Putz - Alex Rodriguez is a putz, not to be confused with Pudge Rodriguez or what used to be called a “smacked behind.” Grand Mom Rose said that people like A-Rod were dark-side messiahs sent from above to test the spirit of brotherhood in the rest of us. Personally, I love the guy, and the more he hits home runs after being knocked down by a pitch in his first at bat the more I like him. Imagine that he stays in suspended animation and leads the Evil Empire to another World Series title. How great would that be? The Cialis crowd screaming from the bleachers, “This is an outrage! He’s not natural; he cheats!" This is the part where I stop. Years ago Cape’s top student Shawn Sukamar, now a successful attorney, sat bewildered after one of my story rants and asked, ”That’s it? What's the moral of the story? I mean what was your reason for telling it?” “Go out and find your own morals," I told Shawn. “This ain’t no Advanced Placement class.” Honest to Jehovah, 20 years later I got an email from Shawn, ”Thank you. I finally get the moral.” Good. I wish he’d tell me.

All Shook Up - Kathy Shook and her daughter Lindsay look too healthy and smile way too easily; where is the conflict? Kathy is a nurse at Mariner. Lindsay was a senior starter on Cape's 2009 state championship lacrosse team. Her brother Michael was on the boys' 2008 state championship team. Bill Shook, the dad, still plays soccer, and he can play! Do you know any other Cape families where the brother and sister were each on state championship teams? Chris and Lexi Woodruff, Mark and Sarah Tappan, Raelyn and Tom Grogan come readily to mind. If there are other please school me, even though professionals have tried to with negative to no results.

Fredman and Danceman - I kicked conversation with Seth the Highway One dancing genius for 45 minutes last Saturday morning in Dewey while I was taking finish photos at the Race for Paws 5K to benefit the SPCA. Seth, who went to Seaford and Sussex Central high schools, said to me, “You have to admire how tough these runners are. Some of them run a race somewhere every weekend.” "They are tough," I said, "and so are you dancing by the highway six hours a day.” “No, what I do isn’t tough," Seth said. “It’s just unusual.”

Dr. Choy - Surgeon Wilson Choy replaced my left hip three years ago and reattached my right quadricep tendon last summer after I ruptured it slipping on dog vomit in the middle of the night. There has to be an industrial use for mucous membrane. Choy is a happy personality, an orthopedic surgeon who can tickle your funny bone. Last summer with the operating team standing around my gurney,  I was asked to tell the dog vomit story; then a male nurse told a story of his dog dying and his dad making a really nice custom casket for the beloved pet and I shouted, “Stop right there. Never say ‘casket’ to a prepped patient on a gurney.” Choy laughed. ”Don’t worry, if you don’t make it we’ll have him make you one.” I asked Dr. Choy why he ran the Greene Turtle every year. “It’s easy,” he said. “I mostly walk except when I get close to the finish.” If you can’t get an appointment, just mention my name. It won’t help but I guarantee Dr. Choy will laugh.

Snippets - Leonard Maull was a 6-foot-9 basketball player at Lewes High School from back in the day, played with the great Johnny Morris and Jack Beckett and a host of other town characters. I hope it wasn’t a full $10,000 dropped from a helicopter Aug. 17 but the legend will have increased that amount over time and I’m sure there are guys getting chiggers right now pushing through marshland looking for money. Johnny Landon in his '60s army vet stands out on Old Mill Road many mornings catching a ride to Arby’s or Uncle Willey’s. “Squid” never passed him, always stopped to give him a ride. That’s all you need to know about the character of the man. Old Lewes was the best Lewes.

Football team has a tri-scrimmage at Delcastle at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21, that also includes Howard High School. The Vikings will then scrimmage at Middletown Saturday, Aug. 24. The last and only home scrimmage is Thursday, Aug. 29, versus Delmar and James M. Bennett.

Soccer is at the Kirkwood Soccer Club Play Day on Aug. 24. In the words of B.B. King, “I’m a tired man, I ain’t got time to play.” Go on now, git!