ANCHOR'S AWEIGH, JON

I'll try to write whatever I intend before the Michigan vs. Notre Dame football game. Two losers. But it should be fun to watch, anyway. Except if you are not into football. Then watch "As the World Turns" or something. Anyway, no other plans for the day other than going to Longhorn's for dinner with Mike "May I Have Another Portion, Please?" Herbstman...and his luscious bride, Helen. You know, there was another Helen once for whom I believe Helen H. was named; that is, Helen of Troy. Helen of Troy was the most beautiful woman in all of the world; her only fault was being responsible for causing the Trojan War. When Dr. Faustus sold his soul to Satan his wish was to see Helen, and when Satan brought her before him, Faustus said, "Is this the face that launched a thousand ships and burnt the topless towers of Ilium?" A classic line!

Anyway, I'd like to tell a little about the life of a little guy I love and admire because of his courage and achievements after having a very unfortunate beginning; he was born 7 weeks premature and suffered and survived several surgeries to correct birth defects. I'm referring to my stepson, Jon Tessler who now is 43 years old. I first met Jon when I met his mother in January 1978. Only a week or two later, I went to his Bar Mitzvah where he did what he was taught to do in a laudable way. However, Jon--at home--apparently was not that laudable because he had a dog named Max, and Rhoda had a schedule tacked to the wall as to who and when the dog was to be walked. And when Jon's turn came around, he was usually sleeping. Also, Jon used to march around the apartment buck naked; I don't know why, since there was not that much of him to show off.

At the time, Rhoda was divorced & Jon did not have a strong relationship with his father. He did graduate high school and started community college where he remained for about a year and a half. But the academic life did not suit him very well, and he came down here to Florida where I had brought his mother after we married. Well, we were not going to house Jon in our honeymoon home and love nest for very long. So, we marched him down to the Naval Recruiting Station in Delray Beach and in no time at all Jon found himself shipped off to the Navy! His head was whirling around as it all happened so quickly. He was about to graduate from boot camp in San Diego when Rhoda and I flew there to watch the ceremony. Only Jon had one more chore to do which he had been having trouble with, and that was the 12-minute run. He persevered and he made it...with a courageous lung burning effort. Jon spent 10 years in the Navy, much of it aboard the USS GUADALCANAL where he was when Col. Higgins was murdered. Jon was a great admirer of Richard and Robin because they helped him in many ways that he needed help.

Following his tour in the Navy and combat in Desert Storm, Jon settled in Norfolk and married; but it didn't pan out. However, now he has a lovely girlfriend, and despite his handicapped beginnings, Jon has clawed his way up the ladder. He works as an Assitant Manager of a Premier Car Wash in Norfolk; has his own apartment replete with a TV, Computer, and a bed-- and because of the kind of person he is and what he has done with his life, his mother and I are very proud of him. You're OK, Jon. Fair seas, and a following wind.