Charity at the U

It's so easy to be pessimistic about the future. Macroscopically, the planet's warming towards cataclysmic end, and on a smaller scale, our president seems bent on having the weakest foreign policy since Jummy Carter. Although crime is down, statistically, each week there are tales of young black guys killing each other in tough neighborhoods, and it also seems that weekly some poor pedestrian gets run down by a driver who keeps going --caught later on, after the alcohol has warn off. So on the positive side, it's terrific to see young folks doing charity -- much more than my friends and I did at a tender age. That shows maybe things will be ok... My Ds amaze me in this regard. D1 works full time, and puts in a LOT of time in her two groups. She jokingly calls them "my Jewish group, and my Gentile group." The gentile one is Junior League, and she takes therapy dogs to nursing homes and schools -- actual hours of weekend time, not just nice lunches at meetings. For the Jewish ones, she makes and delivers food baskets to elderly shut ins. D2 puts in lots of time in her sorority -- various events that help folks in Gville, and she is always donating to this or that fund. Yesterday, Wifey and I took advantage of some time off from our houseguest Elizabeth -- in town for her yearly attendance at a generous cousin's events. The cousin pays for upwards of 50 family members to have lunch and dinner --and Elizabeth stays with us between trips to Doral and Coral Way and gym time with her sister, who lives in the Grove. So we headed over to the U, where Dr. Barry's boys were spending an entire day at a Cancer Relay -- walking from noon to midnight, and taking part in events to pass the time. They go each year with their awesome Aunt Phyllis -- whose husband Marty is a cancer survivor, and gives back to say thanks for his cure. When I was 17 and 18, the boys' ages, the only thing that would get me to do anything for an entire Saturday involved alcohol and Jones Beach or the North Shore's Planting Fields. Maybe there was a charity car wash or two -- but that was only for a couple of hours, and had the added benefit of seeing some classmates in bikinis... Not Barry's fine young men -- they were there, and they enjoyed it, and they made my day. I guess it's no surprise. Their Aunt Phyllis is a long time Broward teacher -- she now teaches other teachers how to teach reading. She's made a career of service to others. And Barry, of course, works essentially three jobs, all underpaid, making the sickest kids better, and more, teaching new crops of pediatricians. So the apples haven't fallen too far from this family tree. Wifey and I celebrated our visit to the U with a dinner at Shorty's -- her suggestion. As she noted, I NEVER turn down a chance for their barbecue... We headed home, and I made a rare impulse buy -- tickets to see the Who this upcoming Friday at the AAA. We usually avoid big venue concerts, but Wifey was game, so we'll meet at Trulucks so I can get properly in the mood to dance in public, and then we'll take the MetroMover to the arena. There are worse Friday nights... But back at the U, the young men of tomorrow gave of themselves. And it warmed me...