Plane Rage//////////

On the flight to Houston from Atlanta I witnessed plane rage for the first time. A  man who boarded halfway through the boarding process sat up front but he had to stow his carryon bag a few seats behind him on the plane. Once we landed and taxied in, many passengers got up from their seats while the man made his way towards the back to retrieve his bag. The trouble started when he was on his way back up to his seat.  He said excuse me to another man standing in the aisle to get past him but the guy wouldn't budge and said to him, "Just wait, none of us are going anywhere till they let us out." "But I just went back there to get my bag," he explained. Nevertheless the man obstinately refused to let him by. This prompted him to call to his friend up front saying, "I need your help, take my bag," and he angrily shoved his bag over the blocking man's shoulder into his friend's waiting hands while bumping the guy on the shoulder. Then without pause he shoved his own way past the man blocking him who tried to resist but he shoved him off balance and the guy almost landed in someone else's lap. Next came a  round of loud cussing between the two men using the "F" word then things died down because the line had now started to move towards the plane's exit. No further escalation occurred after the heated exchange. The flight attendants either didn't want to get involved or were unaware of anything happening. Only the other passengers in the area myself included saw and heard everything and we were very surprised and disapproving about the behavior we had just witnessed. 

I don't understand why this plane rage happened.  We only had a slight departure delay from ATL maybe only ten minutes.  Once in the air there was some air turbulence but nothing too scary although the captain did cancel the in flight services for refreshments and snacks. Upon our arrival into Houston airspace towards the end of our flight there was another slight delay. The captain made another announcement that we would have to go into a holding pattern due to storm activity in the area but that delay turned out to be very brief, only for about five minutes then we landed. I suppose plane rage and road rage happen for the same reasons. It's really  about what's going on in someone's life and not really about the inconvenience that someone else causes you -even if they are rude.  Both parties on that plane acted unreasonably towards each other. Even though one of them started the trouble things did get a little violent and that was uncalled for. 

Giuseppe and the Saint

 

In 2004 my law business was in a financial crisis and I had decided that I badly needed to diversify and start doing some family law cases which previously I hated the whole idea of doing. But I found myself fumbling around late in my career, trying out family law but I had no idea how to go about doing that.

Then one fine day I bumped into Larry at the courthouse. Larry was a lawyer I had met some 20 years earlier when we both worked at the same law firm and when we were fresh out of law school. Back then we were coworkers and not really friends however, we gave each other nicknames just for fun. For some reason known only to Larry, he started calling me Giuseppe which is the Italian form of my name Joseph even though Larry is not Italian. My nickname for him was Saint Larry because he was such the opposite of a Saint and I found that amusing. Most people who knew him would agree that Larry was hard to get along with, cussed a lot, had a tendency to lose his temper and was rude to women and men alike but also, he was fun loving and mischievous. He also had a very mischievous smile that I thought was funny.

On that day when we bumped into each other at the courthouse, Larry asked me how I was doing and I think I surprised us both by answering very truthfully that my law business was failing, that I was going broke and that I needed to try doing family law  cases to pick up some new business. Then it was his turn to surprise me!  He warmly asked me  to come see him at his office and said that he would help me get back on my feet. His offer, was such a welcome surprise because I was desperate. I felt so grateful that he would even say this to me. So he made an appointment for me and when I showed up, I discovered that he had a thriving, high volume, family law practice.

During that first meeting he decided that he would become my mentor and that I would be his protégé.  He said I should do some of his Family Court hearings for him and that he would pay me for my work.  

Here are some of the other things Saint Larry did for me as my mentor. I would come by his office once a week on a Thursday or Friday to pick up about ten files for the coming week. When I finished the hearings and dropped off the files he would pay me. Then, he would  hand me another ten files and brief me on each case. As it turned out, the cases I was handling for him involved just about every imaginable situation that was likely to come up in a family law practice. I started rapidly gaining valuable experience in Family Law and he would answer all of my questions.

Because I was handling so many court hearings for Saint Larry I was becoming  more confident and I soon discovered that I had a knack for this type of work, born out by the fact that I had a high success rate on the hearings I was handling for him.

Larry didn’t stop by just helping me financially as a part-time employer. He also spent time with me showing me how to run a family law business of my own. He convinced me to change my law office location to a freeway location so that clients could find me more easily.  He showed me how to do my own yellow page ads and in essence he just told me to imitate his ads, keep them simple and say the word affordable or lower priced somewhere in there.

My association with Saint Larry lasted for a little over a year. By then my own law practice had made a financial come back and I found that I needed to spend more and more time working with my own clients' cases.  I think that was Larry’s plan all along! Lastly, I believe that I Giuseppe helped Saint Larry to get a much-needed break from his heavy caseload. Also I suspect that being his protégé changed him just a little bit. He was warm and respectful towards me but he would yell and cuss at his office staff. But that started to change too. He started treating his staff much better and seemed calmer. 

Larry turned out to be a very good mentor in spite of his having some character issues. He had all the positive traits that a mentor should have and we both benefited from the experience.

I will forever be grateful to Saint Larry’s for his help in my time of crisis. Sadly he passed away in 2020 which I didn’t know about until a year later. Belatedly, I have prayed for Larry to join the real saints in heaven and may God show him  mercy and grace. 

THIS IS MY COUNTRY

 

As a Black man should I celebrate the 4^thof July? I do every year and here is why.

I live here and have raised my family here like my father before me and his before him and so on.

Black men have fought in every war this country has ever had. I have an uncle, a Marine who fought in three of our wars -WWII, Korea and in Vietnam so that I wouldn't have to.

I've seen much of the country from coast to coast and it is beautiful.

Some things we did get right as a nation. I am proud that we have remained a democracy for over 243 years and that we still have both freedom of speech and freedom of religion. 

Also we are a diverse people of all races and cultures living here in America and I like that too.

These are just some of my reasons why I celebrate the 4^th of July every year but you decide for yourself. I know that there are also problems some of them running long and deep. Nevertheless my ancestors paid a heavy price just being here and I'm not going anywhere. This is where I belong, this is my country.

I've shared two links below to two Black artists who sang songs about America. As you listen to them ask yourself if these two men truly believed the words that they were singing? They sold me on it, I believe they too believe, THIS IS MY COUNTRY! 

This is My Country, Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlF2GzfU7DE

America The Beautiful, Ray Charles - 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FXN1Z6Q004

Photo - That's me on the far left with a group of family members.

The Intensity of Love

One Less Bell To Answer and Hey There Lonely Girl are two of my favorite love songs. The story they tell is not my own story, but the romantic intensity in these two tunes is something that I am very familiar with. First, in Marilyn McCoo's heartbreak song, 'One Less Bell to Answer,' the tears and the sadness of a breakup are right out in front for you to feel. As a young man when I first heard this song, my heart jumped in my chest. I felt such strong compassion for the young woman in distress that I yearned to comfort her. Then someone else did exactly what I couldn't do. It was singer, Eddie Holman who answered that bell. He came out with his song, 'Hey There Lonely Girl,' which passionately delivered all the love and compassion a brokenhearted young woman would need. His song was heavy-hearted and  achieved just the right 'yearning for love,' touch. Then he sang the very words that I imagined that I would've said. He promised to, "Kiss  her tears away." 

Well said Eddie, you took the words right out of my mouth.

The saga was complete. First came the brokenhearted cry, then a tender response and amazingly both of these songs seem to fit so seamlessly together. It's as if they were part of the same symphony. Don't miss these songs. Below are partial lyrics and links to listen to both of these beautiful songs. May your heart feel these emotions -if you dare. Enjoy the symphony.

                                                   One Less Bell to Answer

The 5th Dimension

One less bell to answer
One less egg to fry
One less man to pick up after
I should be happy
But all I do is cry
(Cry, cry, no more laughter) I should be happy
(Oh, why did he go)

Since he left my life's so empty
Though I try to forget it just can't be done
Each time the doorbell rings I still run
I don't know how in the world

To stop thinking of him
'Cause I still love him so
I spend each day the way I start out
Crying my heart out

One less man to pick up after
No more laughter, no more love
Since he went away (he went away)
(One less bell to answer) Why did he leave me
(Why, why, why did he leave)
(One less bell to answer)
Now I've got one less egg to fry…

(click the link to hear One Less Bell To Answer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjW_z02EjaA 

Hey There Lonely Girl

Eddie Holman

Hey there lonely girl, lonely girl
Let me make your broken heart like new
Hey there lonely girl, lonely girl
Don't you know this lonely boy loves you

Ever since he broke your heart you seem so lost
Each time you pass my way
Oh, how I long to take your hand
And say don't cry, I'll kiss your tears away

Hey there lonely girl, my lonely girl
Let me make your broken heart like new
Hey there lonely girl, lonely girl
Don't you know this lonely boy loves you

You think that only his two lips can kiss your lips
And make your heart stand still
But once you're in my arms you'll see
No one can kiss your lips the way I will
The way I…

(click the link to hear Hey There Lonely Girl) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzgU5yEdUgI

 mo

I Just Wanna Stop

The whole family circa 1961 

 Most of the family circa 1968

I'm remembering the song, I Just Wanna Stop by Gino Vannelli  because it happens to be one of my favorite songs from the year 1978. The song's lyrics begin with; “When I Think about those nights in Montreal, I get the sweetest thoughts of you and me." When I listen to it now, it's not Montreal, Canada that I think about. Instead I think about my nights and days in  Orange, New Jersey where I once lived.  Isn't it  strange and wonderful how music can bring back our special memories? That year, 1978 was the last year my father was alive and my whole family unit of twelve was intact. After his death, life went on for my mother and her seven girls and three boys. Over the years there have been graduations, marriages, births and  a few of us moving far away. Then in 2001 we lost our mother too. 

Fast forward to the year 2020, now there are only five of us left out of  my original family of twelve. But it is not out of sadness that I write this. I am happy and grateful for the many wonderful experiences and memories I have had with my family. I've also added quite a few new family memories with my own wife and our two children and now with our three grand-children. Also I have nephews, nieces and even some great nieces and nephews. When I hear that song today, I personalize the lyrics a little to say, "I just wanna stop and tell you how I feel -about my family baby," and I feel at peace. The two old photographs in this post also take me back to the days when we were all together.

Some  of the song lyrics appear below, you can click on the title to hear this beautiful song.

I Just Wanna Stop

(For your love, for your love)
When I think about those nights in Montreal
I get the sweetest thoughts of you and me
Memories of love above the city lights
Ooh, I've tried so hard to take it
But oh Lord my heart won't make it

I just want to stop
And tell you what I feel about you babe
I just want to stop
I never want to live without you babe
I just gotta stop
For your love...

A Tribute

A tribute to my sisters Lydia & Lea whom I will miss and who's art and laughter the world will.

When the moon is in the Seventh House

And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets...
When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius
Aquarius
Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding...

Both art majors and graduates of Montclair State University in the late 60s  free spirits who accomplished many groovy things in life. Lydia, went to live in Paris, France to pursue photography and later lived in London, England as well as Los Angeles, California -very groovy. Lydia has two groovy children. Lea became a Pan Am flight attendant and worked on a Pan Am Boing 747 "Clipper" jet and literally flew all over the world in a groovy heavy. Lea has two groovy children.

Lydia (left side of photo) sunset May 20, 2018

Lea sunset May 5, 2017

JAZZ . 1977 (The Lost Album)

The song It Happens Everyday from the album Free as the Wind by The Crusaders (formerly The Jazz Crusaders); is an exceedingly beautiful jazz composition. It kept finding its way into my Spotify App's "Liked" songs library over the past two years. For this reason, I finally checked it out to see where this Crusaders tune has been hiding for all of my life. Those of you who've read my previous blog post, Jazz Album Found after long search; know that I am a huge Crusaders fan. Upon downloading Free as the Wind, I remembered that I had briefly sampled it back in 77. However, I rejected it because I was disappointed that Wayne Henderson the trombone player had left the group. He was my favorite Crusader; it was he who inspired me to play the trombone myself. On account of this, I never gave the album's tracks a fair listen. I didn't purchase or record the album, I just forgot all about it -until now. 

Two night ago I finally listened to Free as the Wind and I was shocked to hear how good this album was. The album's material is very strong, driving, tense, funky, steamy, infectious, lovely, deep, wistful, melodic and insistently probing. So I've come full circle on this album and now I believe that it's one of the Crusaders finest! And to think I nearly missed out on it out of young and disdainful rashness. For all jazz lovers who want to check it out; click on the link:  Free as the Wind album-The Crusaders. I know you won't be disappointed.