CRANE’S CORNER/FLYING SOLO

Every once in a while, usually on a lazy Sunday morning, when I’ve thoroughly vetted the sports page, separated the ads from the news…the recycle pile from the let me save this section-section..I will peruse the obituarys in the Sacramento Bee. Some will make you smile, some will bring a tear to you eye-but you learn things. You learn that more people are living longer…a lot of people are well into their 80’s or 90’s before heading to the next world---you learned that a lot of people are selfless-and that they kept very busy-with hobbies and clubs. Coaching kids..working on cars and boats. One gentleman got so into the idea of rolling a heavy ball down a polished strip of wood he answered to the name Mr. Bowling. The Bee reports the name stuck to Eugene Hirohisa back in the 60’s when he was universally named the most important man in Nor Cal Bowling Circles. There are worse reps to have. Richard Flynn lived two lives in a sense. He always wanted to be a pilot and achived that dream..rising to the rank of Captain for a major cargo hauler…flying U_S goods all over the world. His flying days ended in the 90’s when he was diagnosed with MS.He would spend the rest of his days in a wheelchair..but his spirit never waned. He became an articulate advocate for the disabled, organized a means of getting specially equipped carts for disabled golfers. And his wife notes, she never heard him complain about the hand he was dealt.I mention this because we’re going through a sea change as a society. We’re becoming a nation of lone wolves. 20 percent of respondents to a recent survey say they have no organized religion. Membership in everything from Country Clubs and Bowling Leagues to Volunteer Organizations is down. Could be the economy---could be The Internet-where people lose themselves in Facebook and Twitter and on line gaming. And have no real need for human contact. At least that’s what they think. We all need it…and doesn’t it seem that the people who carry out the serial killings that make us think twice about going to the movies or walking the college campus or even going to work…are always…loners…who keep to themselves….No clubs, no hobbies, no religion. No life really.

Read the obits and you learn that people did a lot of living before technology started taking jobs…and tasks and interaction away from us. Are we really better off? It’s worth debating…if you can find someone still capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation.