I Miss...

I promised the next Schloss-Blog would be about thing I miss. So, special midweek edition, here goes.

I miss having a real president. But that's a whole 'nother Schloss-Blog.

I miss my friends.

The ones we ate out with every Saturday night.

The ones we worked out with at the gym.

Where we can only go by appointment now.

The ones with whom we celebrated holidays and exchanged gifts.

Every year.

Haven't seen some in almost a year now.

The ones I play golf with. I love astonishing them with the occasional great shot.

The ones I went to college with.

My fraternity brothers - my college family.

Our reunion plans are at best on a bubble.

The ones I grew up with in Brooklyn.

They're either scattered all over the country.

Or gone.

Forever.

We're at a point now where we all likely know someone afflicted with COVID-19. Or - God forbid - taken from us by it.

I'm typing this and welling up as I compose it.

Really.

I miss watching football games with packed houses on hand, influencing the outcome, so to speak.

I miss teams from schools that have canceled games altogether anyway.

I miss the atmosphere on Friday nights when I go cover a game.

There's nobody there, relatively speaking.

I miss the NY Giants being a "real, competitive" football team.

But that might not even happen again in my lifetime.

Daniel Jones. Really? With the 6th pick in the draft. Really? Really?

And you wonder why I'm welling up as I write this.

I miss Lev, Beatle, Coach, Cool Guy (and Ellen), Rev, R.T., Hick, Rod, Dox, Tool, Matos, Corky, 'Spo, 'Slay, Whale, Broadway, Lush, Who (Hoo?), Downunda, Dienda, Trees, Butch, Monk (sorry, no Sundance), PK, Frick and Frack, Boobs, Hoe (not really), Big O (A?), and guys with real names like Mike and David.

And Nibs, Dero, Sap, Kwiz and Rhino.

I miss Keith and Gary, my two favorite receivers on East 2nd Street, Albemarle Road or at the schoolyard.

I miss my cousins, who relish in making fun of me.

I miss a lot of things. I'll bet your list of what you miss is similar.

Stay well.

My friends.

What's left of you.

Good night, Mrs. Calabash. Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson.

More on my show Sunday night on Radio Free Phoenix.