might be baloney

“Now go and do likewise”

May 15, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

I’m honored to be with you this afternoon.

Perhaps, we’ll learn a little bit more about each other over the next hour.

That’s right.

I was told to fill up an hour.

Just kidding. I don’t want you to be late for dinner.

Let’s see if I can do better with the humor.

From Bob Hope:

ON TURNING 70  ’I still chase women, but only downhill.’

ON TURNING 80  ’That’s the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing.’

ON TURNING 90  ’You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.’

ON TURNING 100  ’I don’t feel old. In fact, I don’t feel anything until noon. Then it’s time for my nap.’

ON GOING TO HEAVEN
‘I’ve done benefits for ALL religions.
I’d hate to blow the hereafter on a technicality.’

Ok, enough humor, let’s get serious for a few minutes.

My guess is that you are familiar with Luke Chapter 10 verses 25-37, this is the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Let’s revisit those verses:

The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.

32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Somewhere in America today, maybe here in Richmond, a person will be accosted, robbed, and beat to a pulp.

Why does this continue to happen in our world?
What is wrong with us?

Why is that same mentality present today just as it was on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho?

A couple of blocks from Trinity, I know two neighbors who experienced a dangerous encounter with robbers. My neighbors were lucky.

Again, why is this repulsive behavior still a part of our society?

Why can’t we do better?

Maybe the answer can be found at the beginning of this parable.

The expert on the law addresses Jesus as “teacher.”

I wonder if the robbers on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, the individuals who accosted my neighbors, did anyone attempt to teach them something as simple as the difference between right and wrong?

Were both parents in the home? Was home life stable with an abundance of nurturing and love? Were there rules? Did they attend church? Were they compliant in a school environment?

Did they have a moral compass? Did their hearts understand good versus evil? Prior to making their poor decisions, did anyone ever take the time to listen to them?

In the summer of 2025, my wife and I had the privilege of traveling with two couples from college to Vancouver for three days, and then we boarded a cruise ship that took us into Alaska.

Yes, it was a remarkable trip. One I will never forget. This was despite Mr. Moose not being on every Alaskan street corner as the tourist marketing had suggested.

Within walking distance to the hotel where we stayed in Vancouver is the magnificent Stanley Park.

On our last morning in Vancouver, three of us took a walk into Stanley Park.

During that walk we came across a statue of Governor General Lord Stanley from October 1889.

Inscribed at the base of the statue are these cherished words: “To the use and enjoyment of people of all colours, creeds, and customs for all time. I name thee Stanley Park.”

I love the honesty of that wisdom from Lord Stanley.

And, I also love that the Good Samaritan was not influenced in his decision making by “colours, creeds, and customs.”

Yet, here we are 137 years later from Lord Stanley’s statue, and we continue to struggle with the “colours, creeds, and customs” of those who don’t look like us.

Jesus taught us to love despite our differences in appearance. Why is this so difficult for us to do?

Our last day in Alaska was in the city of Fairbanks.

The pretty Chena River flows through Fairbanks. There is a river walk that showcases the river with lots of local history woven into the displays along the river.

During our exploring, another statue caught our attention.

We came across a display about the 1913 Pioneer Ascent of Denali. The display clearly captured this historic event, but the focus is on one of the climbers—Walter Harper.

Next to the display is a marvelous statue of Mr. Harper capturing the essence of Harper on the climb and his outstretched “hand up.”

Harper possessed the all-around skills for the climb, but he also possessed the essential human skills for his willingness to always extend his hand to help.

Like Walter Harper, the Good Samaritan, extended his hand to help the beaten traveler.

What had the Good Samaritan, Lord Stanley, and Walter Harper been taught in their lives that allowed them to see the world differently by extending a helping hand to a neighbor in need?

What made them different from the Priest, the Levite and the robbers?

Last Monday afternoon, my wife had her first cataract surgery.

At the surgery center, it is tough to wait patiently when you are anxious to have the surgery performed.

But eventually, her name was called by a nurse.

After confirming that my wife was really my wife, the nurse said to me, “I’m going to take good care of her. “

I responded by saying, “Thank you, I know you will.”

Isn’t that part of this parable?

Doesn’t Jesus want us to confirm that we are going to take “good care” of our neighbors?

The March 2026 issue of Southern Living Magazine has an article titled “She’s Got Game.” The article focuses on six Southern women who have impacted women’s basketball “both on and off the court.”

One of those women is Kara Lawson. She is the coach of Duke University women’s team. Coach Lawson played for Pat Summit, the legendary coach at the University of Tennessee. Additionally, Coach Lawson is the Head Coach of the USA Women’s National Team.

In 2022, a video of Coach Lawson talking to her Duke players caught a lot of attention through social media.

Here is part of what Coach Lawson said to her players: “We all wait in life for things to get easier. Most people think that it’s going to get easier. Life is gonna get easier, basketball’s gonna get easier, school is gonna get easier—it never gets easier. What happens is you become someone that handles hard stuff better.”

Perhaps, that’s the difference between the Good Samaritan, and the robbers, the priest, and the Levite.

Perhaps, the Good Samaritan had already learned how to handle the “hard stuff” in life better.

He knew how to respond to Jesus’ command: “Now go and do likewise.”

In today’s world, why is that so hard for you, me, we, us to “go and do likewise?”

In 1898, Lord Stanley wasn’t hindered in his thinking about “colours, creeds, and customs.” He went and did likewise.

Fifteen years later, Walter Harper knew how important it was to extend his hand of help no matter the environment or location. The same for Walter Harper, he went and did likewise.

With regard to our neighbors, doesn’t Jesus need to hear from us the same words that the nurse spoke to my wife and me just prior to her surgery—“I will take good care of her.”

Doesn’t Jesus want us to take “good care” of our neighbors just like the nurse and the Samaritan did?

Is that easy?

No.

Remember what Coach Lawson pointed out to her players, “it never gets easier.”

Life might not get easier.

But, life can get better.

That requires our hearts to drop our fears, to love our neighbors, and to “go and do likewise.”

Let us pray: Father of us all, touch our hearts to drop our fears, to love our neighbors, and to “go and do likewise.” Amen

Author’s note: On the afternoon of Tuesday, May 12, I had the privilege of presenting this devotional at Lakewood, a retirement community in Richmond. This program is part of Trinity UMC reaching out to its members beyond the walls of the church.

Learning about Claude Russell Bridges aka Leon Russell at the Osher Institute of Lifelong Learning at the University of Richmond

May 9, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

Some day, our luck at the Osher Institute Of Lifelong Learning at the University of Richmond is going to run out.

We’ll submit a proposal, a topic for teaching a class, and we’ll be rejected.

And that will be ok, as it will be part of life’s learning curve for two rapidly aging geezers.

But so far, we’ve been lucky. We just completed our ninth collaborative class.

The we is my lifelong friend, Joe Vanderford, and me.

We grew up in Burlington, North Carolina.

Our original bonding came from church, church softball teams, and in our teenage years—a love for music.

On some Sunday mornings, we’d sneak out of the balcony of the sanctuary at Davis Street United Methodist Church and go to Central News. Central News sold magazines and newspapers. We’d be searching for the latest issue of Rolling Stone, Crawdaddy, or Creem. These periodicals covered rock and roll in America.

If we knew, a favorite artist had released a new album, we’d drive down North Carolina Highway 54 to Chapel Hill. In Chapel Hill, we had two stops, the Record and Tape Center or the Record Bar. In either of those record shops, we’d find the new album we were looking to purchase.

But that love of reading about music and listening to music never left us. It is still part of our lives. Thankfully for Joe and me, our wives support our annual collaboration for developing a class.

I don’t remember the precise moment when we decided to develop our ninth class on Leon Russell, but I can tell you this—neither Joe nor I will ever, ever forget our class on Mr. Russell.

When we started working on this class, Joe and I knew the basic information about Mr. Russell. However, we had no idea, I mean no idea how wide, long, and deep his career spanned in American music.

His career was like staring forever into the the Grand Canyon. No matter where you look into the vastness of the Canyon, Leon’s career could fill it. Not only fill it, but the colors, tones, shades, shapes, and moods of his music could match those found in the Canyon too.

It seems almost inconceivable that a kid from Lawton, Oklahoma would have such an impact as a band leader, session musician, arranger, producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer, and performer, but he did.

His family called him Russell. His mother noted that young Russell was slow to speak, but according to family stories, his first words were, “What’s the matter, little birdie, you cry?”

By the age of four, Russell had started playing piano by ear. His mother recognizing the potential talent connected him with the best piano teacher in the area.

A birth injury impacted his left hand, but Russell figured out how to compensate with his piano playing.

Later in life, he described his piano playing: “My chops have always been sort of weak, because the right side of my body was paralyzed a little bit. I have damaged nerve endings on the right side, so my piano style comes from designing stuff I can play with my right hand.” (Bill Janovitz page 7)

In our prep for a class, we have two essentials—a worthwhile book about the artist and a documentary that captures the artist at work.

For this class, we had an unbelievable book, Leon Russell The Master of Space and Time’s Journey Through Rock and Roll History. This book written by Bill Janovitz is as good as any book I’ve ever read about a musician. In a Herculean effort, Mr. Janovitz captures all of Mr. Russell’s life.

To showcase Leon at work, we had three documentaries to consider—Mad Dogs and Englishmen, The Concert For Bangla Desh, and an obscure film made in 1970s A Poem Is A Naked Person.

We opted for Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

Our two part class on April 13 and 14, 2026 opened with a late Monday afternoon screening of Mad Dogs and Englishmen.

On Tuesday, we put our hearts and souls into covering as much of the essentials of Mr. Russell’s work as we could. From his early bands in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the road to Los Angeles, session work, arranging and production work for a who’s who’s list of artist, the quiet development of his own songwriting skills, how Mad Dogs and Englishmen came together, his first solo album, and how he in a short period of time became a top concert draw.

To tell this story we used recordings, assorted videos of performances, and a wide range of interviews with other artists and Mr. Russell to capture a sampling of his work and the admiration that other musicians had for him.

Leon’s sound and piano style were unique. Plus, he didn’t limit himself to rock and roll. His recording and live performances reflect an ability to play any style of music.

And despite all of his talent and success, his lows were at times as devastating as a tornado ravaging across Oklahoma. Some substance abuse, struggles with his personal health, multiple marriages, unwise investments, and poor management choices severely countered his triumphs.

Those troublesome decisions forced him to tour out of necessity for much of his later life.

In 2010, his friend, Elton John, a long time admirer of Mr. Russell’s piano playing reconnected with him. The result was a collaborative album, The Union, and a tour to support the album.

During the 2011 induction of Mr. Russell into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, he spoke these heartfelt words about Elton’s rescue: “About a year ago, Elton found me in a ditch at the side of the highway of life and took me up to the high stages with big audiences, and treated me like a king.”

That resurgence was good for Leon and Elton.

One of the best things about the Osher program is that they survey the students who attended both sessions of our class.

Joe and I learn from that feedback.

This year, our documentary choice was criticized.

Before the screening, Joe always writes an introduction about the film for the students. Joe’s instincts as a writer are to provide a broad brush stroke of opinions related to the film. This included referencing the negative review from the Washington Post critic, Tom Zito.

Mr. Zito said:
“Forget the film and try the record,” explaining, “What emerges from all this is roughly two hours of footage that looks terrible on the screen and sounds almost as bad. The film is projected in an annoying square format, except for the moments when the screen area is broken up into some poorly coordinated split-screen effects. The camerawork is often sloppy … the whole thing winds up looking and sounding like a cheap, imitation (indoor) ‘Woodstock.’”

Much of the feedback we received about the film from our students agreed with Mr. Zito’s assessment.

For the presentation that Joe and I wove together about Mr. Russell, the students were kinder. They offered good suggestions for how we could have shortened the videos we used as a way for including more content about Mr. Russell.

I’m not sure why, but for some reason, in working on this project, I was drawn to the first stanza of the Beatles’ song “Come Together”:

“Here come old flat-top, he come grooving up slowly.
He got ju-ju eyeball, he one holy roller. He got hair down to his knee, got to be a joker, he just do what he please.”

Here comes Leon Russell off of the Oklahoma “flat-top”, a slow moving, groovy musician. Whose eyes according to the women in his life could see right through them. His church music upbringing made him in some respects a “holy roller.” By 1970 his hair was heading toward his knees, a quiet joker who had just been biding his time to do what he pleased with his first solo album.

Mr. Russell’s first solo album confirmed what fellow musicians, including arrangers and producers knew about him—he was exceptionally gifted.

Perhaps, the opening song from the album “A Song For You” supports this testimony from his peers. “A Song For You” has been recorded by 200 artists.

My teaching pal, Joe, who knows much more about the intricacies and structure of music than I do believes this album is an underrated piece of Americana. A recording that should always be recognized as a classic piece of our musical heritage.

I agree.

I have no idea if we will come up with a proposal for a class in the Spring of 2027.

Leon’s life and his body of work pushed us to our limits.

But, I don’t think either of us would trade anything for how we wove the class together. Joe was at his best in developing the flow of the script.

On November 13, 2016, we lost Leon Russell. He died in his sleep.

Two memorial services were held—one in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee where he resided, and the other in Tulsa, Oklahoma where his career in music was launched.

At those memorial services, I wonder if anyone thought of those early words from young Claude Russell Bridges—“What’s the matter, little birdie, you cry?”

Clearly at both services, there were lots of “little birdies” from performers to speakers, and the audience who were in tears.

One of those speakers, Steve Ripley, fought through his tears to share this text from Leon: “The reason for connection is food, music, friendship, and tape machines. The strong stuff is just the facts of life and death; you either laugh or cry.”

I’m thankful for the friendship and connection that music has given to Joe and me. With every class we have laughed and cried.

And Joe and I are deeply thankful to the Osher members, and the Osher staff—Peggy, Nell, Romney, and Amy. Without them, there is no Osher program, and no class from us.

For days after the class, songs that we had featured from Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Delaney and Bonnie, Joe Cocker, and Bob Dylan rolled through my old brain. Mr. Russell’s unmistakable touch as a session musician, arranger, and producer were on those songs.

During his life and even today, Mr. Russell’s gift of music touched lots of “little birdies.” I for one am thankful that he shared this gift with us.

Yearbook photo of Claude Russell Bridges aka Leon Russell (multiple internet sources)

When All Hope Is Gone: Death By Suicide

May 6, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

In his poem, “Wasteland” T. S. Elliot wrote the opening line: “April is the cruelest month.”

Truth be told all months are cruel when it comes to death by suicide.

On April 16, 2026, former Virginia Lieutenant Governor, Justin Fairfax, after murdering his wife died by suicide.

I can only begin to imagine the trauma for his son and daughter. Both were in the home at the time.

Reports indicate that Mr. Fairfax’s life was in a tailspin. His professional and personal life were a mess. Any attempts to recover from this downward spiral would have required an unyielding commitment and effort from Mr. Fairfax.

Death by suicide is no stranger to my family, neighbors, friends, and co-workers.

In my thirty one years of work in Virginia’s public schools, I saw the impact when students, teachers, and parents died by suicide.

Hearts are forever crushed.

Remaining loved ones always ask— could I have done anything differently to have prevented one of life’s cruelest intrusions?

The United States Center For Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2023, 49,000 people died by suicide. That is one death every eleven minutes.

In Virginia there are fourteen cities with a population range from 41,705 to 49,627. The 2023 deaths by suicide is the equivalent of wiping out one of those cities.

Despite efforts to improve access to mental health care and the creation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, we still lose too many people to death by suicide.

The 988 number on a paper towel dispenser in a public restroom (Photo Bill Pike)

Writer Rick Bragg’s book, Somebody Told Me, is comprised of newspaper stories he wrote. The last chapter is titled “Living and Dying.”

In that chapter, the article: On Florida Bridge, Troopers Are Also Suicide Counselors, I read about troopers who encounter people on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. These individuals are poised to jump off the bridge. Quite simply, they have lost all hope.

With non-threatening compassion and patience, the officers quickly work to establish a rapport with the troubled jumper.

Sometimes, officers find that a simple touch or gentle words of reason change the jumper’s thinking. In those altered seconds, officers are able to help the person to move away from that precarious point on the bridge.

Doesn’t matter if the person is a public figure or a troubled soul on the edge of a bridge, we must work to provide more opportunities to help and assist the hopeless individuals who are pondering death by suicide.

In a country that can build skyscrapers that push skylines upward, propel rockets into the blue yonder, and perform life changing medical operations, we can’t rest until we figure out even more successful interventions to prevent death by suicide.

At this very moment someone’s hopeless heart is ticking toward that eleven minutes mark.

Doesn’t America want to break the cruelty of this heartbreaking cycle?

Worrisome bickering

May 3, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

During March and April of 2026, I read articles reported in the Henrico Citizen Newspaper about bickering between the Henrico County Board of Supervisors and the Henrico County School Board.

The focus was about the budget and human resource requests from the school board.

Henrico County’s Board of Supervisors eventually approved a nearly two billion dollar budget.

For lots of reasons, I worry about public bickering between the two boards.

My calendar never allowed me to sign up to speak at a Board of Supervisor’s meeting. So, on the evening of Thursday, April 30, I was on the agenda to speak in person during the Public Forum.

In the Public Forum, speakers are allowed three minutes. Here are my comments:

Mr. Chairman, members of the Board, Dr. Cashwell, all school board employees, and the Henrico school community, my name is Bill Pike, a retired educator.

In the opening scene of the movie, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Principal Helen Jacobs, is talking with her new band director, Glenn Holland. It is Mr. Holland’s first day on the job.

Mr. Holland tells his principal that he never expected to be teaching in a high school. He confesses that he only earned his teaching certificate to have something to fall back on.

Mrs. Jacobs states to Mr. Holland, “I don’t think of teaching as a fall back position. I grow nervous around people who do.”

Knowing myself as a confirmed worrier, and whiner, I grow nervous when I read in the Henrico Citizen about the budget bickering between our Henrico County School Board and Board of Supervisors.

Experience tells me public posturing like that rarely has a positive impact for either board. Those moments of frustration can actually sow negative seeds which might just hinder future dialogue between both boards at a critical time.

Yes, advocating for fully funded budgets and meeting personnel requests is important to that process.

But, do you realize, how many school boards in Virginia would sell their souls to the devil for a $971 million dollar budget?

Our world has changed. It is more complicated.

I saw that first hand on April 16 when I attended the Faith-Based Leaders luncheon on the campus of Virginia Randolph.

I learned more about the needs of our schools and how relationships in our diverse communities are being established to meet those needs.

At the end of the day, bickering and whining between the school board and board of supervisors isn’t going to address the needs of our students and teachers.

However, building relationships will.

Think about this quote from Abraham Lincoln:

“Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?”

Thanks for your time, your leadership, and for listening to a rapidly aging, grumpy geezer. Good luck the last month of this school year.

Habitat’s legacy points to Richmond’s housing future

April 30, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

BUILDING TOGETHER

Richmond Times-Dispatch Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Guest Column BILL PIKE

During the first four months of 2026, the reporters and editors of the Richmond Times-Dispatch have provided a variety of stories and opinion pieces about affordable housing.

These reports have covered legislative efforts, involvement from local governments, and St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church breaking ground for a new affordable housing project.

It is my hope that we can continue to nudge affordable housing initiatives forward.

As a retired public-school educator, I’ve seen the impact that housing instability has on families with school-age children. Additionally, I’ve seen that same uncertainty for families who seek financial assistance related to housing at the church where I work.

For the past three years, I’ve had the privilege of volunteering on the Faith Council for the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity. The Faith Council works to seek the involvement of houses of worship in Habitat’s work to provide affordable housing.

Habitat for Humanity has a long history of working to provide affordable housing at the national and international levels.

In fact, 2026 marks the 40th year of the Richmond branch in building and rehabbing homes. During May, the Richmond Habitat staff and volunteers expect to complete construction on their 400th home. This is a significant accomplishment.

The owner and the 400th Habitat home in Richmond, Virginia (Photo Courtesy of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat For Humanity)

I’ve had the privilege of volunteering on Habitat projects in North Carolina, South Carolina and Richmond. On those sites, I have been impressed by the efficiency of the house designs, the quality of the work completed by Habitat staff and volunteers, and the support of local building suppliers who provide materials.

Yet I always walk away wondering how much more might Habitat accomplish if additional collaborations and partnerships could be brokered?

What happens if Habitat and similar affordable housing non-profits pool resources? Will that allow more houses to be built or rehabbed?

How can our local governments partner with Habitat? Could land donations, financial incentives and opportunities for employees to volunteer on Habitat projects happen in the near future?

With houses of worship, how might their financial resources and volunteers be committed to building a house?

Look at our Richmond neighborhoods and the proximity of churches to each other. Does that geographical closeness lend itself toward building relationships and partnerships for developing more affordable housing projects?

Another consideration with houses of worship is how many empty church buildings are there in Richmond? Can these empty buildings be renovated into housing? If the building can’t be salvaged, can the building be torn down and the land donated for an affordable housing project?

In continuing to explore resources for affordable housing, what is the involvement of our community colleges, Virginia Union University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University and the University of Richmond in these initiatives? Are students and professors currently involved? If not, how do we secure their involvement?

Pushing further into our education communities, is there a way for high school students who are enrolled in construction-related Career and Technical Education programs to work on Habitat building and rehab sites?

Clearly, we have lots to consider in the push to support efforts for affordable housing throughout Richmond. Pushing beyond the predictable to find creative and practical ways to sustain Habitat’s work is important.

With my small role on Habitat’s Faith Council, I sense the leadership for Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity has positioned itself for the long run into the future of our communities.

When the Richmond Habitat office opened in 1986, I wonder if those determined leaders could have predicted the construction of 400 homes in 40 years?

This is a remarkable accomplishment and one worth celebrating.

And yet, I wonder how many more affordable homes Habitat could build in its next 40 years with the development of new relationships and partnerships across Richmond.

We need to find out.

Bill Pike is the director of operations at Trinity United Methodist Church. He can be reached at wapike1@gmail.com.

Note from author: I was honored to have this guest column in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. To learn more about Richmond Metropolitan Habitat For Humanity and their forty years go to: https://richmondhabitat.org/

Hey Dookies Welcome To Club 19

April 29, 2026 Bill Pike2 Comments

On March 19, the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (VCU) upset the North Carolina Tarheels (UNC) in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

This was in the first round of the tournament. VCU was seeded eleventh and UNC was a six seed.

VCU overcame a 19 point second half lead, and then beat the Tarheels in overtime 82 to 78.

Ten days later on March 29, the Duke University Blue Devils joined their arch rivals, the Tarheels, as Duke also blew a 19 point lead. Duke lost to the University of Connecticut Huskies (UCONN).

Following a Duke turnover, UCONN beat Duke on a last second shot 73 to 72. Duke and UCONN were playing in the Elite Eight for a berth in the Final Four. Duke was a number one seed, and UCONN was a number two seed.

Before going any further, let me tell you that I have always cheered for Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Perhaps some of that grounding came from my parents who thought I might end up going to Duke Divinity School to become a Methodist pastor. The good Lord is thankful that didn’t happen.

I am no expert on college basketball.

I loved the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) that I grew up with as a kid. In my opinion, because of money and illogical geographical expansions the ACC has been destroyed.

Also, because of money, including Name Image and Likeness (NIL), the Transfer Portal, one and done players, I worry that the NCAA could fall further into disarray.

I do not watch Duke basketball games. I follow the season from a safe distance. I’m too chicken to put my life in the hands of 18 and 19 year olds with a round ball that has a mind of its own.

Watching missed foul shots and mindless turnovers at critical times during a game would cause me to lose what little real time sanity I have left.

When Duke plays, I check in on line, read the post game analysis, and look carefully at the boxscores.

I’ve watched enough basketball games to know that big leads in the second half are always a concern. Big leads can be tough to sustain. Look no further than the games that UNC and Duke loss.

If UNC took VCU lightly, they shouldn’t have. In 2007, VCU upset Duke 79 to 77 in the men’s NCAA tournament. True that was nineteen years ago, but Duke didn’t expect to lose to VCU either. I guarantee you the Duke players on that team still remember that loss.

If a team has a big lead in the second half with lots of time left, at some point, the basketball gods switch the momentum. Suddenly, everything starts to work for the team playing catch up, and everything starts going wrong for the team with the big lead.

Living here in Richmond where VCU is located, I’ve heard that the UNC players talked trash to the VCU players. Whether that is true or not, I can’t confirm.

But, I know this— trash talking with a big lead isn’t a good idea. If your going to trash talk a team, your talk best be in a really obscure foreign language that no one, not even a student manager on the opposing team can translate. Trash talking your opponent ensures trouble.

And speaking of talking, a reliable friend of mine, a lifelong UNC fan and graduate, noticed that neither Hubert Davis nor Jon Scheyer congratulated the winning coaches and their players in the post-game press conferences.

Perhaps, Coaches Davis and Scheyer were too shellshocked from losing. I understand these were excruciatingly painful losses. However, these coaches have been around basketball all of their lives. They know better—you congratulate the winning coach and his team.

Another source of frustration for me is the coaching carousel. Again, money is the ruler.

Quite often, I think to myself I went into the wrong profession. I should have been a men’s college basketball coach.

I could coach somewhere, turn a losing program around, lead my team into the NCAA tournament, sign an extension contract for millions of dollars, and then fail to continue to win and make it into the NCAA tournament.

Even with this lousy downturn, and the end of my coaching career at this school, it is likely that I a mediocre coach will walk away a millionaire. I can thank my wise agent and attorney for negotiating this sweet deal.

These ridiculous coaching contracts are all about the desire not just to have a winning season every year, but to win conference championships and potentially the national championship.

Alumni with deep pockets are willing to support these coaching contracts while also providing funds to bring in the best players.

Gone are the days when a player is loyal to his school and he plays there for all four years.

Loyalty is a dying word.

The same lack of loyalty can apply to coaches too.

N.C. State’s Athletic Director, Boo Corrigan learned about the lack of loyalty when he hired former LSU coach Will Wade.

Will Wade coached at N.C. State this year. Coach Wade bolted at the end of this season. He agreed to return to LSU where he had been a mediocre coach. Down in Tigerland, Coach Wade will continue to play second fiddle as football is still king of the campus there.

I imagine Boo Corrigan wishes he had never hired or ever heard of Will Wade.

And in truth, I feel bad for Hubert Davis. He might not be a great coach, but he was loyal to UNC.

Seems that the UNC decision makers forgot that Coach Davis’ teams beat the despised Dookies at two critical times in 2022.

First, at Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and then again in the Final Four that year which turned out to be Coach Krzyzewski’s last game.

And with all of the foolishness involved in the speculation of who gets fired and hired as college basketball coaches, it is too bad that the athletic directors at N.C. State and UNC didn’t put out a perfect April Fool’s press release.

They could have announced that N.C. State had hired Hubert Davis and that UNC had offered a contract to former Duke star, Bobby Hurley. On March 11, Coach Hurley and Arizona State parted ways.

College basketball coaches, preachers, and public school superintendents have something in common—pressure.

These individuals are supposed to succeed. Doesn’t matter that it is impossible for them to make everyone happy in their environments.

They must win every game, hit a grand slam every Sunday with their sermon, and survive every school year without controversy. Impossible.

Go take a good look at Hubert Davis’ face in the post VCU press conference. On May 17, 2026, Coach Davis will turn 56. Weariness, the wear and tear of coaching is all over Coach Davis’ face. He looks much older than 56.

The pain of joining Club 19 will linger for some like losing a member of their family in the worse possible way.

If Club 19 is like that for you, I suggest you ponder life a bit deeper, deeper than UNC and Duke’s basketball seasons. Clearly, there are many things in daily living that have a greater urgency.

The real question for Dookies is what do you, me, we, us, the players and coaches learn from blowing a nineteen point lead?

I have a handful of books about college basketball. I’ve enjoyed reading each book. But, it is no secret that my favorite book about college basketball is Pat Conroy’s My Losing Season. If you are a college basketball lover, you must read this book.

In the Epilogue of the book, Mr. Conroy writes: “There is no downside to winning. It feels forever fabulous.But there is no teacher more discriminating or transforming than loss. The great secret of athletics is that you can learn more from losing than winning.” (Conroy pages 394-395, My Losing Season)

I think Mr. Conroy is correct about learning from losing.

Monday, November 2, 2026 will be here in a blink. That is the date set by the NCAA when men’s college basketball games can officially start.

With that date, all of this madness starts again.

My old feeble mind hopes that some common sense might return to the college game.

I’ll hold out for hope, but I think we’re too deep into the allure of money to turn things around.

Of course that enticement could be slowed if multiple college athletic departments continue to run at a deficit. The optics for running in the red will not be favorable.

Long after I’m gone, someone might stumble upon The Andy Griffith Show. The “Mayberry Goes Hollywood” episode illustrates how the charm of the town of Mayberry is turned upside down by its citizens.

A Hollywood movie producer comes to Mayberry to scout the town for the shooting of a movie. The producer likes what he finds with the town and its people.

When Mayberry is chosen as the site for the filming, its citizens turn Mayberry into an unattractive Hollywood themed town.

It takes a gentle chastising from the producer to get the citizens and Mayberry back to normal.

As Mayberry finds itself again, Mayor Pike looks at Sheriff Taylor and says to him: “We tried to tell them didn’t we Andy?” Andy who never fell into the Hollywood trap replies to the Mayor, “We sure did, Mayor.”

Maybe, someday, someone will look back at the current state of men’s college basketball and say, “we tried to tell them.”

Even March Madness appears in a church display case during Lent (Photo Bill Pike)

Fairbanks+Minneapolis+Raleigh=home

April 21, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

On the morning of July 10, 2025, the Fairbanks International Airport reported overcast skies, 53 degree temperature, calm winds, 93% humidity, 51 degree dew point, and ten mile visibility.

Back home in Richmond before I go for a run, I always check the same data at the Richmond airport. Every morning is different, but there is usually one constant—visibility—ten miles.

This morning, I was determined to add Alaska to the places where I have run in my life. So, I left the Westmark Hotel, went down Noble Street, and found the River Walk.

Fairbanks was still waking up. A few raindrops were coming down. The sidewalks and streets were damp from the rain.

The river walk is not dissimilar to other river walks in different cities and states across America. Water no matter if it is an ocean, lake, or river seems to capture our attention.

This morning, the Chena River is calm. It’s quiet, steady current is occasionally broken by a hyper seagull. Maybe this seagull is trying to wake up Fairbanks.

Along my route, I come across a pretty fountain, an assortment of statues, and a couple of American standards—graffiti and a homeless encampment under a bridge.

Retracing my steps, I work my way back to the hotel with a time of 33:41. I might have completed three slow miles.

We had another early riser in our group, Dan, who would be taking a lesson on a float plane with a local pilot.

This would be a busy day for us. We wanted to explore Fairbanks, but we also had to prepare our bags for our return flights to our homes.

By late morning, we were circled up and ready to walk around Fairbanks.

We noted information about the Chena River flood that took place on August 15, 1967.

Here we also learned about the Gould Cabin one of the first of the mining camp cabins. The cabin dates back to 1910.

It features the use of milled lumber and logs available in that time frame. The Gould Cabin’s construction is notable for its ability survive the tough Alaska environment.

Close by, we came across the Interior Alaska Antler Arch.

The antlers were donated by hunters and collectors from around Alaska. Over 100 moose and caribou antlers were donated.

This display was woven together by Fairbanks artist, Sandy Jamieson. For Jamieson, the arch might also be called “an arch of stories.” As each set of antlers is attached to a person who experienced the wilderness of Alaska.

Next we came across a display about the 1913 Pioneer Ascent of Denali. The display clearly captured this historic event, but the focus is on one of the climbers—Walter Harper.

Next to the display is a marvelous statue capturing the essence of Harper on the climb and his outstretched “hand up.” Harper’s possessed the all-around skills for the climb, but he also possessed the essential human skills for his willingness to always extend his hand to help.

Walter Harper and his outstretched hand (Photo Bill Pike)

It is a short walk over to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish. Established in 1904, this is a pretty white framed building. The church overlooking the Chena River has quite a history. In 1976, the church was named to the Register of Historical sites.

From there, we ambled into downtown Fairbanks. My favorite stop was at Big Ray’s Classic Alaska Trading Company.

For lunch, we stopped at a local favorite, The Crepery. The food was good, and it matched the owner’s dream for the restaurant—“to serve good and quality food to the community.”

After lunch, Betsy, Dan, and I caught a ride to the University of Alaska Museum Of The North. If you are in Fairbanks, and you have the time, this museum is worth the stop.

From the museum’s website, please note “this is the only research and teaching museum in Alaska.” The museum is home to 2.5 million artifacts. These artifacts are broken down into ten disciplines of study. The museum also captures the northern culture and its history.

On this trip, we have learned how precious Alaska and its resources are. That’s why the museum serves as a valuable resource for research on climate change, genetics, contaminants, and other issues facing Alaska and the circumpolar North.

I enjoyed the exhibits about the Brown Bear, Pacific Halibut, Permafrost, and Alaskan Kayaks.

At some point, we made our way back to the hotel. Once there, we turned our attention to making sure our luggage was ready for the ride out to the airport.

Checking in at the airport went smoothly. We figured out ordering our dinner, and then we waited for our boarding call.

I roamed around the airport’s interior as much as I could. There are some nicely done photos in different places, and I even came across a historical display about aviation with an old wooden propeller.

Shortly before 10 p.m., we started boarding the Delta B73-900ER for our flight to Minneapolis.

We had said our goodbyes to Dan and Judy as they were on a different flight back into Baltimore. The Pikes and the Sherrills were on this flight that would after the connection in Minneapolis would take us back to Raleigh.

All I can tell you about the flight into Minneapolis is I don’t recall sleeping much. I watched the movie Oppenheimer. I recall looking out of my window several times, and I’m not sure that I ever saw total darkness.

At 6:40 a.m. on the approach coming into the airport, I’m almost certain that we flew over the Mississippi River.

Approach into Minneapolis (Photo Bill Pike)

We landed, and I immediately went into beer search mode. That’s correct— beer search mode.

As it turns out, the beer gods were working in my favor related to time.

Unfortunately, in Fairbanks, our red-eye flight was delayed. A passenger became ill before we departed the runway. The pilot had to taxi the plane back to the terminal so the passenger could be assisted.

Then when we landed in Minneapolis, we learned that our flight back to Raleigh was delayed.

These delays gave me the extra time needed to track down an August Schell beer. Located in New Ulm, Minnesota, August Schell is one of the oldest breweries in America.

My pre-trip research led me to Scott Hislop, the Senior Distributor Sales Manager, for the August Schell Brewing Company.

Scott informed me that in Terminal One of this massive airport was an establishment named the Stone Arch. Stone Arch had an August Schell light beer on tap.

At some point, in the middle of a corridor, I look into the distance and I saw the words Stone Arch. Being sleep deprived, I hope this wasn’t a mirage.

Stone Arch employees were busy with breakfast customers. It took a few minutes for me to flag down one of their employees who handled beverages.

Finally, a nice young man paused as I flagged him down. His hurried steps came to a halt. I explained what I was trying to accomplish. He could not have been nicer.

First, he confirmed that Schell’s Light an American lager was on tap. Additionally, he showed me two sixteen ounce cans that were available, but I opted for the draft.

A couple of minutes later, he returned with a perfectly poured glass of Schell Light. This clear, pale lager, was full of carbonation bubbles and a thin head of foam.

My August Schell light beer (Photo Bill Pike)

While I’m not a fan of light beers, this one hit the spot at 7:20 a.m. on Friday, July 11.

I was reminded of the song “Roadhouse Blues” from the Doors’ album Morrison Hotel: “Well, I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer, the future’s uncertain and the end is always near.”

At my old age, I have never purposely abused my affection for beer. Out of respect for the beverage, I’ve worked to be doggedly rigid in my self-control when consuming beer, I’m basically—‘one and done.’

But, I will admit that for a long, long time lurking in the back of my mind were the lyrics from “Roadhouse Blues.”

So now, I can mark the drinking of an early morning beer off an unimportant bucket list.

Yet, there is a more important point, and that is Scott Hislop.

In our fast paced, impatient world, Scott took the time to respond to my original email. To me that is admirable.

After finishing my beer, we found our terminal and waited for the call to board our final flight into Raleigh.

At 8:06 a.m., we were on a Delta A320(OW) bound for Raleigh.

I think I dozed a bit on this flight.

Soon, we were on the ground in Raleigh.

We said our goodbyes to Butch and Marian. One of their daughters was picking them up from Greensboro.

Our future son-in-law picked us up.

He navigated exiting the airport. It wasn’t long before we were back at the condo where our car had been resting for the last fifteen days.

We took a few minutes to regroup at the condo with our daughter and her fiancé. Then we transferred to luggage into our car, said goodbye, and started our ride home to Richmond.

When I was growing up in North Carolina, I don’t recall dreaming about traveling. This trip from Vancouver into Alaska was one that will stay with me for a long, long time.

In Vancouver, Lynn Canyon Park was my favorite. And in Alaska, the color of the ice in the glaciers will never leave me. It is stunning.

I am so lucky to be able to travel with my wife and our dear friends.

Vancouver and Alaska offered us so much. Each place is precious and priceless with their uniqueness. I can only begin to imagine what the first settlers felt like as the embraced the wonder of these environments.

In closing, I simply say to you—if you have the opportunity— go.

You will not regret making the trip.

Thank you Mrs. Cotterill’s Second Grade Class

April 18, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

The invitation came to read a book to Mrs. Cotterill’s second grade class on February 23, 2026.

We agreed on Friday, March 20 at 1 p.m. as the date to read.

The invitation excited me, but there was some selfishness too. Our grandson is a student in Mrs. Cotterill’s class at Summerfield Elementary School in the Guilford County school system.

Friday, March 20, my wife and I drove from Richmond, Virginia to Summerfield Elementary School. Our drive was uneventful. We arrived with time to spare.

We were warmly greeted by the office staff. Additionally, we met the principal and assistant principal.

My wife and I know a bit about schools. We spent our careers working with students, parents, and teachers in Virginia’s public schools.

I grew up in Burlington, North Carolina. Little did I know that I would become part of the 4 R’s saying: ‘reedin’, ‘riting’, ‘rithmetic’, and the ‘road to Richmond’.

My success in Virginia as a teacher and administrator was always connected to my teachers in the Alamance-Burlington School System and the professors who instructed me at Greensboro College.

I had read books to elementary students in Virginia, but this reading made me nervous. I didn’t want to embarrass our grandson.

With our grandson after reading the book (Photo Lauren Reinking)

The walk to the classroom took a couple of minutes, but I could feel the pulse of the school.
Some classes were outside for recess or physical education. The school has nice outside learning stations. Every classroom we passed, students and their teachers were hard at work.

In prepping to read, Mrs. Cotterill and I planned to use technology to project the book on to a monitor. This allowed all students to follow along while getting a full view of the book’s illustrations.

We tested the technology, and luckily, the technology gods were playing nice this afternoon.

Mrs. Cotterill gave me a kind introduction. I spent a few quick minutes telling the students a bit more about me and the book we would be reading—“The Principal’s Pink Tutu Run.” Full disclosure, I’m the author of the book.

I wrote it about a real experience I had working as an elementary school principal.
As we started, my pace was anxious and rushed, but I settled down. I was impressed with the students. They were attentive and quiet. As I read, I appreciated their chuckles. Before I knew it, we were on the final page.

We had a few minutes for questions. The students asked some good ones. I took great pleasure in letting the students know that everyone has the ability to write a book. Writing a book is really about will power and continuously pushing yourself.

I will never forget my time with this class. That is because of the work of their teacher, Mrs. Cotterill, her students, and their parents. Students have a better chance to find success in school when teachers, students, and parents work together.

Working in schools, I felt from the time a child comes into this world until his/her first day in kindergarten are the critical formative years. Family stability, parameters in place for the child, and taking the time to read to this child are vital to their finding success.

Tacked on to those essentials are helping parents understand how important they are in working to support and build relationships with their sons and daughters teachers.

I was lucky— my family was stable, my parents were supportive of my teachers and me, and my grandmother always read to me when she visited.

It’s a tough world out there.

However, I left Summerfield Elementary School feeling hopeful about those clear-eyed, good listening, and inquisitive second grade students.

That’s why it is so important for all of us to work together to make sure these students and thousands like them across North Carolina have every opportunity to find success in their schools and communities.

Author’s note: I submitted this as an op-ed piece to the Greensboro News and Record on March 23, 2026. The word count was 772. On March 24, I received an email from the editor stating that he would like to use the piece. He asked that I shrink the word count to 650. I did that. I sent the piece back at 647 words. He confirmed receiving it. I reached back out to the editor on April 4, asking if he had been able to run the piece. Here we are on April 17, and to the best of my knowledge the piece never ran in the Greensboro News and Record. Disappointing, but that’s ok. That Friday afternoon with our grandson’s class is one I will never forget. Bill Pike

Denali to Fairbanks

April 9, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

On the morning of Wednesday, July 9, 2025, we picked up a breakfast snack, rechecked our rooms again, and loaded on to the bus.

The drive to Fairbanks was in the two and half hour range. However, this could be extended as there was a wildfire along one section of the highway that had been a nuisance.

According to our bus driver, it was possible that our traffic flow could be disrupted. Firefighting officials might shutdown the highway with a one lane traffic feed that alternated travel in either direction.

As we approached this stretch of the highway, we knew instantly when we were within range of the fire. That familiar campfire aroma seeped into the interior of the bus. Soon we came upon charred forest with occasional plumes of lingering smoke.

We passed staging areas for the fire crews. We could see where bulldozers had plowed access roads and fire breaks. One fire truck was parked on the shoulder of the highway with its firehose stretched into the wilderness.

At some point, my old bladder needed a restroom break.

I was warned by the people sitting in the back of the bus near the restroom that the door didn’t latch properly.

Needless to say, this potty break was going to be an experience.

Securing the door, trying to keep my balance, and my aim on the target was challenging. Thankfully, the potty gods were kind to me—no errors with the door or hitting the target occurred.

In hindsight, I simply should have sat down on the toilet.

Despite a slight delay from the fire, we were ahead of schedule arriving into Fairbanks.

This meant the Holland America personnel had to do some quick thinking. So, we made an unscheduled stop at the visitors center.

The Morris Thompson Cultural Visitors Center isn’t your typical visitors center. Yes, employees can provide helpful information to travelers, but there is a nice store, an information center for national and state parks, a theater, and lots of cultural and historical displays about Fairbanks and the surrounding area.

We were greeted with this information at the visitors center (Photo Betsy Pike)

Morris Thompson was a prominent leader in Alaska.

From one of the center’s displays (Photo Bill Pike)

His work focused on matters related to Alaskan Natives. A businessman and a political appointee, Mr. Thompson was best known for his leadership and work at the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Sadly, Mr. Morris, his wife, and daughter were killed in the crash of Alaskan Airline Flight 261. (Multiple Sources)

Another fixture in the community was Episcopal Bishop William J. Gordon, Jr. Bishop Gordon at the very young age of 29 was elected as the Third Episcopal Bishop of Alaska.

In 1948 with his family in tow, he settled in Fairbanks. Realizing that riverboat travel limited his summer access to visiting clergy and their churches, Bishop Gordon learned to fly. A replica of the Piper PA-22 that he flew is on display at the museum.

Replica of the Bishop’s plane (Photo Bill Pike)

That’s one thing we learned about Alaska was how useful airplanes were in remote areas.

From the visitor’s center, we re-boarded the bus with our destination to Riverboat Discovery.

Once on site, we were directed to a large dining facility, where we enjoyed a family style lunch.

After lunch, we boarded the riverboat for a tour along the Chena River. Our guide was full of local information about the river, Fairbanks, and the entire surrounding area.

Despite seeing the devastation from the wildfire, I was amazed at how lush and green the landscape was along the banks of the river.

One of the highlights of the cruise for me, and probably for our friend, Dan, was the interaction with a bush pilot who landed his float plane on the river. The Captain of the riverboat and the pilot of the plane shared a lively conversation broadcast to the passengers.

Our special float plane guest (Photo Bill Pike)

Interestingly, our Dan, who also has his private pilot’s license had booked a training flight on a float plane. Turns out that Dan’s training flight was going to be in the same plane with the same pilot who was a part of the riverboat tour. In fact on Thursday, Dan landed with the pilot on the river with the riverboat’s first cruise of the morning.

After the plane, we learned about Trail Breaker Kennel and everything related to sled dogs and four time Iditarod champion, Susan Butcher. This facility is located along the river.

Another treat was seeing caribou on the shoreline.

A curious caribou checking out the riverboat (Photo Betsy Pike)

Before heading back to the dock, we had one last stop at Chena Village to learn more about the early lives of the Athabascan people.

Back at the dock, we unloaded for one last swoop through the shops at the center.

From there, we took the bus back into Fairbanks to our hotel for the evening.

In closing out this day, I’m drawn to the size of Alaska—it is massive. I’m privileged to see this snapshot in places where tourist typically tread.

Yet, I imagine there are many precious places throughout Alaska where tourist rarely venture. I hope those spaces can be quietly preserved, and that includes the stunning state and national parks that are currently protected. We can never let go of this cherished land.

Tomorrow, we would hustle to explore Fairbanks.

And then late on Thursday, we would be heading back home.

Betrayal

April 6, 2026 Bill PikeLeave a comment

As a flawed human and American, I’ve recently been thinking about the Preamble to our Constitution. I’ve been drawn to these words: “in Order to form a more perfect Union.”

Today, when I ponder those words, it appears to me that America’s leaders are doing their best “to form a more imperfect Union.”

Does Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, understand empathy after he recently denied a request for the late Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr. to lie in honor at the United States Capitol?

Is Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth’s vanity more important to him than the integrity of his work after his staff complained about “unflattering” photos taken of him by press photographers?

Some congressional leaders have made anti-Muslim statements. Don’t they understand their comments only create more tension?

In an NBC news interview with President Trump, he commented about US airstrikes on Iran’s Kharg Island. He stated: “but we may hit it a few more times just for fun.” Mr. President—no military pilot’s family thinks a bombing run is “just for fun.”

Federal Communications Commission Chair, Brendan Carr, has threatened to remove broadcast licenses over President Trump’s criticism of the media’s coverage of the war with Iran. Chairman Carr have you read the First Amendment recently?

Unfortunately, we are experiencing a betrayal of America.

It is an appalling betrayal like Judas Iscariot’s disloyalty to Jesus Christ.

This is a sickening betrayal of America as our leaders have selfishly lost their hearts, their compassion, and their souls.

Alexis De Tocqueville wrote: “The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults.”

America, if we don’t wake up, the faults of our “imperfect union” will be our end.

Submitted to the Richmond Times-Dispatch on 3/16/2026 for consideration as a letter to the editor. The letter was not accepted. Bill Pike