Dear mom......

My mother is here - but only in spirit. I shouldn’t use the word ‘only’ - ‘cause like virtually all moms - she was highly impactive in my life. Lucky I was - she just had this way of making a redheaded frecklefaced lefthanded kid feel special. Mom’s rock.

Mom - Friday Night I went with fellow hooligans to the Royal’s game.. We met at the bar (surprise surprise) and we sped out - arrived at the game in the top of the 2nd inning. Yes, I do remember how hard it was for you to awaken me in 7th grade - but you didn’t know what it was like to sit in Mr. Karsten’s Science class having no idea in heck what he was talking about.

T, C, and I mostly looked at women insteada fastballs and sliders during the game - and we know we’re in our fitties, but please know - it was just like we were at a HS football game - the excitement it held. Remember when I broke my arm playing football my Senior year after the 5th game and you felt so badly for me… but the truth was… I watched the final 5 games amidst the Pep Club. Had I known how much fun that was, I think I woulda feinted injury weeks earlier!

Saturday.. I went to work Saturday… I think I get that from you mom.. I remember your deadlines you had - and how the clock didn’t matter during those - and how you never-ever missed one… yet still you managed to fend for the household in a brilliant way. Does it count that I did go thru McDonalds for Maynard after work Saturday evening? (And I’m pretty certain I even remembered the trash last Thursday!)

Sunday… The Best… Mom, your sister’s daughter Joyce - had tickets for us all to the last Royal’s game of the year.. I know to some, that doesn’t sound exciting going to see the last place team the last game of the year… Do you remember my sophomore year though - when the World Series was first held during the day.. And I went to the office and said I had “the runs”.. and you picked me up waiving a roll of toilet paper out the window?

Buddy Bell, manager of the Royal’s… 56 yrs old.. Is quitting this day.. He’s been in pro baseball on a daily basis since he was 19 years old. You see mom, I’m kinda reminded of when you had your stroke and dad quit his job to fend for you (cooking, cleaning, making bucks selling cars outta the driveway).. Buddy’s wife had a scare a few years back with a cancer normally related to someone that uses nicotine.. She’d never used nicotine in her life - but the day she found out - Buddy never smoked another cig…

Buddy had a scare last year too -- he had throat cancer… so it wonderfully skewed his eyeballs as to how precious life is… Buddy - who will understandably miss baseball tremendously, it’s been his life, it was his dad’s life - can’t wait to get home to his 21 year old daughter who happens to have Downs Syndrome. He can’t wait to play catch in the yard with his grandkids. Do you remember mom, since dad traveled in sales the majority of his working career - how it was you that played catch with me in the yard? You actually weren’t bad… for a girl!

Anyways, they gave Buddy a present - and bid him best wishes… The Cleveland Indians, the opponents this day, were on the top step clapping ceremoniously… The entire Royal’s team came out for a big “group hug” around Buddy… Mom, I literally cried as hard Sunday as I did the day Brownie died… I could actually feel you there rubbing my back… The cry and the rub rocked…

Afterwards mom, I watched the Chiefs come back from 13 points down… Do you remember when I usedta run off to William Jewell when the Chief’s trained there and I’d catch Jan Stenerud’s kicks on the practice field? The association mom - it reminded me of you.

Mom, I’m sure you’re aware there’ve been occasional bumps in the road here since you left… but lemme tellya - I love life tons… I’m frequently reminded of you.. Especially when I write - cause I know I don’t hold a candle to your writing. You’re my writing hero (or would that technically be heroine?) And, I've found, no matter what one drives, there are bumps in the road...

It’s been so good to jot this note to you… Please tell dad I miss him.. And tell Vanda (my sister) that her grandson is the best damn football player in Grain Valley. He’s justa sophomore now mom - but he’s defensive captain, and last weekend, it almost got embarrassing how many times they called his name for tackles… I’m talking like 20+ mom. Hey, I SEE Vanda’s smile! Yes!

I better go now.. Kinda like the old days.. Always off running to this, to that… You see.. The hooligans and I are soon off to go see MU and Nebraska play… lotsa planning.. Gotta work on my pre-game exercises for my peripheral vision for more astute women watching!…

I loveya mom.. I missya mom… I’d give anything for a plate of your Spanish Rice mom… I’ll seeya someday (I hope) mom.. Love, Victurd.