tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11746602917804939222024-02-19T00:43:55.130-08:00Thin Ice of a New DayWe'll see how this goes. I have some stories. A few things to say.Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-17022602124329802202021-10-27T09:20:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:03:38.177-07:00End Game <p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dK_bmlWFM24tTCwY8QjOG7U-p_eGJcw3/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">End Game</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-55974999179111193982021-10-25T12:28:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:08:22.695-07:00Right Back Pocket<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Right Back Pocket</span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">That last year before I went into the Army, I got advice. “Go to Canada.” “Get a lawyer.” “Claim some kind of medical problem. I have a friend who…” “Claim you are a conscientious objector.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I didn’t do any of those things. In the Summer of 1966, I got the letter that everyone was talking about. It read “Greetings from the President of the United States.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When I say everyone was talking about it, I am not exaggerating. Every man my age was preoccupied with military service. My date of induction was October 19, 1966 and during that month 43,000 men were taken into the military. So, I knew I had lots of company.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In 1965, Mike Vogan, my former college roommate sent me a letter from Vietnam. He had dropped out of Engineering school at Berkeley and was gobbled up by the draft. We were not close friends, but as fate would have it, he did me a great kindness. I think he sent a postcard. It read:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“<i>If you get drafted, be sure to get a copy of your college transcript. Fold the transcript up small and tight and put it in a baggy. Then keep it with you at all times. There will be a moment when you can use it.”</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I was not quite sure what Mike meant. I couldn’t correspond with him. I had no idea when I would see him again. I did exactly as he instructed. When I was indeed drafted, I put the baggy in my right back pocket. No matter how wet or dirty I got in training, I kept my little talisman safe in my right back pocket.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After basic training in California, I went to combat medic school at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas. Our purpose was to learn how to take care of wounded and sometimes dead soldiers. We marched from class to class. As always, I would check my right back pocket whenever I put on a clean uniform. “Was It there?” It was always there. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">On the day of this story, we marched out of the hot Texas sun in to a huge auditorium. There were perhaps a thousand young men seated in what seemed luxury. We had padded theater style seats. The room was air conditioned. We were warned not to fall asleep. I thought this would be a “Character Guidance” lecture or a “Don’t get VD” lecture. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> It was to be an important moment for me. The speaker was a personnel officer who rattled off various qualifications for different jobs. He read off a huge array of jobs requiring different skills. I listened carefully.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The Personnel Officer’s exact words were:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0in 1.5in;"><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Anyone with a college degree in a behavioral science and 1 year or more experience, come to the front of the stage. And, oh…you need to be able to prove you graduated. We don’t have time to check.”</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I reached for my right back pocket and headed down to the stage. I was not quite sure what they would do with my information, but I had finished my undergraduate work at Berkeley and I had been a probation officer for 1 year. That worked for me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A month later, I was suddenly put on orders to fly out of Texas to Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco where I was to be a psychology/social work specialist. My life shifted forever. Thank you, Mike Vogan.</span></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-85521297742083141392021-10-24T09:28:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:21:18.882-07:00A Family Crisis<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hfJFDJwrEwyLejlzyxY2_1I80RcWQlxY/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">A Family Crisis</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-70705745302421962472021-10-23T10:03:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:21:49.941-07:00 A Trip To Berkeley<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kwCvSYLU1CqluQwvw81RH2Y4QzN1GTzB/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">A Trip To Berkeley</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-27973859806291681622021-10-22T10:56:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:22:17.336-07:00Dish Room Story<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j9oSkOUI_uOgZh18jhMJgKpoXsPl5GvH/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Dish Room Story</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-48022585642742236472021-10-21T17:10:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:23:13.720-07:00You Are The One<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1p_gox85fT-mZXPEpxvOG_G6hM60IA2nu/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">You Are The One</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-10694582783728784402021-10-20T16:40:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:23:55.125-07:00The Rifle<p><a href="The Rifle">The Rifle</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-42699752224667712052021-10-19T10:58:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:24:32.900-07:00First Day<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v75Wi5XGthsK_mEF_KBYa2CyxLmRQ7i5/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">First Day</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-15319993487084423112021-10-18T16:58:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:27:41.206-07:00Lab Partners<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1alPILC1seQq6AeKp6IBTzLNbLPfGF979/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Lab Partners</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-92104129904702467372021-10-17T17:18:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:28:21.724-07:00Work and Protests<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D2S_TG_DX-hEbWsjZHlBrNt-4whOP5eR/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Work and Protests</a><br /></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-50840431241795435092021-10-16T16:59:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:29:18.241-07:00Laura's Birth<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uKQkQEUrInBBjyjDNSl1ogvlzu-xQdC7/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Laura's Birth</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-52295506321634736102021-10-15T17:01:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:29:53.620-07:00Memories of Charlie<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Sytr0QEydlx6qRKBN_3Tw_oYFriwVZ4N/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Memories of Charlie</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-55797957361077971492021-10-14T10:59:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:30:45.704-07:00Hazel Newton<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1by9pMTC1cqIBpkcvvOA_tx5snSz4K8LH/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Hazel Newton</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-45948677689486345812021-10-13T09:40:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:31:27.226-07:00<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Bj9TDQJzl4N_RFK2HzPNuf9h0rM3OXA8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">A Simple Truth</a> </b></span></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-59235924424652166522021-10-12T10:57:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:31:54.380-07:00Finding John<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ziLTTRkPs0hlMWZ2FNRlvvNUE2pMRjq_/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Finding John</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-47848749261528395252021-10-11T17:00:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:32:14.618-07:00Loma Prieta<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hFeHxN0Nfbnj_by8l3HTlCoMC6ggZq0R/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Loma Prieta</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-44895547813036553432021-10-10T10:55:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:32:38.938-07:00The Deli Story<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eo_UKp3AnjsNBbX5JS09PNH_hsQXxiGp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">The Deli Story</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-19351643298894021102021-10-09T10:18:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:33:17.934-07:00A Trip To Yosemite<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nrWjZYG0zS4kK13me2cAMZ5e_6QfIjTL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">A Trip To Yosemite</a><br /></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-29829834732709644002021-10-08T10:15:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:33:35.289-07:00A Special Duck For Laura<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15kP7w02QgPrPhlaVzXifzsDdm4zcPw9C/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">A Special Duck For Laura</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-62716651364654620762021-10-07T16:48:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:33:57.052-07:00Suzanne<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Snxj9c74YewAkMIEHntM7TZQwD4URGDW/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Suzanne</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-54453213462027996302021-10-06T16:38:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:41:41.511-07:00Madison to San Francisco<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1v_ZrGiUGBuc40a7VXxf1-LI-HQ8tpnaV/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Madison to San Francisco</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-56103772028349671752021-10-05T17:04:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:35:10.418-07:00Ophelia<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qdyJWHksZ1ugCnMRoIF_8tovUq8mNOfY/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Ophelia</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-11268387531324057372021-10-04T09:51:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:35:39.119-07:00A New Friend<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/19r0_FoNOxAivMtC_JbckdP1eMwUfdQ5C/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">A New Friend</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-57662019513042854602021-10-03T17:08:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:36:12.277-07:00Sarah on Scenic<p><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FAuCMzDbAlbszOsWDuQRJ0vvGzwEFApw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Sarah on Scenic</a> </p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1174660291780493922.post-61294007778862646962021-10-02T17:05:00.000-07:002021-10-28T09:36:47.118-07:00Jimmy in San Franciscco<p> <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CcMRGvp8L77pkA_idyg7npDIRifttxV9/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116039952402723847656&rtpof=true&sd=true">Jimmy in San Francisco</a></p>Mike Gorodezkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13535677516077774707noreply@blogger.com0