It is still August but with the anticipated traveling forthcoming I thought I should start these musings early. In my reading I came upon a paragraph so personably applicable that I wrote it down.
“…As one who has gone through various scenes of business, of bustle, of office, of rambling, and of quiet retirement, and who can assure her that the latter (the tranquil happiness of domestic life) is the only point upon which the mind can settle at rest. Though not clear of inquietudes, because no earthly situation is so, they are fewer in number, and mixed with more objects of contentment than in any other mode of life.”
The quotation is from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to Mrs. Monroe, James Monroe’s wife Elizabeth in 1786 shortly after they were married. At the time, Jefferson, was our plenipotentiary in France (we would call him Ambassador today). By 1786, Jefferson was 46 and he had become a lawyer; had a bustling practice in the Western part of Virginia; served in the House of Burgess; wrote “A Summary View of the Rights of British America”, (which was the basis for the “Declaration of Independence”); gone through the Revolution; became the Governor of Virginia; served in the Continental Congress and its subsequent bodies; sadly had buried his beloved wife; and, built most of Monticello, all of which certainly qualified him to speak of such things.
The thought expressed is so akin to my feelings that I transcribed it so as to enjoy it even more. Appropriately this past week (Aug 11-18) we passed the 15-year mark of our “domestic life”. His thoughts become even more apparent as I trim my time in the business and practice of law. Our time together grows and with it the contentment also grows. I’ve given up the pursuit of success and pleasing clients, to the pursuit of happiness in a “domestic life”. Ah! Yes the “inquietudes” (love that word), are still there but they are “fewer in number” and mixed with more contentment than ever before.
The Moshulu is back in the news. I mentioned it in my ramblings last month when talking about “Denny”. In that book I learned that Denny’s grandfather Lauritz Hansen, had been the last captain of the Moshulu. It is a now refurbished floating restaurant in the Delaware. The news of its rebirth reached all the way to Tasmania, Australia where a gentleman who had been a sailor on that ship heard of its docking. He is Donald Garnham, now 80 years young, who was a crewmember on the ship from 1936-1939. He came to Philadelphia with pictures and stories of the voyage. He was a twenty-year-old seaman in the 1936 and recorded some impressions on this his first voyage around Cape Horn.
The ship is 394 feet long, it is called a square-rigger, has 45,000 square feet of sail, and its usual voyage was to carry grain from Australia to England. It had a crew of 27 men. It was built in 1904 in Scotland and christened the “Kurt”. It was renamed the Moshulu when the Americans seized it from its German owners after World War I. The word Moshulu is supposed to mean “fearless” in some Indian dialect.
One of the high lights of Donald Garnham’s trip, aside from the rough ride around the Horn, was on May 4,1936 they spied the German dirigible, “Graf Zeppelin” passing over head. It too spied them, so came closer and down to the vessel to exchange greetings. This is the same ship that upon landing in Lakehurst, N.J. burst into flames and was destroyed.
I had a discussion the other day with grandson Tommy about politicians. It is the annual four-year explosion of politics…the presidential race. He inferred or maybe was explicit that politician equals liar to most or at least exaggerator if not out right truth destroyers. I asked him to define what made a “politician”. We finally agreed that if that person aspired for office, or served in public office, he qualified under Tommy’s definition. He then was surprised to learn that his Grandfather met his terms. He therefore was a Politician and all those things that Tommy believed made one a politician. He agreed that I might be the exception that proves the law. Shortly after this discussion I came across and copy of an article that appeared in the Evening Bulletin some 24 years ago about a Democratic politician lawyer. It was about me serving as an assistant commissioner of the Jury Selection Board and accepting appointments to defend persons charged with a capital offense. The opening lines read: “Paul Leo McSorley is a Democratic lawyer-politician with a large family (seven children), a keen wit, and a good many friends”. I sent a copy of it on to Tommy to confirm that others believed me to be a politician as well. I have yet to receive his reply. My hope is that he might see that some politicians really do have the good of the people ultimately in mind…even those who are not constituents.
Recently I finished a new biography of A. Lincoln. It was entitled “Lincoln” and written by David Herbert Donald. It (the book) won a Pulitzer Prize. In it I learned how much a politician Abe was. He employed “pork-barrel” and “you pat mine and I’ll pat yours” politics in the grandest manner. It came somewhat as a revelation to this politician but I suppose like most idols up there on the pedestal we never really believe they occasionally had clay feet. Having been a part in a very small way to the alleged shenanigans of politics I should not have been surprised at Lincoln’s behavior. The book does an excellent job of presenting the problems Lincoln faced with only the information and resources he had at that time. His stated purpose was “In tracing the life of Abraham Lincoln, I have asked at every stage of his career what he knew when he had to take critical actions, how he evaluated the evidence before him, and why he reached his decisions”. He did the task admirably and at the same time made it enjoyable reading.
It is a bright Sunday morning in August as I drive to a run. It is the 25th of August and I am reminded that it was John and Frank’s day of birth. John would have been 73 and Frank 10 years older. The run is on my mind. It is a Sunday morning and my stomach begins to react as it heads for the competition…but wait I’m nut competing. I’m going to watch an event that would make any Dad proud, but particularly a “running” Dad. I’m also thinking of Bill King who had often done what I am doing this A.M. only most of the time with his sons. But I’m happy just to be watching. I am going to watch Bill, Paul Jr. and Danny race a 10K. Along with them is a bonus, Ron Yake, Mary’s husband, is also a participant. Bill and Dan are out to break 40 minutes for the six and two tenth mile run.
I find I am alone waiting at the finish line. Mary and Lori, Dan’s wife, are at home both for similar reasons…they are pregnant and not feeling well in the morning. I learned the news of Lori expecting only yesterday. Lori is due in April ’97 with Mary’s due in March ’97. So God willing the year with bring grandchild number 17 and 18.
As I wait, watching the clock at the finish line, I notice a spectator standing nearby with a T-shirt that has printed on it, “Avalon, N. J”. Here we are in Greece, N.Y. (suburb of Rochester, New York) some 500 miles away from that charming resort of recent memory…I remember many runs in that town. In fact, I later see that Billy is wearing a tank top from the “Nun’s Run”, one of the annual events in Avalon. I participated in the run on several occasions and one time, Mary, Paul, Bill and I all ran it.
The runners start crossing the finish line. The clock edges up to 39 minutes. I look, I look, no one’s coming…no, there is Billy at 40 plus a few seconds, then around 48 is Ron with Paul Jr. coming in around 51. Where’s Danny?? Up he walks as I watching Paul come in…I missed his finishing!! He had taken his shirt off and was tight behind another runner…He did it 39 plus a few seconds. He is now the fastest McSorley at the 10K. He said later he would have been happier if Billy and he had finished together both breaking the 40-minute barrier. A runner coming in at 40 minutes and under is running the miles around 6 minutes and 27 seconds or less per mile.
Before the visit with Danny and Lori, we had a day and a half with Andy in his new home outside the metropolis of Oswego. It is a famous little town on the great Lake Ontario. It is the end of the Canal and has some 5 power plants in and around the town. Andy took us to the one in which he is employed as an operator, the Fitzpatrick. We made the grande toure on the day of our arrival. We could see from the one we were visiting on the Lake, two others in the same area. But our first purpose in visiting him was to see his new home. It is a gem. A bright, airy, sky lighted living room with a cathedral ceiling; a second floor balcony looking down over the entrance way; a large kitchen; outside decks in the rear (facing the some 19 acres of woodland) and a partially finished basement. We got another grand tour and slept on his newest piece of furniture “futon-couch-bed” We were so impressed with it that June is thinking about buying one for our new home in St. Pete’s. On Friday June cooked some Lasagna for the host and the host, Andy and his Dad played a game of golf…under cloudy and sometime sprinkling skies. On Friday evening we took a cruise of the Harbor of Oswego River and thus learned about the canal that runs along the river. It is a branch of Erie Canal system.
We also viewed Fort Ontario, aptly named since it overlooked lake Ontario. It was built way back 1755 by the British, destroyed by the French, rebuilt by them and destroyed by the British in the war of 1812 and finally taken over by U.S. in 1830’s. It’s most recent use was to house refugees, some 1000 fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe. It was the only sight in the U.S. to accept refugees at that time.
Paul Jr. arrived early Saturday morn for the brothers to take off for a golf tournament. We took off via the Lake Ontario Drive to the town of Hilton, NY home to Danny, Lori, and Meaghan. We had a picnic-swim party on Sunday at Ron’s brother Jim’s home in a nearby town.
Prior to these stops we had one more, which I must report. It was a great but short visit with Joe and Debbie Golden and there two guys: Joseph and Andrew. Andrew is an extraordinarily “pretty” child. He’s about 2 1/2 or three years of age. He talks with precise wording and dramatic expressions…especially the hands. His striking looks won him photogenic honors in contest including one that ended in the nationals. He is the picture of innocence in a bright smiling face. He is also, as June is wont to remind you “the only grandchild discharged from day school!!” It occurred to me that he is the epitome of “angel” but then we all remember even some of the “angels” had a bit of the devil in them.
Let me bid you all a farewell for now. June and I will be “on the road again” from Sept 12 (Suzanne’s birthday) till October 2nd or 3rd.So we will be into the October edition of Jottings by Paul on our return! See ya!
Thought for musing or the like: “He deserves Paradise, who makes his companions laugh” (The Qur’an).