Indian Summer Weekend

It's fall ball time. Soccer, Little League Baseball, Softball, MLB, fantasy baseball -- all are in the exciting phase of beginning or ending.

The scores are in at 1-2, 5-4(11), 7-2 (in progress), start time 4 pm PST, and then there is my beloved Mud Lake Mafia. My fantasy team has suddenly and unexpectedly lurched from 14th place, where we have been buried all season, to 11th place today!

You have to understand that in my world, this is big news.

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Today, I learned of some sad news. A young friend on my softball team lost his Mom a month ago to cancer. She was 57. I remember her coming to our games, and rooting strongly for the Michigan Mafia, and for her son. Mother and son were obviously close. She clearly did a great job; he's a fine young man -- and a great hitter. He also was my ten-year-old son's camp counselor the past two summers. Dylan is making him a card right now; it is covered with Sad Faces.

I talked to this woman's brother today; that's how I found out about it. He is mourning his sister, and supporting his nephew. That's why he was out there today. I had to leave early, but we were ahead 7-2, and seemingly in command.

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The Giants are making a serious run for the playoffs, though they still must be rated a long shot. They've won two straight tough games this weekend against the tough Padres. Tonight's game is critical -- only if the Giants win it will they draw close enough to have a realistic shot at the Wild Card.

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Peter's been working been working with my friend Julie, in her law offices. He's been exposed to the world of our criminal justice system, where the defendants of poor young black men, the victims are poor young black men, and the judges, prosecutors, defenders, and jury members are rarely if ever young black men.

In the papers, a middle aged black man's book about his radical youth receives praise. But this man is believed to have done something very awful, for which he has never been brought to justice. It is still possible, apparently, for people to get away with murder. Even in this age of DNA and forensic science, many Cold Cases remain unsolved.

It takes a D.A. with guts, a police department with guts, and investigator with guts, a victim's family with guts. It's hard for all of these parties to come into alignment at the right time. After all, in the neighborhoods where most murders take place, the priority is placed on solving today's crime, as opposed to yesteryear's.

It is extremely difficult for the victim's family. Year after year, they wait, hoping to see the perpetrator brought to justice; hoping at least to know what actually happened and why. In our society, there are those shameless enough to profit from the evil they've done, without ever allowing themselves to be held accountable.

But some of us are watching. And the statute never runs out on murder.

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We had a big birthday bash last night at my house. Lots of kids and lots of adults. The picture above was taken last night by Dylan. Below, Aidan batting in today's Fall Ball opener. We lost 3-5.