Spring has arrived. That means longer days, baseball, and my next release. The short story, "Eyes of Payne," will debut on Friday, March 27th. It will be available only through Amazon, but don't forget! ANY type of device can get the Kindle App. The story takes place in California on September 11th, 2001. For those of you who've read Lazarus Rising it is a prequel. Jack Payne is the main character in "Eyes of Payne," as he tries to deal with the death of his wife and how to tell his six year old daughter (Abigail). The journey through that day for the Payne family takes more than one twist and turn. A great introduction to the novel (Lazarus Rising) and an awesome ride for those whom have already read it.
Baseball. Nothing cries out "Spring" like the sound of a 90 MPH fastball hitting the catcher's glove. Certainly as a Cubs fan this is usually the only time I am filled with hope for my team... but this year is different! The hapless Cubs have a legitimate shot at actually being good. The minor leagues are stacked and the front office really did spend some money on real live stars. The battered Cubs have also signed Maddon to manage the team and look as if they are headed in the right direction. All there is left to do is pray there is not a Bartman in our future.
Finally, I need to say something about what happened recently in Ferguson. Two cops were injured in a shooting the other night. This is bad not only for the police, but also for those protesting. The protestors have every right to peacefully have their voices heard. Nothing should ever hinder the rights of those who feel it necessary to speak up about where they see injustice. I have been a part of one before; there is nothing more American. The police should be able to serve their community by making sure everyone... yes everyone... is protected. We need to support the police in what they do. I would venture to guess that over 95% of officers are good men and women doing a dangerous job that saves more lives than takes them. The communities that end up suffering the most when this kind of nonsense happens are the poor and crime-filled ones. I ask that we remember the next time we come in contact with an officer we thank him or her for their service, just like many of us have been doing with our military. In certain sections of our country the police go into a literal war zone daily. We can still hold those who abuse their position accountable AND reach out to those who deserve our gratitude. They have taken enough abuse lately... it's time to let the good ones get back to work!
I also have a feeling that we will learn the protestors were not responsible for the shooting. It will be some radical lune tied to some anarchy-type group. The idea is to get the police to overreact by either making a mistake that leads to their inability to properly do their job in the future, or create chaos in the crowd that leads to the end of a peaceful protest. This would lead to shutting down the protestors creating the narrative of a police state. Just like we don't want to define the police department by a few bad apples we also don't want to dismiss those who feel disenfranchised. I have a feeling we will see more of these wackos disguised as protestors trying to take advantage of the turmoil. My hope is, as a nation, we will be able to keep our head in the game and not allow this to distract us on working towards becoming a better country. Looking around at how crazy the world has become being considered the best nation is not really that much of a stretch. That being said, we should take notice of how far we have come. The United States has made its mistakes, but as a people we have always strived for better... for the best.
God Bless...
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