The wind was blowing down the eastern front, illegal pitch, about 40 miles and hour. Nothing unusual about this April 53 degree day, illegal pitch, except the Conrad Cow ,illegal pitch, girls were in town to play the Irresistibles, illegal pitch. Conrad has an established program but are missing, illegal pitch, four players due to Easter Vacation. Softball, illegal pitch, especially in the smaller communities takes a back seat, illegal pitch, to about any other activity, illegal pitch, that the school has to, illegal pitch, offer. The list of activities that are, illegal pitch, acceptable to miss are, illegal pitch, design competition, detention, track practice, illegal pitch, grades, choir, chores, illegal pitch, female trouble (male coaches should never ask what's wrong regarding sickness because someone will tell you in no uncertain terms. For your information boys will tell you they got hit in the nuts and can't catch their breath but girls will tell you, illegal pitch, every detail of what membrane is ripping, illegal pitch, and that it hurts to stand much less move), rugby spectator, driver's training even though a
tractor has been driven since the age of 8, and breaking up with your boyfriend. This is our second and last, illegal pitch, varsity home game of the season, illegal pitch. The rest of our games are played on the road, mainly Conrad.

The Irristables come back with two in the fifth to take a one run lead, illegal pitch, illegal pitch,
illegal pitch, when the base ump calls three illegal pitches on the same batter in a row. Our pitcher even keeps her head when, illegal pitch, our catcher throws a strike to the back of the runners head who is inside the base line. She is ruled safe because our first baseman, illegal pitch, needs to go to the orange base if the runner has the white bag? Anyway three runners
score on a strikeout which makes it hard to win. We lose by four.

I personally learned a lot during this game. Twenty one illegal pitches make it hard to find a groove, twenty one illegal pitches make for 2 1/2 hour games, running the bases is an art that other teams do better than us, tag the runner on a strikeout, balls against helmets take funny bounces, but mostly I learned our girls have heart. Sometimes, illegal pitch, you just have to grin, and, illegal pitch, bare it.
 

ENTRY 12-  

Simms Montana is not the capitol of Montana softball. It's known for butte's made famous in Charlie
Russell's paintings and the 1904 women's basketballteam that was undefeated and national champs. The school was in Fort Shaw in 1904 but national champions is an amazing feet in New York City much less Simms, or Fort Shaw, Montana.

Coaching softball in Simms comes with local problems. The first week I had to ask horse riders to please stay off the outfield until we were done practicing.
You could lose a ball in good size horse dropping.

Twenty four girls have come out for softball and they are still showing up three weeks after the season
started. Chores seem to be a priority in this farming community. We won our first game over the Sunburst Refinners. I've seen an oil well in Sunburst but Great Falls has the only refinery in North Central, Montana.
 

Simms mascot is the tiger. Not sure why on that one except maybe a circus was traveling between Missoula and Simms and one escaped while the truck waited for a rattlesnake to cross. A rattlesnake is my first memory of Simms, Mt. It was back in the early 70's and three fellow team mates and I were traveling to Great Falls to lose two, barbecue and head back to Missoula the same day. We were new to this slow pitch softball but wanted to try it against the best teams of that era. Molly Brown of Bozeman and Great Falls Sponsors did us in before the car engine cooled. The rattlesnake took up the whole road and tried to attack our car as we drove over it. Not just the wheels but the whole car. A twelve foot rattlesnake can leave a memory concerning an area.

My mascot name would be the Simms--ply Irresistibles for all women's teams. Robert Plant with mic in hand and nine beautiful women dressed in softball uniforms playing bats like guitars. A Poster like that would win awards.

Yesterday, all 300 lbs of me, taught the Irresistibles how to slide by me demonstrating the perfect hook
slide technique. The horses now have a watering spot between right and center field. The slide was easy
for me, like riding a bike, but trying to run forward was a strange sensation. I've always been built for
comfort not for speed.

Thanks Coach O or Ole, to his teammates, for reinstating this web page. I promise to continue to
inform the progress of the Irresistibles. We only have one game in the next three weeks with the rest in
May. Ten games are being played in Conrad, Mt. I'm checking the real estate properties in Conrad, as I write, checking to buy a little fixer upper. Ten days in the same town in some countries grants you
citizenship.

Grin an Bear IT
 

ENTRY 11-  

I haven't written a "Grin&bareit" column since Bush won and the Red Sox beat up on my Cards. But now spring training is in full swing, I have my bottle of steroids handy in case I want to come out of retirement, Bush came to Montana and I got to shoot him, (with a camera), and Montana plays Vanderbilt in women's basketball Saturday night for a possible run at the National Championship but now for the news. My daughter asked me four months ago what I wanted to be called by my grandchildren. Seeing she was pregnant it was an appropriate question. I thought about it for a day or so but couldn't come up with anything even close. I was at a party and a Texas friend of mine with Mexican heritage and I talked about names. I asked about grandpa in Spanish and Abuello was the term. Too hard to say and spell. Popi, he said, if anyone was a POPI you are. So my Grandpa name is Popi. Today at 9:47 Pacific time, Lucas Todd Curtis, came into the world. He weights 8 pounds, 20 inches tall, dark straight hair, throws left, switch hits, and has above average speed. Jess had a rough time with hemorraging but all is well. I have a new roll in life and I like it. Popi

ENTRY 10-Jill, woke up to the sound of me opening her dog food, ate the bowl of food, and went right to bed. She reminds me of myself during the college years. The weather changed yesterday and our days of 70 degrees have turned into rainy 40 degrees. She must be part bear because hibernation seems to be in her immediate plans. No wonder she is a chunk. Most of my land is fenced and the shut gate is a good hundred yards from the house. The gate is kept shut because Jill will venture past the gate to explore the world of gophers and snakes. Besides it keeps away groupies. I hopped out of the truck to open the gate and out of the side of my right eye a four-point buck was walking between my house and the neighbors. We spotted each other and neither felt fear. Our steps were closing in on each other, I wanted to see if I touch a wild deer, when Jill, the chunk, came running and barking to the rescue. The moment was broken and the deer walked away as Jill, the chunk, stood her ground barking loudly behind the safety of the fence, The gate was closed behind me leaving Jill barking madly at the top of the fence. Yesterday I broke down and purchased cable for the World Series. Wed. night I spent over two hours on the elliptical machine at Peak Health Club so I could witness both games at the same time. There is a wall of televisions facing the machines so watching three TV’s and exercising is a possibility. A perfect night would have been a Cardinal win and a Yankee loss but the boys from the Bronx won again so no day is perfect. The Red Birds won again last night but I missed the first six innings for choir practice. I thought of skipping but I take no chances with the big guy upstairs on the night your favorite team is playing. The choir leader picked this night of all nights to send the message that the longer we practice the better we sound. This morning I'm horse. I made it home in time to see Houston tie the game at 4 a piece and to witness back to back jacks by the Cards. There is no doubt in my mind that without attending choir both of those would have been warning track. The Birds are 2-0, my house has cable, it's cool and rainy, and my dog wants to hibernate. Sounds like a decent weekend to me. Don't be stuck on the warning track of life and go birds. 

Randy

ENTRY 9- The planets are aligning in their non-communication mode so this may be the last time to make contact without planetary interference. Softball started last Saturday with a split of a double header. Our loss was the worst hour of Bison softball ever. Softball is a tough game when you can’t play catch. My heart was acting funny so I went off my super diet, heart regulation pills and have been going through withdrawal. Either that or it’s the time change. I’ve dedicated this month to get my life in order but I may need more like three years. Why are great times fleeting and crap just piles up? My nephew, Matthew is getting married in L A, April 24. Beverly Hills will be loaded with hillbillies. Should be interesting. This is my last email about March Madness. I like driving Jerry’s Audi. Thoughts of buying one keep crossing my mind but I don’t think I could afford the tickets. Like Rainman I am a good driver. My eyes again witnessed the upset of Stanford University. Stanford has never won in my presence. Coach Mike Montgomery was head coach at the University of Montana and we weren’t upset to see him depart. He has turned Stanford into a powerhouse but like so many universities the Cardinals have trouble winning during March Madness. Gonzaga was destroyed by Nevada. The glass slipper found another foot. Crazy Jerry and I had a fabulous ride in his Audi TT. What an auto. Driving the car is similar to riding a racehorse that always has another speed. The engine cruises at 130 so there is no going beyond that speed. The ride over was uneventful except we slept a few hours due to a nice head wind. Our return consisted of my driving and Jerry’s snoring. My body was one with the car. My body is the size of the car so it makes sense. Jerry said a prayer, upon our start, asking God to rid the highway of any obstacles such as wildlife or police. Jerry’s prayer was answered but the sides of the highways looked like a game preserve. Two huge elk, probably 40 deer, five rabbits, and a dead skunk in the middle of the road were present to keep me entertained and driving slower. Eighty in the Audi seems like forty miles per hour in your car so it wasn’t like we were in the slow lane. The highway was clear and the weather was beautiful which around here makes for a great trip. The 675 miles trip was driven in less than nine hours. How much less will never be reveled Montana is pick up truck country but the roads are designed to challenge speed. Two mountain ranges, the winding Clark Fork River, and the deserts of Washington make for natural beautiful without traffic jams. Seattle has the corner on Northwest traffic jams. My specialty is driving the all night cross-country portion of trips.. Georgia Tech in the finals? What next, Florida State winning the academic challenge! -Coach Barrett

ENTRY 8-  The beginning of any sports season is exciting because everyone starts with the same record. The past is just that and has no meaning. Coaches and parents will speak of tradition but traditions come and go depending on a given years success. A successful season is a gift no one can steal. It is earned and usually earned with sacrifice and dedication. The best team not always wins, but many times gives way to the team with the most determination. Get use to this because life is about determination. A chain is only as strong as its weakest part and team sports resemble a chain. Break the strength of the unit, even for a short time, and the underdog can overachieve. Opening Day is the best. A ballpark never looks or smells as nice as the first contest of the year. Talent is equal until that first pitch is thrown and the first run scored. I’ve attended three major leagues opening days. The first was a social event I will never forget in Baltimore. It was during the Freeman Siege in Montana. My backpack was searched, driver licensed checked, and being lucky enough to fit the freeman profile, I was escorted to a searching area. The crowd was late arriving and mad because the highway from D C was shut down due to the arrival of then President Clinton. A Presidential motorcade can go no slower than 45 mph, for security reasons, so O’s fans paid the price that day. It was strange to attend a game with snipers on the top of the buildings. Once I attended two opening days on the same day in San Diego and Anaheim. San Diego played at 3:30 and the Angeles starting time was 7:35. Both stadiums were packed and traffic was a nightmare but it was something to check off on my to do lists. Sitting for 12 hours is not recommended for humans but another goal was reached. Opening day for high school teams point out the strengths and weaknesses of various teams. It gives coaches a sketch to paint the practice canvass for the coming season. Hours are spent on what to do when the other team gets runners on first and third. Hopefully they never will but being prepared for the worse case scenario is part of softball. Congrats to players on all teams. Making a high school sports team is no small achievement. Little leagues are full of players yet only a hand full graduate from high school playing their beloved sport. Being part of a team is a gift but being part of a championship team is a blessing that can live for a lifetime. Good luck and play hard. Coach Barrett

 ENTRY #7- Last week I hung another year on the line and my line is sagging badly. Kind of like myself. Getting older doesn’t bother me but feeling older does. Yesterday my presence at rehab made me feel both old and young. Young, being the kid in the group but old, because I’m in the group. Some groups where I now qualify never really interested me. AARP is a communists group trying to make rich and old look cool, the obese club is a club where you have already paid your dues but the treats don’t have to be gourmet just plentiful, but my favorite club consist of trying to extend your arms two more feet so words are readable. Reading glasses are cheap until you realized you’ve purchased 15 pair since Christmas. My solution is now to keep reading glasses close in various locations. A pair of my glasses is in each car, the radio and television stations, work, bed, desk, easy chair, and refrigerator. This last week end while looking for a pair in my couch my hand discovered and saved a television remote, 12 pencils or pens, three barrettes, a hair brush, a tooth, two pairs of underwear, (one male one female), a dog leash, three Seattle Mariner baseball cards, a fold up measuring tape, two rulers, a paint stirrer, two can openers, and four pairs of reading glasses. Next weekend my plan is to clean the other half of the couch.

Coach Barrett

 ENTRY #6-My dad, Virgil, would have been 87 years old on Super Bowl Sunday. Since 1977 this week was don’t forget to contact Mama Edie week for me. Dad’s birthday, their anniversary, Feb. 5, and dad died on Feb. 13th. The reason my memory has always been clear about this week was Ruth and I were married on Jan. 31, 1976. Dad didn’t make the wedding and died two weeks later. But his birthday sharing the date of this year’s Super Bowl brought back a flood of memories. Virgil attended the first two Super Bowl’s. This was ironic because my Dad was not the greatest sports fan. He liked watching his kids play but pro ball football was not his gig. The Packers in 1987 were the toast of Wisconsin. Bart Starr, an Alabama boy, was the leader and dad liked him. Dad would recruit Bart for speaking engagements on leaderships. Besides Paul Horning, was the Pete Rose of his day, and Max McGee was Mr. Party. Dad favored Mr. Starr. Did you know that Paul Horning and Alex Karras wagered on their own teams, were caught by someone listening on a phone extension, had to sit out a year from playing, and both are in the Football Hall of Fame? Allis Chalmers demanded my dad attend the first two Super Bowl’s and host clients. Believe me when I say it was work to him. Three days in L A, attending parties with free food and drink, bored him to tears. The game starting time was 3 EST in the east, just like every other NFL game. Not the prime time event into which it has evolved. The stadium was ½ empty do to the newness of the game. The NFL title game was the true championship game. The Super Bowl was a joke in Wisconsin. Vince Lombardi would mention Super Bowl only in sarcastic terms. He would state that the AFL would have trouble beating Notre Dame. The Grambling Band was the half time show. They marched on the field, did their thing, and marched off to a standing ovation. No fireworks or stages to move on and off the field. The thought of celebrates flashing body parts would have to wait a couple more decades. Personally I think Janet Jackson wanted to remove Michael from the headlines, if just for a day. It worked. Halftime entertainers such as P. Diddy, Kid Rock, and Justin Timberlake make it easy to escape to the kitchen. I’ve seen less commotion in a hurricane. The country watched in disbelief as Broadway Joe picked apart the Baltimore Colts in the 1969 Super Bowl. Indeed they could beat Notre Dame. The Colts loss was so embarrassing to the NFL that they move them to the AFL. The next year they won Super Bowl IV. My dad no longer had to attend Super Bowl’s because Lombardi retired, as did the Packers winning Super Bowl titles. In years to follow dad could fall asleep watching the Super Bowl on his own couch; and that made him happy. RB

ENTRY #5- My cast was removed and the fall in the pool was freedom.  My whale body was dolphin like in the water. The removal of weight from my left foot made for a playful attitude.  My right foot propelled my body forward and with a flip and turn my body could do an underwater tucks and rolls.  body type, bobs like a cork on a fishing line.  The Mafia could cement shoe me but my head would never go underwater. Thirty minutes of running from the 5, meaning feet deep, to the deep end of the pool was boring.  My mind decided to make my body run in place at the 5-½ foot mark.  With arms and legs pumping my youth began to come back to me.  This was what it was like to be young and skinny.  The better I felt the harder my arms and legs pumped.  My head did a Linda Blair, to see if the babe in the hot tub was catching my act, when my left foot slammed against the bottom of the pool.  Have you ever felt hot lava six to ten inches above your navel depending on the size of your gut?  Hot lava that shoots from the gut to the throat at the speed of light.  The only thing that kept the lava from escaping through my scalp was my curly hair, but my Friar Tuck bald spot was dripping hot.  My stomach would have hurled but I hadn’t eaten in several hours. Tears filled my eyes so fast the hot tub babe could no longer be seen.  My head went underwater and screamed a scream that sent shivers up my own spine.  Ocean whales, 1000 miles away, were picking up my radar.  The swimmer in the next lane moved away two lanes.  My hands reached to caress my foot but it was limp like a noodle in water.  My right foot pushed off the bottom of the pool and my body started doing the breaststroke.  The kick made my foot move and after a couple laps no pain could be felt.  I half expected to see my foot lying on the bottom of the pool.  It was still attached. My out-of-the-pool walk back to the shower was slow and careful.  My body needed both crutches to limp back to my removable cast.  My foot slid into security as the Velcro straps were tightened around my leg.  My body rose and the cast held my foot again with no pain.   The Peak Health Club was left on one crutch.

-Coach Barrett

ENTRY #4-Nose hairs are the indicator as to the severity of the winter. This morning people's nose hairs are frozen shut. This phenomenon takes place around -22 degrees.  My office manager told me she had to carry her dog outside to use the bathroom. Speaking of outhouses, no wonder Montana has never reached 1,000,000 people.  Outhouses must have been an experience in this weather 100 years ago. Not much time to read the sports page.

My toeless walking cast needs a heater. The two inches of snow keep flicking  up into my toe region and retiring under my toenail. It keeps my steps lively.

Last night my 24 pack of Diet Pepsi was left on the front porch and must have exploded in unison. My porch has an interesting design, kind of a 60's free spirit thing. Diet Pepsi Art only lasts while the temperature in below zero. Today hitting zero degrees would feel like a heat wave.

Here's hoping that you're warm and secure wherever you reside. If you are on a beach in Florida, my imagination is with you. The steam off the Missouri is swamp like.... but swamp creatures are unable to live in these temperatures. That's the benefit of this weather. Frozen nose hairs leads to no bugs or swamp things....and that's a good thing.

-Coach Barrett

 ENTRY #3- Winter training is the key to a successful spring. While hair color and length of fingernails is important for the female athlete, leg strength and forearm development should be foremost in a softball players mind.  There are numerous ways to achieve results, besides open gyms and weightlifting, so to break the monotony of every day drills here are some

Barrett Suggestions......

  Chopping wood not only builds arm and leg strength but if a fast hitter can perfect the swing, while making contact, first base is almost assured.  The ability to bat the ball off the plate is a great asset. Once the ball is air borne the fielder can only wait and watch the hitter cross first base?  Even though other teams will use nicknames such as, hitless wonder, Harley Babe, (Chopper), toothless, toothpick, and limp noodle you will be batting first or second and leading the league in average.  Two of the greatest hitless wonders have ironically coached at rival CMR High School.  Terry Graham and Roger Spring hits combined haven’t totaled a 300-foot homer yet they have taught players the "plate smash boogie". They are living proof that individuals with no talent can perfect the

Duck walk vacuuming builds leg strength like no other exercise.  Grab a Hoover, squat like sitting in a chair, and walk like a duck moving forward while vacuuming.  Your parents will love you for helping with house work, your coaches will marvel at the development of your thighs, and your little brother will win many bets bringing friends to see his geeky sister who thinks she’s a chicken.  Dress in the appropriate costume and split the proceeds with the little punk.  It’s a good fundraiser and the rumor has it that it’s the way the San Diego mascot received his start.

Backward toenail painting is a great flexibility exercise for legs and back.  Lay flat on your back, slowly lift your legs above your head, and drop them behind your hair keeping your feet six inches off the floor. Grab the finger nail polish but remember to load the applicator before lifting the polish above your eyes.  Gravity will make it drip downward so having a partner hold the bottle of liquid beauty will help with injury and teamwork.  Apply polish while feet are in the six-inch above ground position.  Apply many coats if so desired but both feet must remain in the still position. Still feet are one of the keys to hitting.  Happy feet are not desirable for backward toenail painting or hitting.  Due to injury I am unable to teach yoga, break dancing, or my new favorite Hip Hop Dancing.  These are exercises that benefit happy feet. 

  Other successful Barrett hitting themes include titles,

1.Hey Dudet, that’s my boyfriend,

2.The broom across your forehead rag, and,

3. Sledgehammer, sledgehammer, who has the sledge.

The ASA has outlawed...

1. Hit the ice pick against the donkey.  It was one of my largest sellers.  Lawsuits have been filed in every state including Puerto Rico. 

Work hard, eat right, and have confidence in you ability.  If you don’t believe in yourself, neither will anybody else.

-Coach Barrett  

ENTRY #2- Freshman everywhere asks, (How to break in a new glove?)  This question has rumbled through history since the first cowboy took a knife to his favorite horse and cut out a leather hand pattern for easier cow chip catching. Cowboys, to pass time, would throw cow chips, while on horseback and count the number of missed attempts in a day.  The cowboy with the most misses and bad throws would be assigned to run around the herd and keep the animals within the field.  Any animals escaping outside the field would be slaughtered for food and supplies.  The ears of the butchered animal would be filled with rocks and tied together using the horse’s mane.  This came to be known as the earrock.  The earrock would be used to toss when cow chips were not available.  The inability to catch a thrown earrock would result in pain.  If a cowboy would fall asleep while herding, other cowboys would take aim at their sleepy comrade, and try to knock the sleepy head to the ground.  The easiest spot to drop a cowboy is by sticking an earrock in his ear. The pitcher of the earrock that succeeded in sticking it in his ear was placed in the middle of the field within.  The two cowboys with the most misses and bad throws would be assigned to run around the herd and the pitcher could, at his choosing, throw a earrock at either of the runners. This tradition continued for many moons until a narcosis retaliated by grabbing a tree limb and hit the earrock with the stick. "What’s up with that..," could be heard around the campfire that April night. It was decided that to open and close the daylight hours a pitcher would try to stick the earrock in the ear of the runner from the night before.  Tree limbs pitchers.  Earrocks were being rocketed out of the field within into the outfield.  earrocks were lost and there became a shortage.  As fate would have it a swarm of wasp stung an earless bull.  The massive pain sent the bull outside of the field within into the outfield.  One of the runners shot the bull and dropped him near home base where the cowboys slept.  The cowboy grabbed his Bowie, but realized that earrocks are impossible to produce without ears.  He examined the bull to see what other parts could hold rocks.  Being hungry that cowboy neutered the bull and enjoyed Rocky Mountain Oysters for dinner.  Unable to eat the skin the cowboy filled the sack with a huge rock and yelled,  "Play ball". within is now the infield, the outfield remains, home base is where the game starts and ends, opening day, double header, and shooting the bull are still common terms.  Swinging the old tree limb has been replaced by swinging lumber and cattle squat now means bases But what about the Freshman asking about breaking in a

-Coach Barrett

ENTRY #1- This week has been one accident after another. Yesterday morning the wind woke me at 3:30 AM.  Age is the pits when it comes to sleeping.  My mind told my body, "Let’s get up and work out."   My body stated, " NO!",  that it rather not, but there was so much conversation between the two; my body finally caved in and dressed itself in cotton shorts and a t-shirt. All my clean clothes were downstairs so I crawled backwards down the stairs, hopped to the hanging clothes, grabbed a pair of pants and shirt, hopped back to the stairs, crawled up the stairs, packed my backpack with clean clothes and headed to the Peak Health Club.  It was now 6:15 AM.  It took an hour Lifting weights has always been in the same category not change this habit. Crutches have replaced my old lady walker when in public.  Crutches are faster but only two-wheel drive.  The safety of the four-wheel drive old lady walker can’t be overstated, especially in the snow.  No handicap equipment works well on ice. At seven AM my weight lifting routine has only one station left.  My last station is the  one-piece curl machine, which has one moveable part, an arm to hold the weight.  You sit, curl the bar, and the arm with weight adorned, makes the bicep burn.  Anyway while in mid hop my hands grab the only moveable part that is weightless.  My upper body nose-dives for the ground and the only nose protection is to use my cast to keep my body from sprawling.  My red cast slams into the floor and my body is upright but my legs are split like a cheerleader’s on the floor.  A really bad cheerleader but still a cheerleader.  My mind waits for the pain to engulf the gray matter but nothing. No pain except for my right knee, that is pretzeled. But thanks to being double jointed no injury ensued. It was time for a shower. Thank goodness my eyes don’t have to witness myself naked, on crutches, heading for the shower.  Mirrors are passed but the last thing I would do while passing the glass would be to look at myself, naked.  Just the thought almost makes me hurl but guys don’t look at each other.  Not in Great Falls, Montana anyway.  The shower is handicap equipped therefore no lip to obscure the entrance. A person can slide to enter the water area.  My left leg is stuck straight out like a male dog using a fire hydrant. My cast is protected from water by the shower curtain but water finds it’s way down inside the cast as I stand on one leg to dry my "bod".  Dan and Lori Bertus will need to be called again to bring her hair dryer.  Every time my cast is wet she brings her hair dryer, sticks it near my skin, Using both crutches I exit the shower.  The tile is slippery in the shower area but carefully I make my way to the carpet.  On carpet I can motor.  My crutches pick up speed as I make the corner into the locker room.  On the turn, my left crutch has to avoid a doctor’s scale and is placed in the middle of a garbage container.  My right crutch is able to prevent a fall but garbage is spilled.  My momentum is too great to retrace my steps.  The garbage stays where it

The results of today’s doctor visit.  My red cast was replaced with a black one.  Fat people know that black is hip because of the slimming effect.  Johnny Cash was a 400 fat man but no one knew thanks to the wearing of black.  Besides Black is elegant.  The nurse and doctor were shocked that green was not my pick.  They acted like they bet money in Las Vegas on green.  Black was the dark horse.  Everything looked good but I begged for a x-ray to be taken, to prove my healing prowess but only deaf ears heard my cry’s.  No comment was acknowledged when I stated my foot was healed.   "See you in six weeks, Tuffy", the doctor

My next visit is Martin Luther King Day.  Doctor King was a man I greatly admire because he preached equality and unity knowing that such comments would get him killed.  His stance changed the world.  It’s been a slow change, a change that some will never achieve, but future generations will look back and Before heading back to work, I visited the Peak.  My body was feeling way too good so I must need to break it down and humiliate it with lifting weights.  My car was parked across from the front door but not in a handicap spot.  People that aren’t handicap but choose to park in one anyway will no longer be tolerated by me.  Air letting will be a new hobby of mine.  Let’s see how far they can drive with no air in their tires. My crutches were slid out first and my backpack was thrown over my head and shoulder.  My move was similar to that of Robin Hood as he prepared his sling filled with arrows for battle.  My butt was able to close the driver’s door as my feet headed toward the front door. My crutches were in place and my first push forward is always the most important for propulsion , much like that of a down hill racer.   My crutches were placed firmly in place as my momentum headed toward the front door.  Instead of going forward, as planned, my body slams into the van passenger door and it takes all my strength not to fall backwards. Tears flowed from my eyes with laughter as I realized half my backpack was shut inside the car door.  My exploits had succeeded in nearly hanging myself with my own backpack.  Six

-Coach Barrett