The raid

She is a young girl

8 years old

She is shy and hardly talks

She has a mommy and a daddy and a baby brother

She goes to school on a bus

This morning she hugged her mommy tightly

She didn’t want to say goodbye

She said she loves her and wants her to never leave her

She had a tear in her eyes

Her mother held her in her arms and reassured her everything will be ok

She stepped toward her bus

Got on and waved to her mother as she found her seat and headed to school

She lives in a nice town

Friendly neighborhood

In New Jersey

Not far from New York City

About an hour away

Her town is home to many foreigners

Good people

Hard working people

Her dad is a carpenter

Her mother a nurse

They have been living in the states for 10 years

Both her brother and her were born in New Jersey

Her mom and dad are from the Dominican Republic

They are not yet legal

They came here for a better life

Settled in a small town

In Fair lawn New Jersey

They pay taxes

They contribute to society

Her mother works at the local hospital

Her father builds houses

They are a religious family

They go to church on Sundays

Her brother is in day care

He’s 3 years old

She loves her baby brother

She entered her class room

Greeted her teacher

Said hello

Took her seat

Prepared for her lesson

At around early afternoon she was called to the door of one of her classes

The school official asked her to step outside of the classroom

She was informed that her mom and dad were swept up in a raid

Her mom at her place of employment at the hospital

Her dad on his way to work from the subway

The girl started to cry

She was confused

The school official hugged her tightly

The young girl asked her what is going to happen to her family

The woman looked at her holding her hand as she walked her back to her classroom

She then walked to her teacher and spoke to her about the young girl’s parents explaining to her that her parents

Were taken away in

The raid

Short version

Not reflective of full audio recording

Race car champion

Waiting for this day with nervous anticipation

Preparing mentally and emotionally

Talking with the team

Surveying the race car

Sitting in the driver seat

Waiting for the flag

On your mark

Get set

Go

The race is underway

The competition is intense

My mind wanders

I’m pushing myself

Circling the track at high speeds

Accelerating on the straightaways

Sensing the vibration of the engine

Taking it easy on the turns

Positioning for the lead

Avoiding the pack and the wall around the bend

Feeling the raw emotion at the wheel

Cruising at over 160 miles per hour

One wrong move and it’s all over

Just keeping pace

Searching for the opportunity to take the lead

Tired of being boxed in

Aggressive tactics are required for the most successful on the track

Always in touch with my team

The pit crew is ready and waiting

I’m on the radio with my coach

We talk strategy and what to look out for

My car is a finely tuned machine

The engine purrs like a kitten

Sometimes it roars like a lion

I am always amazed at how fast the car can go

Sometimes I push it beyond its limits

That’s the risk I must take

Sometimes I get clipped

Other times I spin out

I don’t ever want to hit the wall on the turn

I’ve seen guys crash into the wall

It’s frightening to witness

We’ve lost many good racers

It’s very sad

I’ve been to my share of final goodbyes

It’s not what I like about this sport

It’s known that racing around the track at high speeds is a deadly proposition

You’re in the race of your life

You must endure 500 go rounds at breakneck speed

You never want to blow a tire or rupture the gas tank

That’s how we lose many drivers in fiery explosions after they collide with another racer or the wall

It’s very difficult to continue on knowing someone is badly injured or worse, dead after such a collision

It’s traumatic and painful to watch it happen and trying everything possible to avoid being swept up in the high speed collision

After the midpoint the race wares on you

It takes courage and determination to finish the race

You really must be in tune with your car and make proper choices and know when to stop for pit crew assistance

You need to be strategic though make all necessary stops if your car warrants it

You can’t expect to win if your car is not at optimal performance

That’s why you have a pit crew

They are efficient, reliable and able to get your car back on the track in less than 10 seconds

The races are grueling and takes a lot out of you

That’s why victory is so sweet

Only the best know that winning feeling

Qualifying is the most difficult thing to do

You need to be at your best and have your crew solidly behind you

After a while you have to be reminded what your position is and how many more laps you have remaining

You have to be alert at all times on the track

The races are very competitive and each course tests your skills and ability to race under extraordinary conditions

The most challenging part of racing is surviving for another race

That’s the goal

The practices are critical and you must simulate all kinds of scenarios in racing

You must know how to race in the rain, on scorching hot days, in windy conditions and in crowded packs

It’s incredible to beat the field of racers

All racers on the track deserve to be there and on any given day can win

You must be a little bit better to win the race and title

It’s the best feeling

To drink the champagne of race car champions, milk

It goes down so good

It’s truly amazing

To be awarded the arrangement of flowers

To win the prize money

To be celebrated by your crew and owners of your race car

To celebrate with your family and friends

To have your name etched on the plaque as the

Race car champion

A concert for the ages

I love music.

I love concerts.

And this was a concert for the ages.

It was planned months ago,

A Labor Day weekend road trip with my son.

Green Day was calling,

And we were ready to answer.

From Levittown to Baldwinsville, New York,

The open road stretched before us,

Leading to my friend, then southbound to Harrisburg.

A pit stop at the Toyota service center,

Just a few hours to make sure our ride was good to go.

Friday night saw us in Pittsburgh,

Checking into the Holiday Inn Express,

Anticipation building, as Sunday drew near.

Sunday morning came,

And the excitement in the air was palpable.

We wandered the streets of Pittsburgh,

Found a diner, one with history and heart,

The kind of place where stories are shared.

I saw a Roberto Clemente cap,

And memories of a boyhood idol came rushing back.

A hero lost too soon, but his spirit lives on,

In a simple, black-and-gold cap.

As we waited to eat,

A conversation sparked with a woman,

Ten years my senior, visiting from California.

Her husband, a Pittsburgh native, smiled at my hat,

A thumbs-up from one baseball fan to another.

She knew Green Day, knew Billie Joe Armstrong,

From before the fame, when they played local venues.

We shared stories, shared excitement,

Until her table was ready, and she wished us well.

Breakfast finished, we paid and left,

Back to the hotel to rest,

To prepare for the night ahead.

An Uber ride was our choice,

And a smart one at that,

As we arrived at PNC Park,

Home of the Pittsburgh Pirates,

And tonight, the home of rock.

The lineup was a dream:

The Linda Lindas—an all-girl powerhouse from California,

Rancid—veterans of the scene,

Smashing Pumpkins—icons of the '90s,

And finally, Green Day—the main event.

We found our seats, or so we thought,

A mix-up, a small detour,

But soon we were settled, ready,

For the music to take us away.

The first two acts hit the stage,

And the crowd roared in approval.

Then Smashing Pumpkins took over,

And memories flooded back with every chord.

But the night belonged to Green Day.

They took the stage like legends,

Opening with Queen’s "Bohemian Rhapsody,"

A tribute, a masterpiece.

They were celebrating milestones—

30 years of *Dookie,*

20 years of *American Idiot.*

It was the "Saviors Stadium Tour,"

And they were saving us all with every note.

The energy was electric,

Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool—

They were unstoppable,

A force of nature on that stage.

Supporting musicians filled the sound,

Keyboards, guitars,

But it was Billie Joe who captivated,

A 52-year-old rock star who found the fountain of youth.

The crowd was with them,

Every song, every moment,

A sellout show,

A performance that would be talked about for years.

And when it was over,

We left the park with smiles,

Took an Uber back,

And reflected on a night that was more than just music.

It was

A concert for the ages.