Basketball and bagels
You know there’s just not enough excitement in this world. Take last week. Bor-ing. I can’t think of one thing that happened. Maybe this week will have more compelling news. Perhaps give us something to talk about at dinner. *** Former basketball great Paul Westphal died recently and it reminded me when all is said and done, no one is going to remember how much money we made, unless we shared it with people, how big our house was, unless we invited them in, or where we went to school, unless we wrote a recommendation letter for a high school senior looking for a leg up, but whether we made them feel comfortable, made them laugh and lightened their load at a time when life seemed heavier than an 80-pound bag of cement.
The L.A. Times’ Dan Woike recounted this story in his obit about Westphal:
“(Danny) Ainge remembered a time when (Charles) Barkley was late for a game, with Westphal, Ainge and the rest of the Suns staring at Barkley’s jersey hanging in his locker as the minutes counted down to the 7 p.m. tipoff.
“’We could all see Charles’ uniform in the locker. Nobody said anything about it, but everyone knew what was going on,’ Ainge said. ‘We’re sitting and waiting and finally Paul gets up and says, “Well, if he’s not here by 7:10, he’s not starting.” And then he just walked out.’”
The only thing that rivals grace under pressure may be humor under pressure. *** Stockdale High English teacher Andrew Chilton is one of the young lions in the local teaching field and is also a fan of writing. He suggested I read Rick Bragg, a terrific writer from Alabama, who specializes in short form — 600 to 700 words — similar to what I do.
The only thing Bragg has over me is talent, several New York Times’ bestsellers and more zeroes on the left side of the decimal point. Besides that, we’re about the same.
I knew I was in tall cotton when I read his introduction to “My Southern Journey” about being far away from home and listening to Hank Williams.
“I put on Hank Williams, ‘His Greatest Hits’ on the $20 CD player I had paid $200 for in Times Square, and listened to him sing.
“As I slouched there, in that cramped and dingy apartment, and I let Hank do what Hank has always done for my people:
“He spread out the pain and loneliness of this world wide and thin enough so that we could stand on it, so that, instead of pressing down on one poor fool so much, it covered us all, as one.” *** I have two movie recommendations courtesy of my friend Glenn who ought to start his own “Ask Glenn” feature.
“The Hundred-foot Journey” on Netflix is wonderful. Touching, humorous and how often going home is more important than living in a more glamorous but less friendly place. How did some of us miss this film made in 2014? It hits the spot right now.
Then watch “The Sapphires” about four talented Australian aboriginal girls who form a band and end up traveling to Vietnam to entertain the U.S. troops. Great music and an uplifting story. *** Food of the week: Parmesan-crusted, waterboiled bagels at Costco. What I suggest, no demand, is to toast the bagel (slice it into thirds) and then layer some thin chunks of Coastal English cheddar cheese, also available at Costco, on top.
It may be the best bagel experience you’ve ever had in your life.