Cal.E. and d.c. have boarded a flight bound for Laguardia airport in New York City. From there, they will catch a connecting flight to Wilmington, North Carolina. They both believe that will lead them closer to the location of Cal.E.’s kidnapped youngest son, Ralph. However, at Laguardia, they find that their connecting flight is delayed. This results in a four-hour layover in New York City. d.c. does not want to miss the connecting flight, so he decides not to leave the airport. The two companions are each looking for something to do to pass the time.
C.: One two, one two, one two….
d.: Cal.E., what are you doing?
C.: I am counting as high as I can to pass the time. One two, one two…
d.: Why don’t you play a game on your phone?
C.: Because it is dead. I am charging it at one of the charging stations here.
If you had not told the flight attendant that I was your emotional support animal, though, I would still be stuck in my cage. Thanks, d.c. One two, one two
d.: That vest I bought for you off the internet aided my cause. However, I am regretting that decision right now for two reasons…
C.: What are reasons one and two?
d.: Well, your counting is distracting. I am trying to read the newspaper so that I can find a subject to write about in our blog today. The second is that one should NEVER use public outlets to charge his/her cell phone, unless the phone can be charged directly from an electrical outlet…
C.: Why is that?
d.: Because, Cal.E., there are (really smart) dishonest people everywhere! Some are smart enough to commandeer information from your phone when you charge it at a public charging station. Do you have any of our work information on your phone?
C.: Well…, I suppose I should disconnect my phone and just continue to count as high as I can. One, two, one two…
d.: It’s too late to disconnect your phone, Cal.E. If someone wants to gather the information on your phone, they have already done it. Just let it charge. AND the number after two is THREE!!
C.: Okay. One, two, one two.
d.: (heavy sigh) Okay, Cal.E., what did you want to talk about?
C.: How about telling me about the articles you are reading in the newspaper.?
d.: Okay. It is actually very interesting. I thought the Astros’ players (especially Jose` Altuve) had gotten the rawest deal of any professional baseball players in the history of Major League Baseball. As it turns out, that is not true. According to Wikipedia, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson was dealt an even more unfair fate.
Jackson, and seven of his teammates, were accused of losing the 1919 World Series on purpose…
C.: Why would they do THAT?!
d.: Because, Cal.E., they were each paid $5,000 to throw the games. Even though that doesn't sound like much to us, to a player like “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, that was a lot of money back then!
C.: Why is that, d.c.?
d.: Because he came from such a poor background that he was forced to start working at a sewing factory at the age of six. As a result, he never received any formal education. Jackson never learned to read or write because of his upbringing.
Even though a federal judge found all eight players innocent of any criminal activity two years later, the new commissioner of baseball, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, banned all eight of the players from ever playing in the major leagues again. Later, when the Baseball Hall of Fame was founded in 1936, all eight players were also banned from ever being inducted. That kept a player with a .356 lifetime batting average (Jackson) out of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The REAL crime, though, is that Jackson has not even been inducted posthumously. This is true even though his seven teammates admitted that Jackson never took any money. One of his teammates gave him the money, and he threw it back at the other player. Jackson never collected ANY money, by all accounts.
Apparently, “Shoeless Joe” was fond of alcohol, so his teammates got him drunk before the criminal trial. The team’s lawyer, who was representing Jackson, (a clear conflict of interest) then proceeded to put words in his mouth, implying that he helped throw the games. Jackson’s 12 hits in the World Series stood as the record until 1964. It hardly sounds like he was not playing his best! However, the lawyer thought that his team would increase its credibility if they convinced Jackson, one of the best players in the major leagues at the time, to admit he was in on the fix.
Jackson’s teammates later admitted he NEVER was in on their plan. But, Baseball Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis refused to lift the lifetime ban on Jackson. This resulted in “Shoeless Joe” being forced to play and manage in semi-pro baseball under various assumed names to earn a living. It also kept him out of the Baseball Hall of Fame…are you listening, Cal.E.?
C.: … Oh, yeah. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson was never admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame because he liked ethyl alcohol and was accused of cheating… blah, blah blah. I was just looking at YOUR phone, while mine charges. It looks like you and your family are having a big shindig in the near future. Your sister says to wear “casual dress.” d.c., do you even own a dress, either casual OR formal?
d.: No, and I don’t think that is what she means…
C.: Oh well, maybe you could borrow one from Eudora if you lost another twenty pounds…
d.: Check your phone and see if it is charged yet, PLEASE!
C.: There is a text from Ralph on it, but I don’t have enough battery yet to read this very long text. I will forward it to you, and you read it.
d.: Oh, no. It looks like we need to change our plans. THAT will cost us another couple of hours, I’m sure.
C.: Why is that, d.c.?
d.: Because, I would say that we are headed for Atlanta, not Wilmington.. Read the text yourself.
Georgia, Georgia
The whole day through
An' just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind.
Georgia, Georgia
A song of you
Comes as sweet and clear
As moonlight through the pines.
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you
Georgia, Georgia
No peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
Georgia, Georgia
No peace I find
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
Just an old sweet song
Keeps Georgia on my mind
On my mind
On my mind
On my mind
On my mind
On my mind
On my mind
On my mind
On my mind
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell
Georgia On My Mind lyrics © Reservoir Media Music, Peermusic Iii Ltd
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