Philadelphia

Home of Nora, the Piano Cat

Where it all began. Or so they tell me. I wasn't there at the time. And actually they didn't tell me. I just assumed. I emerged some time later as a full time participating (albeit incredibly inept) member of the species on the 3rd of the month named after Augustus. While I was busy trying to survive and get started in life, LtJg. John F Kennedy was splashing around and trying to survive and help his crew survive the loss of the PT-109. The Solomon Islands are on the other side of the Dateline so I get a bit confused as to what we were both doing on that day. Somehow I find it significant though.

Anyway - I'm alleged to have arrived in Philly's Osteopathic hospital, which is significant in that I noticed the certificate on one of my recent doctors indicated that she had done her internship or something there. She was not aware of me at the time. My parents were married in Frederick, Maryland, which is why I am not named Hagerstown instead of Fred. They liked Hagerstown a lot, as did I, when I was old enough to appreciate such things. But it would have been cool to have "Hager" as a nickname, I guess. H-town reminded me in later years of "Pepperland." It's probably where I first bonded with Canada Geese, sometimes known as "Cobra Chickens." They still seem to know me. It is kinda fun to imagine the Pepperland folk, in their Sunday finery, slipping and falling in goose shit. Perhaps they cut that part out of "Yellow Submarine."

As it happens, I did my first solo aircraft flight out of Frederick (FDK) airport. What this signifies, I don't know, but I'm sure it will all be clear by the time you've read everything on this site. Or it will be clear that it is part of the meaninglessness I warned you about.

There will probably be more of this kind of stuff from time to time. Be careful about clicking on the "read more" buttons.