The lazy, hazy days of summer in The Borough…a summer with 100-degree temperatures, and also nine kids travel baseball games, and American Legion games rained out…

What climate change?

Like Mark Twain said, in New England, if you don’t like the weather, or are seeking climate change data, just wait a minute. (Just kidding about climate change. Really! No emails please. There is no climate change occurring. A joke, honest!)

Once around the horn today, news, notes and happening in the suburbs:

Governor malaprop

*controversy about former USM basketball star Ashley Marble and if she is being offered a job with the Governor’s office, encouraging kids to go to two-year vocational technical schools, etc. Education Chief Steve Bowen apoplectic at the thought. Denigrating references to Marble hire as “bikini” issue, etc.

She could bench-press most of those who are criticizing her. She has also overcome more adversity in the past few years than most of them will ever learn about about through their paid consultants in their lifetimes.

Not the real McCoy

*Went to an Eagles concert in Massachusetts the other night. Decades-old internal squabbles have helped keep singers/musicians Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon out of reunion concerts. Drummer-founder Don Henley is a creative genius. Singer-founder Glenn Frey is an entrepreneur extraordinaire. That said, performing songs such as “One of These Nights” or “Take It To The Limit” or “Lyin’ Eyes” without Meisner or Leadon ain’t for real.

Having Henley or Frey sing lead on those songs reminded me of a Barry Manilow Christmas album hear Barry sing, “Jingle Bells:” hear Barry sing, “Rock Around The Clock,” hear Barry sing “Silent Night.”

Imagine paying to go to some sort of celebration of the l980 U.S Olympic hockey team. The players come out. They speak, reminisce. Then, at the end of the program, as video of the final moments of the big game is being shown, they have an audio “overdub” of that world-famous call ‘Do you believe in miracles? Yessss!” And instead of announcer Al Michaels, it is, say, Chris Berman or Bob Costas.

Just wouldn’t be the same.

Roadside emotions

The town of Scarborough tried recently to rein in the commemoration activities that you see along the side of the road now and then to recognize victims of fatal vehicle accidents.

The thought is to allow for expressions of feelings, but to make sure the flowers, funeral-type displays and other artifacts do not distract motorists.

Emotions prevailed…the town will drop efforts to control the custom.

Life will take care of itself. People will count on that.

Town Porta-Potties

The town of Scarborough made a deal with a landowner at Higgins Beach a couple years ago to gain a parking lot. The beach had become increasingly popular among locals and visitors from out of town. Cars would be parked on Spurwink Road a half-mile or more away.

Also, there was a need for bathroom facilities at any new parking lot. The town also added a “bathhouse” changing area. Controversial with beach residents, but probably long overdue.

All was good (I thought) until I was down there recently, saw a bunch of people walking from the beach, at the end of a long day, toward the town parking lot.

One guy slowed down. His group kept walking. Suddenly, he disappeared behind a big bush on a lawn. He emerged 30 seconds later….

I will spare you the details.

Guess human nature and need trumps town planning sometimes!

Baseball, apple pie, and the American Legion

A person can get a good glimpse of a community through its youth sports programs. Learn about kids, priorities, trends, preferences, customs, styles, parents, behavior, approach to discipline, sense of obligation, etc.

Kids have a million things to do nowadays. Sports camps, barbecues, visits from relatives, whitewater rafting, trips to Fenway, girlfriends, work at Harry’s Clam Shack, etc.

But there are still kids who, if they say they are going to be there, they show up. If someone needs a ride, they go get them. If the field is a mess during a game, they stay and help rake it.

American Legion baseball is a combination for me of “new Scarborough” and “old Scarborough.” The guys in their 80s and 90s who are still the backbone of the program just shake their heads at kids who view being on a baseball team as walking through a candy store I will take one of those, one of those, and, nah, don’t want one of those, I want to put this one back, etc.

So when you get a few “throwback kids” who have a sense of responsibility, obligation, camaraderie, team spirit, and spunk like something out of the l950s, it is fun to show it off.

Dan Warren lives in Scarborough. He can be reached at jonesandwarren@gmail.com.

Copy the Story Link