TODAY'S STARTING LINEUP IS - NOBODY

Helicopter view down into Busch Stadium, where the St. Louis Cardinals play. In a normal year, we would be a third of the way through the season. Something may start in July before empty stadiums. The leagues and divisions may be re-arranged so that teams only play others closest to them, minimizing travel. How the players will be protected on the field, in the dugout and in the locker room is uncertain. It is all being negotiated between the owners and players. I guess they will make what money they can from TV and the Internet.

Although I'm pretty put off by the crass commercialization of professional sports I still like baseball. I played it a a boy and spent happy hours in the cheap seats in Yankee Stadium (there used to be some). What did SImon and Garfunkle sing? Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, our  nation turns its lonely eyes to you...                   

THURSDAY ARCH SERIES

And now for something completely different. The helicopter that carried Ellie and me is about even with the top of the Arch. Color and tone could be better but the scene is heavily backlit. We rarely get to see the shadow of the monument in a recognizable form but it looks like you could pick up two handles, peeling back the ground. (What's under downtown St. Louis? Do we really want to know?)

This was the third time in my 70 years I've been in a helicopter. It is mildy scary but a lot of fun.          

BOB AND ELLIE'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE

After recent events around this country, it feels deeply ironic to go back to a life where little has changed except for the masks. But I'm still trying to document life in The Lou from my perspective and so, forward.

Monday's post noted that Ellie and I did something special after her bike ride around the Arch. There has been a tourist helicopter on the riverfront for years, taking visitors on a swoop over the area for a significant fee. Mrs. C and I rode it once some time ago when we received a gift certificate. It was a blast.

As the kid and I passed by I thought what the heck. As my son in Michigan says, YOLO, you only live once. We went in the office, melted a bit of my credit card and were escorted on board.

Ellie didn't have a drop of fear. Once we got up and across the Mississippi, I asked her how she liked it. Her answer was something like YIPPIE!   

IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN THAT

This an unhappy time for many Americans. People are becoming terribly ill and dying from an invisible scourge. Millions are falling into poverty and bankruptcy. The smoldering underground fire of racism and economic inequality has erupted into the streets. Meanwhile, our president hides in the White House, babbling nonsense on Twitter. 

We can wash our hands free of virus but not of responsibility.

Tomorrow's post has a great change of tone. I understand the irony.
           

ANGRY, LOUD, PEACEFUL

There was a demonstration in downtown St. Louis yesterday afternoon. It started at what is euphemistically called the City Justice Center, the jail where criminal defendants who can't make bail are held pending trial. That was too far for my crumbly spine to carry me from my office but the crowd headed east on Market Street toward the Arch, where I met them.

My guess is that there were a couple of thousand people. The march was well organized. People were angry, people were shouting, but it was peaceful. There were more white people than black. Almost everyone wore masks but maintaining distance was out of the question. No politicians, no major leaders that I could tell but the city has promised to distribute masks at any future events.

There are many more of these photos but i have no energy to edit more. Maybe I'll add others later.