Questions on a sunny day

The temperature’s hovering around 30 degrees, the sun is shining, and the questions pile up on a columnist’s desk.
Questions like:
•Why is it every time I comment on how mild the winter has been, people respond by insisting that we’re going to pay for this later with blizzards in April or an equivalent mess? Since when did meteorology turn into retribution?
•Wasn’t it about third grade that you noticed February was actually the longest month on the calendar, despite the number of days? Oh, sure, they’d throw in those holidays like Valentine’s Day and Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday. But after Christmas, those didn’t count as real holidays but just made the month seem longer.
•When was the last time you went barefoot for any length of time? As a kid, my barefoot season started as soon as school was out and lasted until the school doors opened in September. I have vivid memories of being towed around by my mother as she shopped in long-gone places like Smith’s Department Store and the Boston Store in Portland. For some reason, the proprietor’s put some sort of oil on the wooden floors. By the time we left the place, you could write a message in chalk on the black soles of my feet.
•What does it say about this column or this columnist that I received two fan letters about a recent piece on forgetting where I put things, and that both letters were from 84-year-olds? One said, “You sound very normal to me.” The other sent a sympathy card and recommended a 20-step course from Harvard Medical School on boosting my memory. She added, “Maybe you should send for a copy before it’s too late. … You still have time.” That’s reassuring.
•Why can’t I stop daydreaming about baseball season? We’ve become big fans of the Sunday afternoon Tincaps games at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne. Get there early and you can have a late lunch before the first pitch. I recommend the brisket and the Granite City brew. There’s better shade on the third base side if the afternoon’s a hot one.
•Should I even bother entering the company’s NFL pool next season? There’s no money involved, just pride and bragging rights. But after last season’s performance, I have nothing to be proud of and I certainly have nothing to brag about. I would have done better if I’d gone eeny-meeny-miney-mo when making my picks. For the record, I came in dead last.
•Why did it take so long for someone to think of having a monthly class get-together? The class of ’66 is going with noon on the fourth Tuesday of each month on a come-if-you-can basis. No agenda. No frills. Sort of like a reunion without all the planning and fuss. Fourteen showed up for the first one, counting two spouses and the mother of a classmate. It’s a great idea.
•If you were Jim Irsay, what decision would you reach on the future of Peyton Manning with the Colts?
And do you think anyone would be happy with your decision no matter what you did? I didn’t think so either.[[In-content Ad]]