• Closure

    For a few weeks in 1990 there was a real-live boogey man in my life. He had a name, but at the time no one knew it. For a while everyone thought it was a mentally ill young man named Ed Humphrey, but a while later we learned his real name: Daniel Rolling.

    I remember a partially deserted campus as school stared that fall. I remember ID checkpoints and off-campus housing security meetings. I remember the creepy guy my apartment complex hired to patrol the woods around my school year home. I remember my (then) girlfriend’s mother (now mother-in-law) hesitantly “allowing” a visit several months later.

    The occasion for this entry is Danny Rolling’s death. He was scheduled to die by lethal injection twenty-five minutes ago. According to the St. Pete Times, he was pronouced dead about eleven minutes ago (at 6:13 p.m. EDST). Although it doesn’t take the memories away – faded and partly forgotten though they may be – I hope this gives the families of his victims some relief.

  • The daughter of all deathwatches

    I was sitting with Beth at the allergist’s office, helping her with her “gifted” homework. In the span of a 20-minute shot watch we discussed mid-term elections, the separation of powers, the merits of a bi-camel legislature, term limits, and the unique nature of prime numbers.

    Throughout this light conversation I stole a few glances at the folks sharing the waiting room with us… and they were unsettled. What? Doesn’t everyone discuss the nature of representative government and math theory with their nine-year-old daughters?

  • Smoke, a Barber, mirrors, and a 62-yarder

    I’m calm now.

    I’ve yelled myself hoarse, and I’m home alone. (Must be football season.)

    Now that the adrenaline has flushed from my system, I’ve encountered a few sobering thoughts…

    Passing yards, rushing yards, offensive big plays, and time of possession – all went the Eagles way. The Eagles clearly outplayed the Bucs. The Bucs offense scored all of 6 points, despite having pretty good field position all day – on less than 200 total yards of offense. The Bucs defense gave up something like 500 yards of offense to the Eagles – which included a ridiculous 52-yard play featuring 4 missed tackles that almost ended the game. Statistically the Bucs got KILLED.

    And yet they win by two.

    You take the win, but it’s nothing to brag about.