Don Barone: Looking that aways, back and front

Federation Nation chapters across country pitching in to help tornado victims

“It’s been so long now

 and it seems oh it was only yesterday … “

Dateline:  Room 318, LaGrange, Ga.

Got me some updates for you.

Even got an update on something that hasn’t happened yet.  Don’t know exactly what to call that, but at some point it will be an update so just think of it to be just a plain old update once I get the original date in the first place.

I plan ahead for stories to be old.

First update on a story that already happened:  Kelly Jordon and his bout with skin cancer.

I know this story must have been read because I had to stand in line to get to talk to KJ … didn’t overhear any questions about fish, pretty much everyone asking him about skin cancer.

All those who interviewed him before me shook his hand.

When it was my turn, we hugged.  Kelly Jordon is a real good friend of mine out here, and frankly he scared the hell out of me when he told me he had cancer.

I cried.  KJ cried. His wife Kerri cried.  I didn’t sleep very well until he texted me that everything was OK.  And then, I cried again.  He probably did too but he was in Texas and I was in Connecticut so I’m not going to report that as fact.

Here’s some facts that the guys who shook his hand after interviewing him might not know, you have to be at the hugging stage for this kind of stuff.

KJ is going back to the doctors to have a couple more areas of concerns looked at, “I’m not taking any chances now db, got 2 or 3 things on the top of my head, and I want them checked and just taken off.”

KJ then took his finger and pushed down an imaginary button on an imaginary spray bottle that he imaginarily stuck in my face and said, “Whoosh.”

I just kind of looked at him, I knew this would go somewhere, just didn’t know where.

“db, nobody wants bad news but you have to do this, you have to be checked, the sun can affect you even through your clothes, but many times it’s nothing and they can just freeze the thing right off your skin.”

So you know KJ’s shoulder melanoma was “In-situ” or encased, “If it got to 1 millimeter deep it is extremely dangerous, MINE WAS NOT, I do not need chemo, but trust me, you need to have these things checked out.  I never went around without a shirt on, never in MY LIFE got a really bad sunburn, I took care of myself, and it still happened.”

We are not fooling around here, this stuff is very serious, take it seriously or it will take your life. 

” … ain’t it funny how time slips away yeah … “

This next is a story that will be continually update, it’s not going away anytime soon.

The story “A Field of Tears.”

I have had so many emails from that story that I had to increase the storage capacity of my Google email.  Hundreds of emails from people wanting to help … just got this one late last night from Sylvia Morris of the Connecticut B.A.S.S. Federation Nation:

The CBFN voted at our Board meeting to donate $500.00 to the Tornado Fund. Along with that the Milford Black Bass club gave $100.00 and challenged all the other clubs to match it. In addition to this Terry Baksay”s Juniors donated their money that they raised for themselves at our Scholarship Open by cooking for the Anglers, $370.00. So far we have $970.00 and climbing!

This is the least we can do !! We need to count our blessings and give do what we can to help!!!

When I talked to Sylvia she said she was going to send the money to the local church that was listed at the end of the story.  Here’s that bit of info:

If people want to help the folks of Cullman, they can bring any kind of clothes for adults or children, chain saws, baby supplies like diapers, etc, to the First Baptist Church of Fairview, 1022 Welcome Rd. Cullman, Alabama 35058, or the can send money via Paypal to the church and they will use it to help the people directly. People can send money to fbcf@hiwaay.net

 

I’m also hoping to hear from other B.A.S.S. Federation Nation members who I know are pitching in to help out.  Thank you guys … and thanks to all the hundreds of anglers who have reached out to me asking how they can help.

You can help, in one simple way, don’t forget the victims, the small towns, once this story moves off the front pages, as it will, this area is going to need help for some time to come, this is not some far-away land somewhere that got hit, these are our neighbors that live so close, you can drive there.

Please keep them in your thoughts, your heart, your prayers, your charity

.

And North Alabama … once I get done chasin’ those who chase B.A.S.S … I WILL BE BACK … and I’m hoping to bring some folks and some stuff with me.

I will not forget, and I’ll help you for as long as you need it.

“A Field of Tears,” also came to the Elites.  When the tornado swept through Moody, Ala., it took with it the roof of Kota Kiriyama’s house.

“db I was down in the basement making a call to Japan checking on my relatives (he has family who live a couple of hundred miles from the disaster in Japan and they are very concerned about radiation leaks from the nuclear reactor that was crippled when the tsunami and earthquake hit) it was about 5:30 in the morning and I started hearing a strange sound outside, so when I went upstairs, it was just all brown outside, and just at that moment, the tornado hit us.”

When I asked if he needed anything, Kota said they were doing OK, “insurance,” but then said, ” … it hasn’t been a good month, first the tsunami in Japan, then right after fishing Table Rock I was home sitting at a stop sign in my little Honda and got hit from behind by a young girl texting and driving.”

Not sure I would use the word hit … slammed might be more accurate … it was estimated the girl hit Kota’s car at about 50 mph … never even hit the brakes … and sent Kota’s car shooting 60 feet away from the impact.  “And she didn’t have any insurance.”

A week later to the day, he was slammed once again.

By the tornado that hit Moody. 

” … ain’t it funny how time slips away yeah
But I want you to remember what I tell you … “

Now for an update on something I never wrote about, but should have, so technically, I consider that updateable.  Sticklers for details, don’t even think of emailing me about that logic since logic only pertains to where you’re sitting and looking at things.

About a week ago I changed my living arraignments from living in the db/bb/rv, to, an, adventure.

Once it became known around the Elites and their families, they started reaching out to me.  Here’s just one txt message:

“Hey db! It’s Jill Lane.  Russ will b staying n a 3 BR/2 Bath house at Lake Murray.  Russ said u r more than welcome to stay with him J  He will b there by himself until I get there on Friday.”

Hmmm.

So after more hmmm I talked to Russ and Jill, and guess what.  Russ and me are going to be roommates.

Yep, all of next week I’ll be living the exact-like life of an Elite.  A view from the inside out like no other.

The only thing Russ told me when I sort of broke the news of both thanking him for the invite he may or may not have thought quite through and telling him, BTW … I’m going be writing about it all week.

“Just don’t be sneaking no camera in my face while I’m sleeping or just waking up.”

Uh-huh.

So, the odd-couple comes to B.A.S.S.

Russ is in shape.

I was in shape once one day back in 1968.

Russ dresses kind of neat and coordinated.

I went out this morning with one black shoe and one brown shoe on.  Growing up I had no problem wearing paisley with plaid. Many had a hard time looking at it though.

Russ has hair and it’s always combed.

I don’t, or do.

Russ seems to have things in control.

I’ll change that.

Russ is a quiet caring individual.

We’ll get along just fine.

Watch what happens, all next week.

” … and it’s surprising how time slips away.”

Funny How Time Slips Away

Jerry Lee Lewis

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