June 29, 2009
Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
The Escape Plan
My first escape was basketball at the park but this was only a temporary reprieve. In games I compensated for limited skills with fouls until I was banned from playing there.
My second escape happened a year later. In retrospect, getting into the van that night was a bad idea and the breaking and entering was really stupid but I was happy to be out. After my new criminal friends told me it was time for me to leave I got out at the park where shot an imaginary jumper and walked home alone for the last time.
June 25, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
The Last Thing I Remember
Late in his life my grandfather worked at a place where you could get: ham & eggs, smokes, coffee and, inexplicably, framed rock star photos. Whenever my father took me there I’d sit at the counter and name the musicians.
On a June afternoon my father asked me to pick a favorite photo and his father got the stepladder to take it down. This means my reward for finishing first grade was Fun-Dip and a picture of Pete Townsend. It’s my only memory of the three of us together, but that’s fine with me.
June 23, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
I’m Sure The Police Had Better Things To Do
My brother was only 6 when I got my first car: To commemorate the occasion my brother drew a sign. On a piece of dot matrix printer paper he carefully drew a border with magic marker and then wrote, in crayon, a phrase that he heard around the house.
I proudly taped it to the dashboard and didn’t consider removing it until the day a police officer that had pulled me over asked why I had a sign that said “Kick me hard, bitch.”
Despite the police questioning me, the sign stayed up until I sold the car.
June 22, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
Yeah, She Knows Me
When something good happens to me I call my wife and ask her to guess what it is. Last week I called and excitedly asked:
Guess what just happened?
-The Mets asked you to join the team?
Even better …
-The Reigning Sound are playing in our living room?
You’re close.
-@pftompkins is following you on Twitter?
YES!
I was not surprised that it only took my wife only three guesses to get to Paul F. Tompkins. The lesson is this: When you find someone who can guess the silly things that make you happy you should hold on to them.
June 19, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
I Know The Number By Heart
The first phone number I learned was my grandmother’s. When we lived downstairs from her I’d call to ask if I could come up for TV & cake.
I didn’t understand why, after her husband died and the kids were gone, she didn’t move. She told me that she needs to stay so I always have someplace to come home to and a number to call if I need someone to talk to.
I dialed the first number I knew yesterday and the call reached the same person it has it has my entire life. I understand her point now.
June 18, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
The Thing About Saying Goodbye
When I was 23 someone I loved told me two things that I will paraphrase here:
I was getting fat and I had better enjoy my 20’s because it was all downhill after 30.
Shortly after they said this they passed away which means I can’t tell them how wrong they were (about my 30’s not my weight, I was getting chunky). I just had a much better year at 34 than I did at 24. I turned 35 today and I’m doing just fine.
I guess saying goodbye means never getting to say “In your face” again.
June 17, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
The Best Advice I Ever Got About Hookers
Tomorrow will mark 17 years to the day since I received some life changing advice. It was my eighteenth birthday and a relative pulled me aside to share some wisdom. He told me:
Always keep some extra cash on you, in case you run into a hooker.
-How much?
$20 should do it.
I kept that extra $20 in my wallet for years but I thankfully never used it in the way it was intended.
June 16, 2009
Due to budget cuts Be the Boy has moved to Summer Blogging hours. Details about this can be found here. Here’s another story in 100 words or less.
A Good Day to Play Two
I left Shea Stadium between games of an August 1998 doubleheader but I had a reason. After a week of cryptic, distant phone calls from LA she was coming home. I tucked in my new 
shirt and straightened my tie as I arrived at LaGuardia Airport.
I knew what was coming when she didn’t make eye contact. As we drove past the 1964 World’s Fair she said it was best for her if we ended things. I felt dumb for dressing up to see her and dumber for leaving a perfectly good ballgame just to get my heart broken.
June 16, 2009
On Saturday evening I posted the following on Twitter:
Betheboy: Thinking of going to @SusinaBakery. I’m for it but @slackmistress is again’ it.
And got this reply:
SusinaBakery: But what about @daisyjdog?
When local businesses are asking your dog’s opinion you are probably spending too much time on Twitter.
You can follow Susina Bakery here and Daisy J. Dog here
Also, if you’re in LA you can find this (and sometimes us) at Susina Bakery.
