1- Be Prepared – 4/1/2019

2 – Back in the Day – 5/18/2019

3- Fun on the road – the untold rewards of being an Uber/Lyft driver – 10/5/2019

4 – Now what do I do? The whole World is Turned Upside Down! – 3/22/2020

5 – Keeping it all in perspective! – 3/25/2020

6 – Following the Data – a simple application for daily life that will make you healthier! – One ounce/gulp – 4/17/2020

7 – Leadership – You Gotta Believe – 4/28/2020

8 – Humor is (almost) always appropriate – 4/29/2020

9 – Leadership Rivalries – Woody Hayes and the “State Up North” – 5/3/2020

10 – Silver Linings often turn gold! Or “Charlie 234 where are you? – 5/6/2020

11 – Hockey, French, and Space – I almost became an Astronaut! – 5/7/2020

12 – French, Drinking, and Space (Tallman, Borman, and Beyond!) – 5/12/2020

13 – Space – My Final Post about the Final Frontier (probably) – 5/13/2020

14 – The Best Job in the US Army (for me) – Rutgers Army ROTC! – 5/18/2020

15 – Memorial Day – Remembering “Uncle Norm” – 5/22/2020

16 – They Still Called me SIR! – 6/2/2020

17 – Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself – 6/7/2020

18 – Elvis Has Left the Building! – 6/9/2020

19 – Expectations vs Reality: Communications is the KEY! – 6/17/2020

20 – Even “Greatest Generation” Big Boys Do Cry – 6/24/2020

21 – Always be the One they are Asking For – 6/27/2020

22 – Almost Made it on Seinfield! – 6/28/2020

23 – Cal Ripken, jr and I streaked together in the 1990s! – 6/28/2020

24 – My First Post Covid Post – 5/2/2022

25 – Life Goes On – Corky and the Bartender – 9/3/2023

26 – The Glass is MORE than half full! – 11/12/2023

27 – Serendipity on Steroids (SoS #1) – Moving from MD to MA – 2/2/2024

28 – Serendipity on Steroids (SoS #2) – Lyft to Love – 2/4/2024

29 – Serendipity on Steroids (SoS #3) – Serendipity to Serenading – 3/7/2024

30 – Serendipity on Steroids (SoS #4) Finding Culture in Foxborough – 3/7/2024

31 – Serendipity on Steroids (SoS #5) – The Football Miracles of 2023 – 3/8/2024

32 – Public School Teaching – From Michigan to Maryland to Massachusetts – The Kids call me “Colonel”! – 3/15/2024

“Good morning class! My name is Mr. Sanders…I moved to Massachusetts from the State of Maryland just three months ago. I served in the United States Army for 23 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel. That makes me a real “Colonel Sanders”! Yup, just like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I know, it’s kind of funny, so go ahead and laugh…. Ok, that’s enough laughter, it’s time to get serious about education.”

The above narrative is how I addressed Foxborough Public School students at Foxborough High School, THE Ahern Middle School, as well as at THE Burrell, THE Igo, and THE Taylor Elementary Schools in September 2023 when I first walked into the classroom.  I find it helps me bond with students (the laughter part), yet gets the point across not to try and get away with anything. BTW, why did I capitalize THE with many of the school names? Because the people in Foxborough put a THE in front of four of their five public schools (Foxborough High School got a bye). When I investigated, I found that the Chair of the Foxborough Schools Committee, a Mr. Richard Pearson, is a graduate of THE Ohio State University. See photo below…

Foxborough townies state that “we’ve always done it that way,” and do not credit Mr. Pearson, but being from Michigan, I’m not changing my story. (Since this story is about education, you may ask why does the Buckeye Nation refer to OSU as THE Ohio State University. Well, it had something to do with a legal case between OSU and Ohio University that OSU won. That’s more than I want to know, I’m from Michigan and I don’t care. (But I still love Woody Hayes (See my earlier story about Woody, CK#9))

This real Colonel Sanders loves interacting with the future leaders of the best team in the world, America. (for context, go back and read my previous story, CK#31 – Serendipity on Steroids (SoS#5) – The Football Miracles of 2023!)  (For the record, there are two different ranks that have the word “Colonel” in it. One is “Lieutenant Colonel” and the other is just plain “Colonel,” which is sometimes referred to as a “full bird colonel” which reflects the symbol worn on the military uniform. While I’m at it, for the millions of you reading this article, the entry level officer rank for army officers is second lieutenant. Next up the line is first lieutenant, followed by captain, major, and then lieutenant colonel. After lieutenant colonel comes colonel, brigadier general (one-star), major general (two-star), lieutenant general (3-star), and then general (4-star). There have been a few 5-star generals over history). (Editor’s note: While I was a West Point cadet, I roomed with two cadets who eventually made it to the rank of lieutenant general while in the army. One, LTG Frank Helmick, oversaw the overall operation that captured Saddam Hussein and the other, LTG Guy Swan, served for a period as the commander of the Military District of Washington and as part of his duties (and honor) was escorting Mrs. Ford at President Gerald Ford’s funeral service. I kiddingly refer to myself as the “General Mentor” and really wonder how many West Pointers can honestly say they roomed with TWO general officers, let alone three-star generals! For those of you who like to call me “Colonel,” do not ask me why I did not make the rank of general officer. Read my other blog stories and you’ll find your answer!

Back to the classroom… my love of teaching was triggered by a man who had a huge impact on me, a gentleman by the name of P. Michael Halstead (I call him Mike today, but Mr. Halstead for many years). Mr. Halstead was my American History teacher in eighth grade and then my basketball coach in ninth grade at Levey Junior High School where I grew up in Southfield, Michigan. Mr. Halstead was the toughest, fairest coach I have ever played for in my entire life. He was a big proponent of physical conditioning, kind of like Vince Lombardi from the Green Bay Packers. Mr. Halstead was too tough for many people as we only had a total of seven (yes, that’s a “7”) people on our basketball team. We were in great shape! Importantly for me, it was the discipline and devotion to teamwork that I learned from Mr. Halstead that prepared me both mentally and physically for the challenges I would face as a cadet at West Point.

My substitute teaching experience began in the State of Maryland. During the job interview, the HR Director asked me, “Joe, where do you prefer to teach?” I replied, “You put me where nobody else wants to go. After 23 years of military service, if I cannot handle a classroom of kids, our whole country is in trouble!” I started out teaching in all the schools (Kindergarten through 12^th grade), but shortly after starting I received a request from that same HR Director to work as a “permanent substitute teacher” at the middle school. He said we needed some “leadership help” there and I soon learned that the below depiction of schoolteachers was fairly accurate:

When you observe the “Middle School” teacher in the above photo, you have an idea of how I had to act in the very first hour of my first day of my “permanent substitute” role at the middle school (which will remain nameless). I faced my most serious leadership challenge of my teaching career to date (which includes three years of university teaching as an assistant professor) on that fateful day in April 2023. Allow me to set the scene:

April 13, 2023 – The school secretary had just delivered a list of some 10 names of students who were not allowed to go to the bathroom unescorted. Apparently, they were the troublemakers and would coordinate “meet-ups” that would lead to disturbances in the bathrooms, common areas, etc. I was told that if one of the students asked permission to go to the bathroom, I was to call the front office where a school employee would be dispatched to accompany to and from the latrine (Yup, I said latrine and not bathroom as this is about to turn into a military-like confrontation). My first period was a class full of cocky eighth graders including one female who we will call Stella (whose name has been changed to protect the guilty) whose name appeared on the “No bathroom solo” list. I do not believe Stella had ever been told the word “NO” in her entire life prior to meeting the Colonel. The fun and games began when, just eight minutes after I got the list of names of troublemakers, Stella started walking towards the hallway door. I asked Stella where she was going and she mentioned the bathroom. When I reminded her of the escort rule that applied to her and that she wasn’t allowed to go alone, she said, “Oh, yeah I am going alone, and you can’t stop me!” She had a 10-foot lead on me to the doorway. I instinctively ran to the doorway, as did she as she saw me moving. We arrived simultaneously and collided, with her almost landing in the trash receptacle.  Shocked, she started screaming. “HE HIT ME, DID YOU VIDEO THIS? HE HIT ME!” All 21 other students had their phones out while I defended the doorway like a drill sergeant, or Mr. Clean, with hands on hips. Stella was NOT getting through me to that hallway without an escort, nope not on my watch!

The school had an intercom system which was to be used to contact the office, but it was 20 feet from the door. Taking no chances of giving Stella a chance to escape, I guarded the doorway and commanded the remainder of the students, “Somebody push that intercom button, and then everybody be quite so I can talk.” Somebody pushed the button, the room became silent, and I asked the front office for an escort. The adult finally arrived and, as the escort was walking with Stella, I thanked the escort and said, “I do not want her back in my classroom.” Stella started screaming again, but she didn’t come back that day. The remainder of that class period went exceedingly well. Nobody else chose to challenge the Colonel that day. But wait, the best is yet to come…

The next day I was substituting in the band class during second period. Of course, guess who was in the class? Yup, Stella. When she walked in, our eyes met. She immediately did an about-face and tried to leave the band room when her classmates locked arms creating a barrier and would not let her out of the room. The moment of truth had arrived. We were there, staring into each other’s eyes from a range of less than ten feet with the entire class watching. You could hear a pin drop. Stella nervously grabbed a pencil and flung it towards the hung ceiling in an effort to stick it into the ceiling like a dart in a floor-facing dartboard (if there is such a thing). As the pencil bounced off the ceiling, the whole class, Stella included, locked eyes with me wondering what the Colonel would do in response. It had been just over 24 hours since my first encounter with Stella and I am sure that the story of that initial “introduction” had spread throughout the middle school like wildfire.  I slowly gazed around the entire room, staring into each student’s eyes momentarily before ending up with a prolonged stare contest with Stella. I told her in a very deep, authoritative voice “Stella, you can’t stick more than one out of ten!”

Instantaneously, the entire class yelled “YEAH!” as Stella raced over to pick the pencil up off the ground. She started to hurriedly toss the pencil skyward, and she stuck the third shot, making her one for three. The students yelled “Colonel, you are going to lose this bet.” With baseless confidence I replied, “No Way, she can’t do it” … After several near misses, I ended up being correct…Stella stuck exactly 1 out of 10. I did a ceremonial walk out of the room and stated proudly, “See you kids aren’t as smart as you think you are!” That class went well that day. Everybody, including Stella did what they were supposed to do without incident. I had tamed the wild pony and order was restored. I am proud to say that Stella greeted me in the hall way every time we passed by each other every day after April 14 until I left Maryland in mid-May 2023. I actually remember one time during my final week in Maryland having a good “below the surface” conversation where she thanked me for “being there” for her. I hope to hear good things about her as she progresses through high school and beyond.

All I could think of was Mr. Halstead for setting the example for me…and I knew I had found my calling.

Still cutting my teeth as a new sub in Maryland, I quickly became frustrated that children would not stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance in the morning. I expressed this frustration to the Assistant Principal who explained to me that there had been a court case and legal judgment that teachers cannot “make” students stand and say the Pledge. As a retired army veteran, this did not sit well with me. I gave some thought to the issue and had an AHAH moment! It dawned on me that most students were used to saying “Thank you for your service” when I told them I had served in the military. The military is a respected entity amongst the youth much more now than in the 1970s. So, I decided to change my “Thank you for your Thank you” response to the following exchange:

Student: “Thank you for your service, Colonel Sanders!”

Colonel Sanders: “I REALLY appreciate your thanking me for my service, but I will believe it when I see you actually saying the Pledge of Allegiance, because that flag is why I served.”

It worked…students who got to know me stood up every time and said the Pledge in my classes. There is a saying that it is lot easier do drop a bomb and kill 100,000 people than it is to shoot one person between the eyes. In other words, close human interaction matters, so it is a lot harder to disrespect a flag that you put a face on.

So, let’s talk about substitute teaching in Foxborough, my new hometown. My first interaction with the administration in Foxborough occurred at THE Taylor School when I interviewed for a substitute teacher job with Mike Stanton, Principal at THE Taylor. We had a great interview in that for the first time in over three months I felt like Foxborough was going to be a great place to live. Mike asked me what I liked to do other than teach and that led me to volunteering at the Marilyn Rodman Performing Arts Center which I do on a regular basis. Mike also asked me where I wanted to teach and he got the same answer as the HR Director in Maryland. I knew I was going to like teaching in Foxborough when i saw the below poster on the wall at THE Taylor School where Mike Stanton served as principal:

My first days substitute teaching in Foxborough started with the previously mentioned words, “Good Morning class! My name is Mr. Sanders…I moved to Massachusetts from the State of Maryland just three months ago. I served in the United States Army for 23 years and retired as a lieutenant colonel. That makes me a real “Colonel Sanders”! Yup, just like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I know, it’s kind of funny, so go ahead and laugh…. Ok, that’s enough laughter, it’s time to get serious about education.”

My first day of classes set the tone for every day that followed…every student stood up and recited the Pledge of Allegiance and to this day I have never had to resort to my “I fought for that flag” line.

September begins football season, and as former football player and wanna-be coach, I began attending the Foxborough Warrior football games. I also attended some freshman and JV games as I had the time and wanted to feel part of the community of Foxborough. I began to feel at home in the schools with students, teachers, and administrators, at the athletic events, at the theatrical presentations and felt genuinely welcomed wherever I went.

Having the first every Army/Navy football game in Foxborough in December 2023 gave me a platform for sharing my cadet and army experiences leading up to America’s game. Simultaneously, the Foxborough High School Warrior football team was having a great season and ended up winning the Massachusetts Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium just one week prior to the Army/Navy game.

I was accepted by Foxborough and thoroughly enjoyed joining the students in the stands cheering loudly at the football, and later hockey, basketball, and girls’ basketball games. And, not to be outdone by the football team, the Foxborough High School Girls basketball team, state champs in 2023, successfully defended their title by winning the 2024 Massachusetts State Championship by soundly defeating every team in the state playoffs by more than 20 points! GO WARRIORS!!!

Substitute teaching in Foxborough, Massachusetts has brought me home to what I love to do the most…helping develop the future leadership of the greatest country in the world. I love the moments when I can have a serious one-on-one with a student where I can share part of my experience with them. I feel valued, and appreciate being treated with respect in Foxborough. The greatest reward for me is when I walk into any school in Foxborough only to hear “Good Morning/Afternoon Colonel Sanders” from numerous students, teachers, and administrators throughout the day.

I often say that Foxborough reminds me of Bedford Falls from the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and I feel as blessed to be here in Foxborough as George Bailey did in Bedford Falls.

I love this town and hope to be able to serve America right here in Foxborough for many years to come.

Thank You Foxborough!     

Sick and Tired of Serendipity? OK, for now, this is my final story which falls into the category of Serendipity on Steroids! Do I hear a loud AMEN! out there?

OK, so this Serendipity Story really is Serendipity, and it has to do with all of my favorite football teams. And broader than that, it is about TEAMS in general (and I am not referring to the software program used by the Foxborough Public School System student on-line work).

So, about teams…I reflect to my days as the University Director of Telecommunications at Rutgers University…Those of you who attended my “Talks-Borough” presentation on “Leadership” in January 2024 will recall how much respect I have for the Rutgers University head football coach, Greg Schiano. He coached the Rutgers team from 2001 to 2011 and then resumed in 2020 and coaches there today. While serving as a full time Rutgers employee, I also served in the Army Reserves as a field officer for the West Point Admissions Office. Army and Rutgers would often play each other in football back in Rutgers “pre–Big Ten” era. Those matchups were quite competitive and school spirit for both teams (Rutgers and Army) was quite high during the week preceding the gridiron matchup. I recall with amusement back in 2000-2002 timeframe one of my relatively newly hired employees (a then-new Rutgers graduate) asking me the following question, “Joe, when Army and Rutgers play each other in football, which team do you cheer for?” My first thought was to say “Are you an idiot? I’m an Army grad and Army is my team!” But this was a young, innocent Rutgers man with a question for his almighty telecommunications director, and so I modified my response to the following, “We graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point (as well as those from the US Naval and Air Force Academies) feel that our schools provide the freedom for the rest of the universities in the United States to exist…now, who do you think that I cheer for when Army plays Rutgers?” With confidence, he replied, “Army!” I said, “good answer soldier!”

Before I continue to the Serendipity theme, I highly urge you to read my earlier published story “CK#14 – The Best Job in the US Army (for me) – Rutgers Army ROTC!” which describes my actions in support of the Rutgerrrrrrs team when I served as an assistant professor in the Rutgers Army ROTC Program. I didn’t get thrown into jail for my role in planning the violation of US airspace (yes, REALLY) (this was pre-nine eleven), so I felt comfortable sharing it with you.

I digress…

First of all, I must start this story with an editorial comment about rooting for the home team. Right now I live in the same town where the New England Patriots play. Naturally, most of my Foxborough friends (probably all of them) are New England Patriot fans. Makes total sense, especially since historically they truly have been a “Dynasty” over the years. And the Greatest of All Time, the “GOAT,” Tom Brady, won most of his Super Bowls in a New England Patriots uniform.

Continuing this “team theme,” last December the Army/Navy football game was played right here in Foxborough.

The Army/Navy game is commonly referred to as “America’s Game.” Why you ask? The answer is simple…Both Army and Navy (and Air Force) are fighting for the greatest team known as our country, The United States of AMERICA! That is why my heart swells in pride when I see the below photo of the Army and Navy players.

So, here comes my mid-story plug for US Veterans…. we, the citizens who have CHOSEN to serve the greatest team, AMERICA, all come from somewhere that may not coincide with where we end up. For example, I was born in the Detroit, Michigan area. I went to West Point (New York), then served in Oklahoma, Germany, Holland, Australia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and, for the last 9 months, Massachusetts. Yes, even though I am a retired US Army officer, I am still serving my country in the schools and the community at large here in Foxborough. If you don’t believe me, see the below letter from the Kraft organization:

Despite the above letter, don’t ask me who I would root for if the Detroit Lions ever play the Patriots, I told you where I am from originally. I am a Levey jr. High Jaguar, Southfield High School Warrior, Foxborough High School Warrior, Army Black Knight, Michigan Wolverine, Michigan State Spartan, and Detroit Lions fan. Throw in a University of Oklahoma Sooner (got one of my Master Degrees there) fan for extra measure. And for those of you who subscribe to the thought that only Philadelphia Eagle fans are true patriots, get over yourselves, you just happen to have grown up near Philly, there is nothing better about it than the rest of us growing up where we did. And IF you are a Philly fan reading this, leave my car and property alone, I can fight dirty too!

Whew, finally on to the football miracles of 2023!  

The first serendipitous element of this story was mentioned in my November 9, 2023 “Foxtale” story where my son, Ian (named that because “Ian” means “Warrior”) was my hero and I ended up in Foxborough, home of the “Warriors”. I also learned that my Southfield High School has changed its name from the “Blue Jays” to the “Warriors.” So, I am truly a multi-Warriors fan (not Golden State Warriors, though).

As a multi-Warriors fan, in 2023 I attended as many Foxborough High School Warrior football games as I could and was thrilled to attend and observe my Foxborough Warrior football win the Massachusetts High School Championship game on December 1, 2023. SERENDIPITOUSLY, I learned a few days later that my beloved Southfield High School Warrior team won the Michigan State High School football championship on the same weekend!

Speaking of the Army/Navy game, this year’s game was even more special as the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy (awarded to the service academy with the best inter-academy record) was up for grabs if Army could beat Navy. As mentioned briefly in my previous CK#30 Serendipity story, the Army football team positioned themselves to win the CIC trophy by pulling off a major upset in Denver against the highly favored (20 point favored!) Air Force Falcon team. The Army team dominated Air Force that early November 2023 day, reversing the score by beating the Falcons by 20 points (a full 40-point swing between expectations and reality) On Brave Old Army Team! So, the stage was set for Army/Navy 2023, right here in my new home, Foxborough.

In an exciting game, my Army team beat Navy on December 9, 2023 to claim the Commander-in-Chief trophy, adding to my 2023 miracle season results.         

Next up was the remainder of the college football playoffs and the NFL playoffs…Being from the state of Michigan, I was naturally pulling for the Michigan Wolverines to beat Ohio State. Michigan beat the undefeated Buckeyes (See CK#9 – Leadership Rivalries – Woody Hayes and the “State Up North) and then proceed to surprise the college football world and ended up being crowned the NCAA National Champions in January 2024.

The only thing left on my dream list was for the Detroit Lions to win the Super Bowl! I would have been happy to see them get to the Super Bowl. For my neighbors and other Patriot fans, let me just say you have been spoiled. I, like you, love Tom Brady (remember, he played for the Michigan Wolverines before he became a New England Patriot!). The Lions ended up one game shy of their first ever Super Bowl THIS year. It won’t be that way forever. They WILL get there soon and they WILL WIN.

But for now, I must be happy with a phrase I borrow from my late, great boss, Don Smith, who once told me, “We can’t let perfect be the enemy of good!”

And so it is… Serendipity on Steroids is complete, the football miracles of 2023 are history and I look forward to seeing what life brings as summer approaches. Stay well and healthy my friends!

Next Up – Substitute Teaching in Foxborough – The Kids call me Colonel? – Stay Tuned!

Less than a week after I signed up for the Senior Serenaders (please see previous post CK#29) , I found myself attending my first meeting of the Township of Foxborough’s “Cultural Council” on November 1, 2023. Quite frankly, I had no idea what the Cultural Council did, but I figured that my learning a little bit more about “Culture” could only be a positive in my life. The meeting was held in the Foxborough Public Safety building, a place I had never been before. I was a little concerned as I was the first person in the room. Once the Council members arrived, they made me feel especially welcome. I could tell that not many non-Council guests attended these meetings as I was invited to sit at the table with the other four or five people on the Council. I found all the Council members to be warm and inviting individuals…what you might expect at a meeting of “Cultural Council” members!

As usual, I made myself right at home conversing with the assembled individuals and at one point one of the ladies asked me the following question, “Joe, do you like telling stories?” …I answered the question as follows; “Well, one of the entries on my Linked-IN page is listed as “LYFT Driver and Story Teller.” More than one person laughed and stated words to the effect “I KNEW IT!” That was all it took…the next thing I know I am contacting Jared Craig, leader of the Foxborough’s “Foxtale” story telling program to sign up to tell a story with a theme of “Heroism” (the story was to be told two days before Veteran’s Day, hence the theme).

What adds some spice to this story is that the story needed to be approved by Jared Craig first. The Foxtale event was to be held on November 9, and I was scheduled to fly to Denver, Colorado on November 3 for four days to visit my oldest daughter and meet up with West Point classmates to attend the Army/Air Force football game. Prior to my attending the Cultural Council meeting on November 1st, the last thing on my mind was preparing for a story to be told on November 9 when I wasn’t even going to be back in Massachusetts until November 7. No problem, the Colonel had a story all ready to go….that is, until I spoke to Jared Craig on the phone.

You see, just one year prior, I had been a quest speaker at Kent County High School (Maryland) on Veterans’ Day. I had used Toby Keith’s song “American Soldier” as the basis of my story which drew parallels between the heroes of our military and those in our public-school teacher ranks. I figured I would dust this story off and present it at Foxtales the next week. Since I had sent Jared a link to this blog site, Jared reviewed my site and, on a phone call the day before I was to fly to Colorado, Jared and I spoke. I told him of my plans to retell the Toby Keith “American Soldier” story and he gave me some great coaching. He told me, “Joe I read your blog site stories, and your son, Ian is your heroism story.” I suddenly was overcome with both fear and emotion. In fact, my son and his story had been one of heroism, and I feared that I would not have the time to properly prepare the seven-minute story. The emotional part was the realization that my young son with Downs’ Syndrome, who never made it to his third birthday, had actually been my hero. I suddenly felt this intense desire to not let my son down, I wanted to tell his story in the worst way, thanks to Jared Craig.

After that phone call, and for the next week, the miracles happened. I flew to Denver, had a great visit with my daughter and West Point classmates, and the heavy underdog Army football team upset the 20-point favorite nationally ranked, undefeated Air Force football team by a score of 23-3. It was an Army blowout that almost nobody expected. That whole week I revised my notes hundreds of times and practiced telling my son’s story to the mirror more than 20 times. I practiced to myself on the flights to and from Denver and in the evenings at the Denver Air BNB. I told my story to my daughter who had known Ian and she loved the story that I told “AS IS.” I practiced until I didn’t have to refer to notes any more…this actual Foxtale presentation needed to be perfect.

I was one of 6 story tellers on the topic of “Heroism” on November 9. I was the last speaker and I was so thankful that my youngest daughter was able to attend the story. After I told the story, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. At the event, Jared hands out one voting chip to each spectator and story teller. After all presentations are completed, attendees “vote” for best story told by putting their voting chip into a jar with the story teller’s picture on it. My daughter told me that she saw another story teller putting their voting chip in my jar as opposed to his own, an ultimate compliment. I was the “winner” that night, collecting the most chips.

So, there it is, Serendipity on Steroids #4, a story of how a simple visit to a Cultural Council meeting led to an introduction to Jared Craig and “Foxtales” which has come full circle with my appointment by the Foxborough Board of Selectman within the past month as a member of that very Foxborough Cultural Council.

I have since signed up to present on “Turning the Page” at the April 25, 2024 “Foxtale” night and am playing in a speaking role in Patrick Jerome’s presentation of “Candlelight My Way” which premiers at the Boston International Film Festival on April 14, 2024.  I guess you could say I have found some culture since moving to Foxborough last June!

Up next, Serendipity on Steroids #5…The Football Miracles of 2023!

October 25, 2023 was a beautiful sunny day in Foxborough Massachusetts. My day started with a swim at the local YMCA followed by a half day of substitute teaching at the Ahern Middle School. After classes around 11:30am I headed to Fred’s Auto Repair in Mansfield to get a plug put into my leaky tire … they finished just in time to for me to get to the Foxborough Senior Center to hear the then Acting Town Manager, Paige Duncan, give an update to the seniors of Foxborough. These “updates” are a quaint, personal discussion with the seniors. I sat in the back row of about 4 rows with approximately 20 other seniors anxious to hear the update from Paige. I sensed that the seniors in attendance liked Paige, and that she liked them. It was a friendly conversation, packed with both township and personal insights. This was the first time I had ever been in the Senior Center and the first time I had met any of my fellow seniors. I found the 45-minute experience with Paige and the seniors very comfortable and enjoyable. It was yet another “good feeling” that I got as a new Foxborough resident. Prior to attending the Acting Town Manager update, my plans for that afternoon had been to drive to Patriot Place to take a free tour of the new “Gilette Lighthouse.” It was the last afternoon that Foxborough residents were going to be admitted for free. Being a beautiful day, I had decided to take advantage of my new residency benefit.

Well, a funny thing happened on my way to the Forum, I mean Lighthouse. Just prior to the end of Paige’s discussion with the seniors (of which 90% were female), the thought occurred to me that I probably wasn’t the only one in the room who might want to visit the Lighthouse. So, just as Paige finished her overview, I introduced myself to those gathered and offered to drive up to four people in the room to the Lighthouse and then bring them back to the Senior Center. I had four volunteers before I could finish saying my last name… so we all left the Center and piled into my gold 2012 Toyota Camry to head to Patriot Place.

And now, as the late, great Paul Harvey used to say, is “the rest of the story” …

On the way to the Lighthouse the ladies and I had a great conversation…it was mostly me telling them about myself and my move to Foxborough. One of the ladies in the car was Jeanne Bonneau…and if you know Jeanne, you know where this conversation is heading…

Jeanne is the lady who leads the singing group known as the “Serenading Seniors.” The group practices every Wednesday morning and performs several times a year during the holidays and often at other senior centers. It “just so happened” that the “Serenaders” had a vacancy for a male vocalist, so in the car ride back from the Gillette Lighthouse to the Foxborough Senior Center, Jeanne Bonneau had recruited the newest member of the Senior Serenaders, LTC (R) Joe Sanders This whole experience could normally fall into the category of “No good deed goes unpunished” except for the fact that I have loved every moment I have spent and spend with the Senior Serenaders. While performing with the Serenaders I have met many other great people in Foxborough and was introduced to another singing group which includes special needs adults … I have recently joined that group, known as the YMCA sponsored “Inclusive Glee Club” or the “Hockomock Glee Club” So, my “Serendipity on Steroids” stories continue, this time highlighting how I became a Serenading Senior and Hockomock Glee Club member!  

Next Up…Serendipity on Steroids #4…the story of how a random visit to a Foxborough Cultural Committee meeting ended up triggering an award-winning story telling experience less than 10 days later at the Foxborough “Foxtale” story telling competition! Please stay tuned!

If you are just tuning in to my blog site for the first time, I recommend you go back and read the most recently posted story entitled “Serendipity on Steroids” which is also referred to as “SoS#1”. Today’s story is a follow-up to “SoS#1” and describes how my Lyft driving assignment triggered my current love affair with the Town of Foxborough. SoS#2 is just the second in a series of SoS happenings that have occurred since my leaving Maryland last May.

OK, let’s roll. This one is a relatively short one….

I moved into my apartment in Foxborough, MA on June 1, 2023, had my driver’s license, auto registration, and auto inspection by June 2, 2023, and was driving for Lyft by June 6, 2023, the 79^th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in WWII. June 6 was my own personal “B-Day”, the day I hit the streets of Boston driving people all around the Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island area.

Having been through bankruptcy much earlier in my life, being recently divorced, and having just moved to an apartment that where the rent was more than doubled from my rent in Chestertown, MD, I “took to the streets” (driving for Lyft) several hours a day to make as much money as I could during the summer of 2023. On more than one occasion last summer my Lyft App would log me out and not let me log back in for several hours, citing safety concerns for driving too many hours in a 24-hour period.

I am a “people person” and one of the things I enjoy about driving for Lyft is the ability to speak with many people who are my passengers. Since I live in Foxborough, an ideal day of Lyft driving would typically begin with an early (4:00am – ish) customer pick up in Foxborough for a drop off at Boston’s Logan Airport. There would usually be a customer at the airport who needed a ride home or to a place of business so that before 6:00am I would have made at least $50 for the day as a good start towards my daily goal of $200.

So, you ask how in the heck could driving for Lyft make me fall in love with the Town of Foxborough?

It is quite simple. It started soon after I began driving for Lyft and picked up a Foxborough resident who was heading for Logan Airport. We had a great conversation during the ride and the person gave me his contact information and “highly encouraged” me to apply for the recently vacated Foxborough Town Manager position. I thought it was interesting that a heretofore complete stranger was endorsing me for the top paying, highest profile job in the entire town.

The SoS#2 really kicked in less than ten days later when another Foxborough resident that I had met at Jake and Joe’s also mentioned to me that I should apply for the job. I had not said a word about my previous discussion with a Foxborough resident, this was an independent recommendation based upon less than an hour of conversation.

As the summer went on, I started having feelings that, while I was living in Foxborough, I did not feel like a part of the community. As a migrant Lyft driver, I didn’t feel the connection to my new hometown. I was planning on applying for a substitute teacher position when September rolled around, but that $200K+ job opportunity kept entering my thoughts. I had heard that the story behind the departure of the previous town manager after only a few months in the office wasn’t being made public, so I immediately assumed that the Town of Foxborough would want someone with no “baggage” and my moving to Foxborough just last summer meant that I had no allegiances in the area to detract from my profile. And how cool was it that, as a West Point graduate, the Army/Navy game was going to be played right here in my own back yard in Foxborough for the first time ever! To me, it seemed the stars were aligned, and I suddenly felt a major calling to dive in to the “race.”

So, realizing that I would have a steep learning curve if chosen for the job, I decided to go to every Board of Selectmen meeting and every other public town committee meeting I could attend. If I were to be hired as Town Manager of Foxborough, I would have to know and work with many people from many committees and departments and I decided to attack that learning curve with a vengeance.

The love affair with Foxborough began in September 2023 when I applied for a substitute teacher position in the Foxborough Public School District, got hired as the official kickball umpire for the Foxborough ladies kickball league (being recently divorced, “serving” as a lady kickball umpire seemed like a good fit LOL!), began volunteering at the Marilyn Rodman Performing Arts Center (known to the townies as the “Orpheum”), attended the funeral of Foxborough’s beloved Jack Authelet, and began attending public meetings. I remember specifically attending a special town hall meeting, plus meetings of the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission, Housing Authority, Board of Assessors, Veteran Services Advisory Committee (VSAC), Board of Selectmen (several times), the Acting Town Manager’s monthly update at the Senior Center (several times), Council on Aging and Human Services, Board of Health, Cultural Council (several times), Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Council, Recreation, Personnel Committee, School Committee (several times), Commission on Disability, Town Manager Screening Committee, and the Planning Committee. Add to all of these meetings numerous days of substitute teaching at THE Burrell, THE Taylor, and THE Igo Elementary Schools as well as THE Ahern Middle School and Foxborough High School and attendance at numerous school sporting events and school plays. By December 2023, I felt fully accepted AND respected as not only a member, but as a leader in the Foxborough community.  As “Colonel Sanders” to the school students and as “Charmonicolonel Sanders” on the Facebook “Uptown Happenings” and “Foxboro Discussions” sites, I found that I was welcomed everywhere I went. I was often asked my opinion as a resident at many of the committee meetings, even though I was not on any of the committees at the time. (I have since been appointed to the VSAC and am awaiting approval of my application to become a member of the Cultural Council)

So, that’s it for SoS#2…. two independent (serendipitous) recommendations from Foxborough residents to throw my hat into the ring for the Town Manager position launched my campaign which resulted in my feeling accepted and welcomed in my newest and hopefully last hometown! Thank you Foxborough!

Stay tuned for SoS#3 where yet another serendipitous event opened my eyes to more avenues of service here in Foxborough! Talk to you soon!

Wow, what can I say? It is now February 2024 and all I can say is that in the last 7 months my life has been like “Serendipity on Steroids” Just to make sure I wasn’t using a big word (Serendipity) inappropriately, I looked its meaning up in Websters Dictionary. Here is what good old Daniel said:

Serendipity – “the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for”

Yup, that’s the word I AM seeking!

So, let’s get into it….” Serendipity on Steroids”

Having been married and now divorced twice I made the decision to spend my remaining life in New England close to two of my three daughters and both of my grandchildren. Having served 23 years in the army, I had travelled and lived in many places and frankly, I wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of living in a cold and possibly snowy region. Having grown up in Michigan, I wasn’t afraid of bad weather, I just had memories of having to wake up early to deliver newspapers for seven years in northern New Jersey and really despising those rainy, snowy, and icy mornings when I had to get out in the winter weather and scrape ice off of my car at 4:00am before driving to the newspaper drop points (I say “points” as in the plural form of “point” as I would start by driving to the New York Times depot in East Orange, picking up and then delivering 150 NY Times newspapers, followed by driving to Livingston to the Star Ledger depot to pick up another 150 Star Ledgers to deliver them amongst the hilly streets of West Orange). (See story CK #21 entitled “Always Be the One They Are Asking For). By 7:00am, I would be done with my newspaper routes and be on my way to my full-time job as an engineer at New Jersey Bell Telephone Company. Like the old army poster said, “I did more things before 9:00am than most people do all day!” On many of those days I also taught adult education for AT&T employees in the evening.  Yup, those were long days. But Maureen and I had made the decision when the children were young to have her be a stay-at-home mom, and I have no regrets. Like Frank Sinatra and Elvis used to sing in “My Way,” “Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”

The preceding paragraph was not a paid political announcement (look out they are about happen now that the presidential campaigns are underway), but just to explain why I wasn’t necessarily looking forward to making my final duty assignment (yes, I am a lifetime public servant and I am always on duty) in a wintry climate.

This is where the real Serendipity on Steroids begins, and I am going to number them. So, SOS#1 is first:

SOS#1 – “Moving from MD to MA” …Back in March 2023 I traveled to Massachusetts to visit my grandchildren, daughter, and son-in-law. The intention was to begin the process of finding a place for me to live close (within reason) to my grandchildren. I had already compiled a serious spreadsheet of over 25 apartment complexes throughout the Boston metropolitan area. I had preliminarily planned on moving at the end of May in conjunction with the end of my lease in Chestertown, Maryland. I didn’t want to be too close to Boston because I wasn’t sure what I could afford. Also, since it would be summer, I had decided to spend my first months in the Boston area driving for Lyft. I had driven for Lyft in Philly when I lived there and enjoyed the job; the driving, meeting people, and telling stories (and making decent money). After learning about my desire to drive for Lyft, my son-in-law recommended I consider Foxborough by saying words to the effect, “It’s a nice town with plenty to do socially, especially with Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place”

So, I sorted my spreadsheet by location and proceeded to schedule four appointments at different apartment complexes on one St Patrick’s Day in Foxborough. I was looking for to a single bedroom place with a garage and self-contained washer and dryer. At my first appointment I took a tour of a vacant apartment which was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I inquired as to availability and the agent told me that they had a one-bedroom with a private garage and washer/dryer coming available the last week of May (the EXACT timeframe I was hoping to move). Within one hour my search for a place to live was over. I applied for the opening, was accepted, and scheduled a move-in for June 1, 2023. Ironically, while on the tour at my first appointment, representatives from my other three Foxborough locations had called and left me voicemail messages apologizing for having to postpone our appointments for that day… I don’t claim to be Irish, but on St. Patrick’s Day 2023, I got lucky! (By the way, they say that “Luck is preparation meeting opportunity” and I certainly had both going on at once that day!)

SO, I moved into my apartment in Foxborough on June 1, 2023, had my driver’s license, auto registration, and auto inspection by June 2, 2023, and was driving for Lyft by June 6, 2023, the 79^th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in WWII. June 6 was my own personal “B-Day”, the day I hit the streets of Boston driving people all around the Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island area.

Next up will be SOS#2, a story about how my Lyft driving assignment triggered my current love affair with the Town of Foxborough and the wonderful people who live here. See you soon!

Joe Sanders sporting the Lyft jacket I received after giving 1000 rides with a perfect “5” rating

The topic of LEADERSHIP has been the passion of my life, ever since I was in Den 3, Pack 1670 of the Cub Scouts in Southfield, Michigan (Chase ’em down the alley, run ’em down the street, Den 3, Den 3, Can’t be beat!). It continued through my glory days at Levey Junior High, Southfield High (We’re gonna Fight, Fight for Southfield High!), West Point (On Brave Old Army Team)!, and subsequently through successful military and private sector careers. The last few years has found me subscribing to email lists that send out daily motivational quotes. I have enjoyed them all, but the ones included in this post have intrigued me the most. Enjoy, and I hope you find this useful. Remember, the glass isn’t only half full, it’s at least three-quarters full or even better, refillable!!!

So, here we go….ENJOY!!!

If your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.

A horrible ending is better than a horror that never ends.

Sometimes the best way to prove someone wrong is to let them have their own way.

Bad news doesn’t get better with time.

If gravity is on your side, you do not have to push.

Some people MAKE things happen, some WATCH things happen, and others do nothing and end up complaining WHAT HAPPENED?

LEAD, Follow, or GET OUT OF THE WAY!

Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous.

Leadership is not about being in charge, it is about taking care of those in your charge

Leadership is not about being the best, it is about making everyone else better

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are

Changed clouds to coulds and now the sky is full of possibilities

Find ecstasy in life; the mere sense of living is joy enough

We all have ability. The difference is how we use it

You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness

The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities

It always seems impossible till it’s done

We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing

No wise man ever wished to be younger

My dark days made me strong. Or maybe I was already was strong, and they made me prove it

You have to have confidence in your vision or else no one else will trust it

We are stronger when we listen, and smarter when we share.

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today

Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance EDITORS NOTE: (unless you are Elaine from Seinfeld)

The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation, but your thoughts about it

The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts

It always seems impossible till it’s done

I learned that the moment you slow down is the moment you should accelerate

He who has a why in life can tolerate almost any how

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time

Today is where your book begins/The rest is unwritten

We can always begin again

The heart is not like a box that gets filled up; it expands in size the more you love

There’s no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day

The way to make people trustworthy is to trust them

Everything I’ve ever done that’s valuable is something I was terrified to try

You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore

If they don’t give you a seat at the table, you will be on the menu, so bring a folding chair

When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person that walked in

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards

Yield not to misfortunes, but advance all the more boldly against them

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet

It is a happy talent to know how to play

The first time you do something only happens once.

What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.

The person who moves a mountain begins be carrying away small stones

To lead people, walk behind them

Optimism is a happiness magnet

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true: the other is to refuse to believe what is true

There is a point at which even grief feels absurd. And at this point, laughter gushes up to retrieve sanity.

A big part of being confident is being brave, and you can’t be brave unless you are scared

Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations

I believe great people do things before they are ready

The best way out is always through

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly

If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough

When someone tells me “no,” it doesn’t mean that I can’t do it, it simply means I cannot do it with them.

It’s kind of fun to do the impossible

You were once wild. Don’t let them tame you

Creativity is part of human nature, it can only be untaught

Once you realize you can do something, it would be difficult to live with yourself if you didn’t do it.

It does not require many words to speak the truth

Once you’ve matured you will realize that silence is more important than proving a point.

Sometimes the best way to prove somebody wrong is to let them have their own way

You become and inspirational leader when you have the humility to build a team with people more talented than you

The reward for conformity is that everyone likes you but yourself.

The credit belongs to the person who is actually in the arena

For fast-acting relief, try slowing down

Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it

The only lasting truth is change

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

The scariest moment is always just before you start.

Forgiveness does no always change the past, but it does enlarge the future.

You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you

Pain nourishes courage. You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.

Judge each day no by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant

If you don’t let the past die, it won’t let you live

You must believe that your past is not your future

I made some mistakes that I can’t change, But I changed So I Won’t Make the Same Mistakes

Always remember…Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots

Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light

There are times when dreams sustain us more than facts

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing

Imagine living life so carefully that there are no signs you lived at all

Perfect is boring. Human is beautiful

Fear has a very concrete power of keeping us from doing and saying the things that are our purpose

The person of faith, of energy, of warmth…steps in and does something

Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care can we help

The blizzard doesn’t last forever; it just seems so

Stop making excuses; you’re the only one stopping you

Forgiveness does not change the past but it does enlarge the future

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go

My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

Life goes by fast. Enjoy it. Calm down. It’s all funny

Everybody who is honest is interesting

The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship

Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus

Never frown…even when you’re sad. You never know when someone is falling love with your smile

Always plan, no matter how improbable it seems.  The bill for hindsight is much more expensive than receipt for foresight.

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage.

Find your style and stick to it

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

Lieutenant Colonel Sanders

It has literally been years since I last published one of my “life stories.”  To date I have published 25 stories and I have at least that many in “queue”.  I chose to write “Life goes on – Corky and the Bartender” next as it is heartwarming, miraculous in its’ own way, and falls under the category of “You can’t make this stuff up.”

A little background is in order… “Life Goes On” is an American drama television series that first aired on ABC on September 12, 1989 and was the first television series to have a major character with Down’s syndrome. Christopher Joseph “Chris” Burke was born in 1965 with Down’s syndrome and his parents were told to institutionalize him. However, his parents raised him by themselves and supported him wholeheartedly, helping him nurture his talents. His first acting role was in a school production of the play ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes.’ Later, he started working on his skills by attending night classes and going to auditions. Eventually, in 1987 (the year our son Ian was born), he found a role in the TV movie ‘Desperate’. His performance as the character Charles Thatcher was appreciated so much that the network executives decided to create the TV series ‘Life Goes On’ with his character in the lead role. It was Christopher’s performance as “Corky” that inspired families like ours and gave us hope for our little loved ones’ futures.

If you have read my previous stories, you recall that I had a beautiful son, Ian Joseph Sanders, who was a little red headed boy with Down’s Syndrome. Little Ian was born in 1987 and tragically passed away in 1990. Ian was the center of our life and it should be no surprise that our family was glued to our TV on Sunday nights when “Life Goes On’ aired on ABC TV in 1989.

OK, so where in the heck did I get my title “Life Goes On – Corky and the Bartender?” Read on my friends, this story ain’t over yet!

When Ian was born in 1987, our entire family was in a state of shock.  We did not know what the future held, but we knew Ian was part of our family and we were determined to provide him the best life possible. We were looking for answers and looking for sources of hope. The series “Life Goes On” was an inspiration to all of us. Both the lead character “Corky” and my son had red hair, which further endeared us to Corky. Corky was older than Ian, so in a way, we saw Corky as what might be possible for our Ian in the future. A photo of Christopher Burke is shown below:

As a side note, I will never forget crying when Patti Lupone, who played Corky’s mother in the series, sang “Wind Beneath My Wings” to Corky on the show.

While Ian passed away in 1990 only months after the show debuted, we continued to watch the program, feeling Ian’s spirit the entire time.

I had the opportunity to meet Corky (Christopher Burke) and his mother at the 20^th Anniversary of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) of Essex County, NJ fundraiser held in West Orange, NJ. Christopher was the guest speaker and his mother also spoke. I remember Christopher winning the auction at that fund-raising event and the first prize was a weekend for two at a very nice hotel. Mrs. Burke put an end to that discussion, much to Christopher’s dismay! She returned the prize for another lucky couple to enjoy.

OK Joe, so you still have not talked about a bartender…. what is the deal dude?

Fair enough….here is, as the late, great Paul Harvey would say, “the rest of the story”…

Eighteen years after Ian passed away, I retired from Rutgers University and began thinking about part time jobs I could do that would be both enjoyable and produce some beer money.

It was an easy decision…. bartending! I decided to go for it! I signed up for “bartending school” at the Main Line Center for Bartending in Philadelphia. It was a one-week course (5 days, 8 hours a day) in the summer of 2018. It was an intense course and I stayed up past midnight every night studying all the materials I needed to know for the final test and eventual employment as a bartender.  

Unfortunately for me, I had some physical ailments that made the bartending school a serious challenge. (I hate that word…serious). I was on the verge of needing a total hip replacement and standing and walking was painful for me. Also, I had been in a serious (there I go again with that word) car accident earlier in 2018 which eventually led to my having to undergo back surgery.  The pain from both the hip and back made walking difficult and standing for any length of time almost unbearable. At the end of each day’s training at the bartending school we played “bartending game show” activities where what you learned was tested through fun activities.  Normally, I would have been “all in” but the pain from standing behind the bar for the day’s training had me seeing stars, so I did not participate in the game show activities.  I sat in pain and watched.

So, on the last day of the course there was a practical “hands on” exam where the instructors would order two different drinks, then two more, etc. until 20 different drinks would have to be prepared without notes. This practical exam was part of the total course score where a 90% had to be achieved in order to obtain the State of Pennsylvania Mixology Certificate.

After the practical exam and the final written exam, I was called into the office (as was every one else) to get my score and certificate. The instructor told me that I had an 89% overall course grade and that a 90% was needed to pass. No problem, the instructor then said to me, “Joe, I am sure you probably received some extra credit during the afternoon game shows”…. I confessed that I had not participated in the game shows because of my back and hip pain, but then quickly interjected a comment about having been the best joke teller in the class. The instructor wholeheartedly agreed, laughed out loud, and said to me, “That’s worth at least one point…congratulations Bartender Joe!” I stuffed the bill in my shirt, as Harry Chapin song “Taxi” goes.

One of the cool things about the Main Line Center for Bartending is that they provided you with job leads. They connected me with an opportunity in the area where older people live and an in-house bar is provided.  I called the contact there and was invited to come in to shadow one of the experienced bartenders while I learned the local nuances.

Then, thirty-eight years after the US Olympic hockey team’s “Miracle on Ice” had rocked the world, my world was about to get rocked again!

In the Fall of 2018, I reported in to my first paying bartender gig. I showed up early and met the real bartender who had me carrying the cherries, lemons, and limes out from the refrigerator to the small bar area. I was in pain, but tried not to show it. And then THE miracle happened….

While the real bartender and I were preparing for the afternoon patrons, a man walked in the room and asked for a coke. I looked at the man and felt like I knew him.  The real bartender noticed me and said “Does he look familiar?”

I said, “CORKY!?” …and real bartender said “yes!”.

After almost twenty years, I was standing face-to-face with our family’s hero, Christopher Burke AKA Corky!!!

I introduced myself to Christopher and reflected back to the ARC of Essex County fund raiser decades ago. His hair was not red any more, but it was our hero, CORKY!

Since this was my first night of employment at the facility, I did not spend too much time talking to Christopher, but I did have the chance to see his mother later that evening and introduce myself to her.

I only worked at that bar for two more nights, one in each of the next two weeks. On the second night I spoke with both Christopher and his mother at great length and felt Ian’s presence the whole time.

Later that week I learned that I would soon be going in for back surgery. I had to tell my employer, and they had to lay me off. So, I had one final evening at the bar, and I pulled Christopher aside and told him that I believed with 100% of my heart that Ian was behind bringing Christopher and me together in the Fall of 2018. Christopher and I hugged each other and we both burst into tears. I felt God’s embrace that afternoon, and then knew why I had become a bartender.

I sent a fairly lengthy Christmas letter to Mrs. Burke that year asking her permission to visit her and Christopher as their friend, since I was no longer on the facility’s staff. Unfortunately, I never heard back from Mrs. Burke.

Prologue…. After both my back and hip surgeries, I did not go back to bartending. In my mind, that ship had sailed, and I am not a Navy man. (A quick look at the below photo and the final one in this story would lead one to believe that my son Ian was an army man as well. However, not insignificantly, the man with the “Navy” shirt was my father-in-law, who inspires me to this day as a father and mountain of an ethical man, husband, father, grand-father, and great grand-father.)

I then began driving for both Lyft and Uber, jobs where I would not be on my feet. I remember telling myself that if I were ever driving near the facility where Christopher and his mother lived, that I would try and visit them.  I had a very strict, self-imposed protocol that I followed. I would leave my Lyft software application turned on (which would enable passengers to request a ride from me) until the moment I turned my car engine off at the facility where Christopher lived. If a request came in, I would immediately leave the parking area, not look for Christopher, and tend to my driving duties. I remember that on three separate occasions, I had pulled into the property’s parking lot, only to receive a ride request. So, on each occasion, I left the area, never to see Corky again.

So, it is definitely true that:

LIFE GOES ON.

RIP Ian Joseph Sanders August 7, 1987 – January 6, 1990  

HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY

It has been a long time since I have posted any stories on colonelskernals.blog and there are many reasons (some would call them excuses) and I am reminded of my plebe days at West Point where I was only allowed four answers to any question: 1) YES SIR!, 2) NO SIR!, 3) NO EXCUSE SIR!, or 4) SIR, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND!

So, I’ll claim answer #3 (adding “ma’am” or “them” as appropriate to each reader) and just move on. Much has changed in my life in the last year, but something that never changes is the good memories I have of my youth. And a huge part of those memories revolves around my mom. And with Mothers’ Day upon us, I thought it appropriate for me to re-enter the world of communications by talking about my mom. The real trigger for this action was my stumbling across a narrative I wrote after my mom’s June 13, 2013, memorial service at the Nardin Park Methodist Church in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Several who had been in attendance at the memorial service approached me at Steve and Rocky’s restaurant immediately after the service and mentioned that they had not been able to hear well in the church and asked me if I had a script of my eulogy remarks.  I did not, but I had notes, SO, I reconstructed my remarks, added a few things I had wanted to say, and wrote a narrative for all to read. I sent those remarks to all who had attended about three weeks later. I share that narrative with all of you now.

July 12, 2013 – Nardin Park United Methodist Church – Joe Sanders remarks:

“Wow, I am choked up because I cannot believe how many of you from my earlier life are right here, right now. I am overwhelmed by this feeling of love for all of you. Thank you for making this such a special day.

I stayed up late last night thinking about what I wanted to share with you today, and my first thought went to another late night many years ago when my mom stayed up most of the night with me, grilling me as I attempted to memorize the Periodic Table of Elements for chemistry class. I did memorize them, thanks to my mom’s love and dedication.

My mom was all about doing things the right way. I remember when I was on the Levey Junior High baseball team and our team bus broke down in Berkley (Michigan) on the way home from an away game. A local Standard Oil gas station owner recognized our dilemma (we would have been stranded for hours waiting for another bus) and he personally drove our entire team back to Levey in his 15 passenger van.  It took two trips for him and a couple hours of his time. (Editorial comment (EC) May 2022: gas was cheap then, plus he owned the station LOL) But we got back safely and relatively on time to a parking lot full of waiting parents. (EC: no cell phones in those days to let the worried parents know their children were safe).

That wasn’t the end of this story, it had only just begun…As president of the student council, it was my duty (so I learned that night from mom) to write a tank you letter to Texaco headquarters praising the station owner. I remember that night well and specifically weaving into my letter that old saying, “You expect more from Standard, and you get it!” That ended up being a late night as well as I didn’t get to my homework till after 10pm.

The classic late-night story involving my mom occurred about a week before I graduated from Southfield High School. It was June 6, 1972, and I wanted to go to a Led Zeppelin rock concert in downtown Detroit. It was a school night and I had three sports articles to write and submit for the Southfield Eccentric newspaper by 6:00am the next morning. (I had a gig covering local high school sports for our town paper) (It was a cool job which afforded me access to Gordie Howe, “Mr. Hockey” for a personal interview back in 1972!).

Back to the story…mom wanted me not to go to the concert, but I went anyway. I got home around midnight, cranked out the three stories on my typewriter, hopped back in the car and dropped my completed masterpieces off at the Eccentric office drop box, came back home, and hit the hay about 6:00am. Did I mention it had been a school night? Well, here I was, already having obtained a full-ride scholarship to West Point, with one week left in my senior year in high school, feeling my oats, and I just knew I could miss just one lousy day of school, right? NO WAY HOZAY (Jose)!!! The next thing I knew was that I had a drill sergeant (named Alberta) standing over my bed “coaching” me to get out of bed and go to school, which I promptly did…. I did mention had been a school night, didn’t I?

The oldest of five children, my mom went by many names. Some called her “Boots”, some called her Chris, but her name was Alberta Blanche. A few of my friends and I had a nickname for “Alberta Blanche”, which she never knew and I will not tell you now. The reason that I know that she never knew her nickname is that I am alive today to talk about it. Yeah, it was pretty bad 😊.

I was told that my mom was pretty tough on my dad after his marriage proposal. She told him she would marry him under three conditions,,,1) a nice ring, 2) a nice house, and 3) a nice car. My dad took a job as a truck driver and took some extended trips to make some good money. It turns out that while he was on one of his extended trips my mom missed him terribly and realized that she really wanted to marry him! They got married on May 5, 1951, and travelled the world together for 58 years before Dad’s passing. Dad left us in May of 2009, but we buried both mom’s and dad’s ashes privately yesterday at White Chapel Cemetery. They are together forever now, spiritually and physically.

My mom had a fighting spirit and was street-smart. She was not big into politics, but she understood how to get things done in a complex world. I will never forget when I was in Den 3, Pack 1670 of the Cub Scouts at Southfield #10 Elementary School and my mom was our den mother. Every year the Cub Scouts celebrate the “Blue and Gold Banquet” in February. There is a “best centerpiece” competition each year.  It was tradition that one den out of the 4 or 5 in the Pack would win the award for the best centerpiece at the dinner. Den 3 had never won that coveted best centerpiece award…until Alberta Blanche took over.  My mom knew that the Pack Master was a U of M grad, so our centerpiece was a ski slope, with an “M GO BLUE” banner spanning the top of the slope and Michigan skiers skiing under the banner. We won the award that year…Hail to the Victors! (That’s for you Leslie)

Mom always preferred that the parties and fun times occur at our house.  Our next door neighbor Leslie, who is here today, had a pool and I used to mow her mom’s lawn to get access to the pool. As kids, we had some great times at the “Frink’s Pool”. We also had a pool table in our basement, and my buddies and I would often go downstairs, blast music, play pool and my mom would make us pizza.  She respected our sovereignty by opening the door to the basement at the top of the stairs and would yell out, louder than the blaring music, “Pizza’s ready!” I would go upstairs and bring the pizza down for the guys. We were having a great time, and mom knew we were safe under her roof.

Making my mom upset wasn’t in anyone’s best interests. She was generally an understanding person, but when she wasn’t, she REALLY wasn’t! On those dreadful occasions (there were several of those throughout my childhood) my mom would clench her fist in a threatening motion and say, “I’ll knock you for a row of Sundays!!!” …she never did punch me…maybe because I was long gone before she could catch me 😊!

On a rare occasion, my mom would get mad at my dad. But dad was a really nice gentleman, so he didn’t give my mom much ammunition. My dad’s faults were basically things that he did with good intentions that ran counter-purpose to mom’s plans. He would often go around the house turning off lights, anything electric that was wasting energy (money) in his eyes. About the worst thing he did that I remember was turning off the stove when mom was making dinner. She never said things like “row of Sundays” to dad, the worst I ever heard was “There you go again, Mommy’s Little Helper!” …They really loved each other.

As the oldest of a family growing up in the Depression, Mom played a huge mother-like role in helping my Grandma and Grandpa Christy raise my mom’s siblings.  Her sisters Peggy, Betty, and Janet all pre-deceased my mom Only my Uncle Skip now survive my mom. She was tough because she had to be, everyone looked to her for leadership and answers.

Speaking of being tough and clenched fists, NOBODY messed with my mom. Everyone remembers the famous boxers Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas “Hitman” Hearns from back in the day. Well, one day, while performing her duties to check residency for all students enrolling at Levey Junior High, she had the pleasure of checking the credential of a nephew of Mr. Hearns. Mom was not impressed by his prowess or titles, he didn’t meet the residency requirements and, therefore, Hitman’s nephew wasn’t going to get in, simple as that. She stood down the Hitman! Mr. Hearns picked the wrong junior high school in Southfield to try and infiltrate.

With all of this talk about how tough Mom was, she was also sensitive in her own way. Mom had a promotion opportunity to move from Levey Junior High to Southfield High School and she turned it down. “Why?” you ask?…It just happened to be the same year that I was going to start tenth grade at Southfield High, and she wanted to know if it was OK with me if she moved to SHS the same year that I was beginning at the high school. I told her that I would rather her stay at Levey, so she did. Beneath all of her toughness was a sensitive woman.

Mom and Dad loved to travel and they saw the world together. They visited almost every continent on this planet, with much of North America done by Airstream motor home caravan. One of the best vacations of my life was in 1978 when my mom, dad, sister Christy, Uncle Norm, Aunt Peggy, Cousin Vanessa and several families of the Oliver Court Gang flew to German to meet me where I was stationed in the army. We travelled all over Europe together for almost three weeks in my Chevrolet Vega station wagon and two VW buses! We were one big family, and I feel blessed to see so many of you here today that were on that trip in 1978.  As Bob Hope, used to sing, “Thanks for the Memories!”

(UPDATED May 4, 2022…Friends, while this Sunday is Mothers’ Day, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that tomorrow would have been my parents’ 71^st wedding anniversary. God Bless all of you this Mothers’ Day and thank you again to all of the mothers who have given all of us life. For those who grieve over parents and other loved ones who have passed, remember that God has a purpose for all of us and if you are reading this message you are still alive because He has more plans for you. Live life and cherish your memories. Bye for now my friends….The Colonel)