The meeting was uneventful. We exchanged business cards. We exchanged pleasantries. We talked about when they had done business for a former company I worked for several years earlier. He asked about some people I knew, I asked about some people he knew, we basically “caught each other up".
Bud worked for The Hartford. They had been our Worker’s Compensation carrier at my previous company. He wanted meet with me, pitch the business, and I was willing to listen. After all, I was in New York anyway, and he was buying lunch. I had sat through what seemed to be hundreds of these type meetings before, and hundreds since. It was just another Thursday business-lunch meeting.
We ate lunch outside on the pavilion, pastrami sandwiches if I recall, because the day was nice. Breezy, but nice. Of course, there’s always a breeze downtown.
After lunch, I took the subway back to our offices.
That was Thursday. Thursday, September 7.
At that time, The Hartford’s office was in one of the surrounding buildings. It was Building #6. That’s where our meeting took place, and that’s the last time I saw Bud.
Tomorrow marks the 8th anniversary of 9-11. 5 days after I was at #6 World Trade Center. The following Tuesday after I had been there on Thursday. Bud was one of those people never found.
I’ve thought about this often over the last eight years. How I could have been meeting him on Tuesday of the following week instead of Thursday the week before. Was it a scheduling issue? Was September 7th always the date we were going to meet? Did we change the date? I really don’t remember. I’ve tried, but I just don’t.
What I DO know is, I could have just as easily been there on 9-11 as 9-7. As were thousands of other people.
Usually, I write about fun things like first downs and touchdowns. I brag on my Tigers and rag on the other SEC teams. And I will do that again.
But not today. For we are on the eve of the 8th anniversary of my generation’s Pearl Harbor. The U.S. attacked. On her shores. War declared.
Tomorrow is a day of remembrance. I happen to be in New York as I write this, and I see many people going about their everyday business…the hustle and bustle that IS the city. I wonder how many of them will pause tomorrow….and remember….and honor the fallen.
Let’s never forget. I know I won’t forget. I won’t forget how I could have been there on Tuesday instead of Thursday. I won't forget what they did to us. And I won’t forget Bud.
WJLaneSR
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Dancing with the Stars
She is the artistic director of the New England Dance Ensemble in Manchester, New Hampshire. She learned the art as a boarding student in Chester, England.
Barbara made sure her three children – Dan, Patrick and Katie – had an eye for the arts and an ear for classical music. “The boys danced. Being from Wales, I just felt they needed that exposure. We don’t find it weird (in England) for boys to dance. Here in America, there’s a social stigma attached to it and it’s not a cool thing to do.”
While at the same time raising her three children, her family hosted dancers from around the world, including the English National Ballet, the Royal Ballet, and the National Ballet of Madrid.
Not only did all three children learn to dance, they also learned to play musical instruments. The oldest of the three, Dan, learned to play the piano. In fact, he became somewhat of a novice concert pianist.
When he was growing up, Dan and his brother also enjoyed playing with the other boys. Especially football. They were the only brothers in their neighborhood who practiced ballet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and practiced football on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning.
By the time Dan was in high school, he was the quarterback for Trinity High School. They would win the state championship that year.
Dan reflects that “ballet involves great athleticism and flexibility. When you watch some world class dancers and watch their ability, it is pretty impressive. Dance and football are very similar with commitment, dedication and the amount of people involved. It requires a tremendous amount of teamwork.”
Dan continued his passion for football, but never gave up his love for dance. Playing tight end at Ursinus College, he became hard-nosed as well.
Being from New Hampshire, he became good friends with Chip Kelley, head football coach at Oregon, and Gary Crowton, coordinator at LSU. The three of them became known in football circles as “The New Hampshire Mafia.”
Dan became a part of Urban Mayer’s staff at Utah, and followed him to Florida, where he became offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Then, in December 2008, he was hired to replace Sylvester Croom as the Head Football Coach of Mississippi State.
His name is Dan Mullen. And on Saturday, he brings his maroon clad bulldogs into Jordan-Hare Stadium to face the Auburn Tigers.
He hasn’t given up playing the piano, but now he also plays a cowbell. And being the head football coach at an SEC school isn’t a bad gig. I guess you might say that now, he is dancing with the stars.
WJLaneSR
Barbara made sure her three children – Dan, Patrick and Katie – had an eye for the arts and an ear for classical music. “The boys danced. Being from Wales, I just felt they needed that exposure. We don’t find it weird (in England) for boys to dance. Here in America, there’s a social stigma attached to it and it’s not a cool thing to do.”
While at the same time raising her three children, her family hosted dancers from around the world, including the English National Ballet, the Royal Ballet, and the National Ballet of Madrid.
Not only did all three children learn to dance, they also learned to play musical instruments. The oldest of the three, Dan, learned to play the piano. In fact, he became somewhat of a novice concert pianist.
When he was growing up, Dan and his brother also enjoyed playing with the other boys. Especially football. They were the only brothers in their neighborhood who practiced ballet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and practiced football on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning.
By the time Dan was in high school, he was the quarterback for Trinity High School. They would win the state championship that year.
Dan reflects that “ballet involves great athleticism and flexibility. When you watch some world class dancers and watch their ability, it is pretty impressive. Dance and football are very similar with commitment, dedication and the amount of people involved. It requires a tremendous amount of teamwork.”
Dan continued his passion for football, but never gave up his love for dance. Playing tight end at Ursinus College, he became hard-nosed as well.
Being from New Hampshire, he became good friends with Chip Kelley, head football coach at Oregon, and Gary Crowton, coordinator at LSU. The three of them became known in football circles as “The New Hampshire Mafia.”
Dan became a part of Urban Mayer’s staff at Utah, and followed him to Florida, where he became offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Then, in December 2008, he was hired to replace Sylvester Croom as the Head Football Coach of Mississippi State.
His name is Dan Mullen. And on Saturday, he brings his maroon clad bulldogs into Jordan-Hare Stadium to face the Auburn Tigers.
He hasn’t given up playing the piano, but now he also plays a cowbell. And being the head football coach at an SEC school isn’t a bad gig. I guess you might say that now, he is dancing with the stars.
WJLaneSR
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