Hey, Scribe

Have you held a gun? I think that you have, of sorts. Seems to me that being in a car can bring out the worst in normally calm people. Reiki and Zen are zoned out, tossed out the window. The power and aggressiveness that one may feel when they hold a gun is not so different from when one is behind the wheel of a big two ton vehicle. Power is the solution to those who do not meet the standard, and patience is a forgotten virtue.

Speaking about real power, as opposed to power by force, we lament the passing of a great San Franciscan, Ed Moose. Ed was a fun loving character who operated the Washington Bar and Grill, frequented by writers, journalists, politicos and old time San Franciscans, the "Washbag" he called it. Where Ed was, a community would gather and a hub was born . After selling the place he reappeared as the proprietor of Moose's, just across the street in North Beach. We enjoyed Ed in later years as he would pop into our coffee shop. Upon first sighting, the call "Mooooose". When he received his giant mocha (no shortcuts with lighter fat milk), he would wink and tell us, "this is as far uptown as I go". Rest well, Ed. You set a high standard.

Somewhat distressed to find that after nearly five decades of living life as an Ox in the Chinese Zodiac Calender, it has been pointed out to me (after a year of denial) that I am in fact, a Rat. No longer dependable and determined but more of a spirited schemer. Feel as if I've been living a double identity. Hope that's the last secret I'll keep from myself. If I start signing off this as "Shirley", you'll know that I saved the best for last.

Cleaning up the Hand Sanitizers: Dr. Hackenbush informs about the increasing number of infections that are showing up in hospitals and doctor's offices have some correlation to the increased use of hand sanitizers. Even when your good doctor pumps that stuff on and rubs it in minimally, all he or she is doing is creating a sludge and layer of germs just waiting to pass on and develop somewhere, or on someone else. Most people do not rub the Purell for anywhere near the length of time necessary says the good doctor. The end result are these germs are only temporarily sedated, pushed over to other parts of their hands. Nothing better than good old soap and water. There's a lot of medical evidence to back this up but that's not my column.

Our boys lost a big series to those sunshine kids, the Padres. Torturous as the outcome turned out to be, you have to hand it to a team nobody believed in- not the experts, the fans, even theirs. The belief was in the clubhouse. Stick to your guns, unless you're driving a car of course. Mix that in with their relatively low payroll, and this is a team to admire. At least until we play them next.

Before I reach my ending, I am reminded of a story told by Groucho Marx; a man on his way to his own hanging is asked by the warden if he has any last words. He looks to the big boss and says, "Warden, this thing doesn't look safe to me". This entire thing doesn't look to safe to me: Soon to a dear friend's 40th birthday party where I'm to dance to salsa, meringue, cumbia and the mambo. Speaking to my own sense of rhythm, I've been told that I couldn't swing if I was hanging on a rope. Hope it doesn't come to that.