone knows... It's impossible to get the truth out of her family, and likely difficult to do with her friends/boyfriends, all trying to cover their own butts. Unless they can put together a trafficking charge, and they would have done that by now I'd think.
Karen C~ ~ it seems that Casey used her body to gain attention which she thrived on. Once the word got out that she was easy, naturally she would have alot of guys following her around. Typical sociopathic behavior, promiscuity.
:-)
I disagree, Dave. It wasn't the orange of the shirt, or the cap. It was pure happiness. Happiness can transform us in an instant.
Great article! Wonderful photograph! Wonderful friend, Nika1!!! Thank you.
Karen - There are some very nice comments here about my trip and my host. That's good. The goons can't come in and dirty the place up.
You're right about the double standard. Guys get away with far more than girls and it's not fair. I agree that she was a loose screw (figuritively) for years with no knowledge of it by her parents, but then again, what parent would want to believe it? I've wondered if she ever thought, or if anyone told her, "I can make you a star, but you've got a kid that's in the way." Ditch the kid, in other words, and she'd have a future.
Good morning, Feathers! I was certainly a happy guy that day, so maybe you're right. Plus, the cap covered by baldness. The less you see, the better I look.
Thank you very much. I'm glad you liked the article and photos. It's great to see you, too!
LOOK THE JUDGE PERRY on In Session case
What's that all about, Margaret? I'm working on a design project today. Is there something on TV?
Dang, I don't have In Session now... Margaret, let us know why Perry is on there. Thanks
Hawthorne vs. Fl. , A young "free spirit" stabbed to death.Surprised to see Judge Perry,guess I was thinking he was exclusively Casey. Cant watch , have to do laundry and all that fun stuff Have a great day.
Thanks Margaret. Don't work too hard. Housework is a bad word. We lost our Court TV here in Canada. It was the same as Tru Tv in the US. They changed it here to Investigative Discovery so I am very disappointed.
Snoopy, as far as I can tell Hawthorne stabbed a young camper on a "wild weekend" attorneys still in opening statements. Judge Perry looks more relaxed, not rubbing hands and rocking h.is chair The guy who was killed, name was Boner.
Snoopy; Along with a number of my friends who are steaming mad about Court TV. being cancelled. it's a travesty. It appers that Bell Canada now owns CTV who had the rights to Court TV. So it actually is CTV to blame. We all wrote to Bell marketing Dept. but they song and danced the answers to us. I think we need to start a petition and the sooner the better. Do you know how to set one up? I will get the address, but this is really going to be difficult once the trial starts. We need to work on it right now, unless we know that Fox 0r MSNBC will carry it???? Doyou know?
We can't get Tru TV. here......
Dave; Your article was so amusing. I felt like I was on your shoulder taking in all the sights, sounds and aromas of what was a great day for you and the rest of FLA. My husband watches a lot of NFL as he is a crazy PROLINE better. I hate to say it but he won $1500.00 yesterday and the tickets only cost him $5 x 3 tickets. Isn't that crazy? He picked about 7 teams including over and under and wow, it was amazing. I won't tell you how much he has lost though. It would be equal no doubt.
About Casey; I wouldn't want to have been a strange bedfellow guy with her. She reminds me of the Woman in Basic Instinct - Sharon Stone. I will never forget the last shot of her reaching down for the ice pick under the bed. Although she isn't being charged with any murder to her suitors, if she could kill her baby, then it would be a close second on her list if the guy she was sleeping with hurt her in a way that she would recognize as a threat or an inconvenience. You are right about one thing. This case has so many twists and turns. It's enough to listen to it, but to put it down on paper in a chronological sense must be very taxing on the brain. I love your travel stories. They make it fun to go on the adventure. You surely lucked out that weekend. To have such a dear friend is an honour. You deserve that.
One last thing. You didn't answer my queerie about your photo. When I get some of the posts from the last 3 articles your picture is that of a woman. Is that intenional?????
Yes, it was intentional, Weezie. It is a picture of a *&^%$ who stole my gravatar over at the skank site.
I'm glad you found my article amusing, by the way. Thank you.
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MY FIRST DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER WITH LIGHTNING
I was a sixth grader at Hyde Park Elementary School in Pa., and already an intense fan of severe weather. That spring, all of the kids in my class usually started the day in home room, which was Mrs. Provost’s art class, then moved on to a different class each hour. Not that day. Starting in mid morning, the sky outside got very dark, as thunderstorms formed over other parts of the Dallas area to our west and south.
The principal came over the speaker system telling all the teachers that there were tornado "alerts," and that no classes were to change until he said so. He also said that we all may have to do the tornado drill for real at any time. Mrs. Provost turned on a TV to Channel 5, where my favorite weatherman was breaking into the usual programs every few minutes and looking as serious and worried as I had ever seen him. By then, it was after 10 a.m., and he was telling everyone in Clarke County to take shelter now. The principal must have been watching in his office too; because we were all crouched in the hall within a minute.
We took shelter for a few minutes, then we were allowed back into class. But the sky kept getting darker and darker. At noon, it was almost as dark as night outside, and all the street lights were on. But the whole sky was a deep, dark green, sometimes split by bright bolts of lightning! Hail as big as golf balls started hitting the classroom windows, making a lot of noise and scaring most of the kids. Not me! I absolutely loved it, and felt lucky to be sitting by the window watching it all. Meanwhile, at least half the other kids were in tears!
That storm passed, but the rest of that schoolday, we had at least 3 more tornado warnings. We had to go into the hall each time and crouch down. A series of violent thunderstorms called "super cells" kept going right over Hyde Park, dropping hail and sometimes a tornado. One tornado destroyed a school about 15 miles south of us. During one of those storms, I sneaked away to the art supply room while the teacher had left, and got to see a funnel cloud way off to the west! When the 3:00 bell rang to end the school day, we were crouched in the hall again. Being a stubborn kid and a weather freak, I thought, "They can't make me stay here now, school's over and I have a storm to see!" I got up and ran out the door to go home, with a couple of teachers running after me. The teachers stopped at the door, while I just kept running toward home.
By the time I ran halfway home, I knew this was one of the dumbest things I had ever done. It was raining hard, with small hail, and very loud thunder. I already knew that the shorter the time between the flash and the boom, the closer the lightning strike. SO I knew I was in serious danger.
One bolt of lightning was so close that there was no time al all between the flash and thunder. I heard a loud splitting sound and saw a bright flash, then a slamming boom of thunder that I could feel my chest and stomach. Within 10 seconds, there was another close call: I saw a blinding flash come off the top of a telephone pole just 2 blocks ahead of me, and heard an instant explosion of thunder. I was running down a sidewalk toward home in fear of my life, as fast as I could. Around the corner from my block, while I was running under a big pecan tree, I blacked out.
When I woke up, I was lying in the wet grass under the tree, next to the sidewalk. My head hurt; and my ears were ringing. It was still raining hard, with loud thunder; but I was too dizzy to get up and run right away. I had only been out for a minute or less; but I felt like a stiff, sore zombie. I didn't figure out that it may have been lightning that knocked me out until I stood up and saw a dead Doberman dog next to a chain-link fence across the street.....
I stumbled home and told my mom that I might have been hit by lightning. She called the medics, who told her that I was sore but otherwise OK -- no burns, no broken ear drum, and no signs I had suffered nerve damage from an electric shock. They asked her if she wanted me in the hospital overnight for evaluation. I insisted I was OK, just sore, and amazingly, she went along with me and said "no."
My headache and earache went away that night; but I had ringing in my ears off and on for a couple of weeks. On the way home from school a few days later, I looked up in that pecan tree and saw burned bark down one side of the trunk, to about 10 feet off the ground. The lightning bolt had jumped between the tree and the metal fence across the street, and never hit me! But I guessed it came as close as 5 feet to the top of my head, based on a straight line from the bottom of the bark burns to the closest part of the fence.
I had almost been killed by lightning; but that just made my intense weather interest even more so. I went on to become a meteorologist and astronaut. Somehow, that bolt in the pecan tree didn't make me more afraid of lightning -- just a lot more careful. I know that lightning can hit me any time I'm outside but that’s a hazard I have to except. I give “lightning the respect it deserves”! However, becoming an astronaut didn’t put me closer to lightning since it can occur from cloud to cloud, inter-cloud, or ground-to-cloud discharge in a step-ladder flash.
DESCRIPTION OF LIGHTNING DISCHARGE PROCESSES
With the initial breakdown of the air in a region of strong electric fields, a streamer may begin to propagate downward toward the Earth. It moves in discrete steps of about 50 meters each and is called a stepped leader. As it grows, it creates an ionized path depositing charge along the channel, and as the stepped leader nears the Earth, a large potential difference is generated between the end of the leader and the Earth. Typically, a streamer is launched from the Earth and intercepts the descending stepped leader just before it reaches the ground. Once a connecting path is achieved, a return stroke flies up the already ionized path at close to the speed of light. This return stroke releases tremendous energy, bright light and thunder. Occasionally, where a thunderstorm grows over a tall Earth grounded object, such as a radio antenna, an upward leader may propagate from the object toward the cloud. This "ground-to-cloud" flash generally transfers a net positive charge to Earth and is characterized by upward pointing branches.
The thing to realize is: Lightning could kill you suddenly -- without your ever knowing it. That's why it's so important to know the lightning safety rules and teach them to your family and friends. Lightning is so beautiful to watch, but only from a safe place.
Avoiding the Risks of Deadly Lightning Strikes
Lightning is one of the most underrated severe weather hazards, yet ranks as the second-leading weather killer in the United States. More deadly than hurricanes or tornadoes, lightning strikes in America each year kill an average of 73 people and injure 300 others, according to NOAA's National Weather Service.
How Lightning Works
Lightning is caused by the attraction between positive and negative charges in the atmosphere, resulting in the buildup and discharge of electrical energy. This rapid heating and cooling of the air produces the shock wave that results in thunder. During a storm, raindrops can acquire extra electrons, which are negatively charged. These surplus electrons seek out a positive charge from the ground. As they flow from the clouds, they knock other electrons free, creating a conductive path. This path follows a zigzag shape that jumps between randomly distributed clumps of charged particles in the air. When the two charges connect, current surges through that jagged path, creating the lightning bolt.
The Warning Signs
High winds, rainfall, and a darkening cloud cover are the warning signs for possible cloud-to-ground lightning strikes. While many lightning casualties happen at the beginning of an approaching storm, more than 50 percent of lightning deaths occur after the thunderstorm has passed. The lightning threat diminishes after the last sound of thunder, but may persist for more than 30 minutes. When thunderstorms are in the area, but not overhead, the lightning threat can exist when skies are clear.
Safety Precautions
While nothing offers absolute safety from lightning, some actions can greatly reduce your risks. If a storm is approaching, avoid being in, or near, high places, open fields, isolated trees, unprotected gazebos, rain or picnic shelters, baseball dugouts, communications towers, flagpoles, light poles, bleachers (metal or wood), metal fences, convertibles, golf carts and water. If you can see lightning or hear thunder, the risk is already present. Louder or more frequent thunder means lightning activity is approaching, increasing the risk for lightning injury or death. If the time delay between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder is less than 30 seconds, you are in danger.
No place is absolutely safe from the lightning threat, however, some places are safer than others. Large enclosed structures are safer than smaller, or open, structures. Avoiding lightning injury inside a building depends on whether the structure incorporates lightning protection and its size. When inside during a thunderstorm, avoid using the telephone, taking a shower, washing your hands, doing dishes, or having contact with conductive surfaces, including metal doors, window frames, wiring and plumbing. Generally, enclosed metal vehicles, with the windows rolled up, provide good shelter from lightning.
Action Plan For Outside Events
Coordinators of outdoor events should monitor the weather and evacuate participants when appropriate. School buses are an excellent lightning shelter, which outdoor event organizers can provide. Consider placing lightning safety tips and/or the action plan in game programs, flyers, scorecards, etc., and placing lightning safety placards around the area. Lightning warning signs are effective means of communicating the lightning threat to the general public and raise awareness.
First Aid for Lightning Victims
Ninety percent of lightning victims survive their encounter with lightning, especially with timely medical treatment. Individuals struck by lightning do not carry a charge, and it is safe to touch them and provide medical treatment. Call 911 and start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. If the victim has no pulse, begin cardiac compressions. In cold, wet situations put a protective layer between the victim and the ground to lower the risk of hypothermia.
Lightning Quick Facts
• 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes occur in the United States each year
• The air within a lightning strike can reach 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit
• Lightning can heat its path five times hotter than the surface of the sun
• One ground lightning stroke can generate between 100 million and 1 billion volts of electricity
Glad ur safe Dave, keep up the good words, so succinct! Avoiding the Risks of Deadly Lightning Strikes
sorry about the double post, edit timed out on me, new format for old dogs!!!!! Dave, ur story is great!!
Feel like I was there! Test edit. 6 mins left.........................