Letter to Editor published in the Intell today - Fotos from film Champs - Poem: Poppies

'Recovery Road' a tour de force

Posted: Tuesday, May 3, 2016 12:15 am 
 
Your recent "Recovery Road" series is a tour de force. How courageous of you to devote your time and resources to the epidemic of drug addiction. The personal accounts of the addicts, plus the color photos, made each story come alive.

It’s easy to sympathize with their terrible predicaments. I was particularly moved by the photo of a father cuddling his young daughter. Their loved ones know the many times the addict tried and failed to come off the drugs. They always live in fear of their loved ones’ death.

I’m familiar with these situations. As the head of New Directions Support Group — for people with depression and bipolar disorder and their loved ones — I know a few of our members have had addictions and, sadly, died from overdoses.

President Obama has wisely chosen to address the “opioid problem,” whose overdoses kill more people than motor vehicle accidents.

As you stated, not all addiction facilities are helpful. Assiduous research should be done before moving in.

Ruth Z. Deming
Willow Grove

Wha?

Altho the above looks like a weed it is really my red poppy plant come back from the dead. My sister Donna said this is not unusual. Poem later about it.

 You know how I luv going out for breakfast. For a lil over $3 I had an excellent b'fast at Weis Market in Huntingdon Valley, the former Pathmark. Missing is half a piece of French toast I gobbled down, my only concession to diabetes.

 My late friend Jimmy McCauley gave me this T-shirt, saying "I'm big in Japan."

He was to be the lead act in Sunday's Arts Fest. When I goggled his name to post his website I was shocked to find he had died on March 18 of this year. Heart attack while performing at a comedy club in Jenkintown.

He was 45.

I called up his parents - Jim and Miriam - to express my condolences and to find out details of his death. He was a member of ND and I have many fond memories of him. Once during an outing we visited the now-closed  Eastern State maximum security prison.

I emailed his folks about our Arts Fest Performance last year.

***

In deference to my daughter Sarah, amateur boxing champ, whose named her remaining kidney Mike Tyson, I watched the film Champs.

Got carried away and took about 50 fotos. Subjects include

Mike Tyson - his own website - Wiki  Born in 1966, he's 50 yo

Bernard Hopkins, who Scott really respects for his discipline

Hopkins on Wiki... he broke the record of oldest boxer since he fought at age 49

Evander Holyfield - his site - Wiki site - he got his ear bit by Tyson. In an of forgiveness Evander nominated him for something.

THIS IS A GREAT FILM. Ultimately, all sports films - even if you're not a sports fan - are about the endurance and the "fight" in a person.

Oh, darn! My Bentley and my mansion are being repossessed bc I don't know how to handle money! I grew up poor as a hound dog and just couldn't believe I'd won millions of dollars!

Bought my dear friend Ruthie this truck and paid the auto insurance for her, too, but one evening she heard noises outside her window and her new truck was gone!

 Promoter Don King robbed his boxers of their hard-fought-for money. Most sued him and got their money. Born in 1931, he's 85.

Tyson's white tiger. Scott told me boxers have a thing about tigers.

 Bernard Hopkins. He said, Get yourself a lawyer and an accountant when you start winning.

 Tyson's mansion.

 Tyson now trains young boxers. He's done an about face and admitted he wasn't a very good person but has changed his ways.

There was a film clip of him and a female prison guard discussing what he'd do in prison, after his conviction - probly false - of rape.

 More Tyson trainer fotos.

in Las Vegas. 

 Boxing champ medal.

This should do it for the boxing photos.

 Goldfinch checks out the chickadees quarters.

 A male and female chickadee swoop in and out of the house.

 Soon we'll have new family members to qvell over!

RED POPPIES

Opium poppies have
been growing
for thousands of years.
From the Robert Altman
film, McCabe and Mrs Miller
a handsome stoned couple
with glassy eyes, recipients
of the generous seeds dating
from 5000 BC

I, too, am favored. An ignorant
gardener cut down my stash in front
of my house. For years I mourned
the loss of my sexy red poppies who
swayed like dancing girls every
June morn.

Now they have returned! As ugly
as weeds, I prick my finger on
the thorny leaf, as I silently
bid them hello and wonder about
the return of these prodigal
dancing girls.