From the Heights

Above It All

On the street below,

People scurry to and fro.

Some dart in, other out

Here and there

They run about.

Whither they go,

I trust they know.

But here up high,

I stare down to sigh,

And wonder why!

And wonder why!

We walked to the downtown John Henry Faulk Library, which is just a short distance from our condo. Austin has an excellent library system with a large staff of librarians. They have always been very helpful to us even when we phone for assistance. On the way back, we stopped at the Wahoo restaurant for their much touted fish taco which doesn't compare to Maui's Fishmarket Ono burger.( Joan take note). Most of the patrons are young men and women who probably work in the area. The decor and noise volume weren't much to our liking as well.

The tree in the photo on the right is a beautiful Live Oak in front of one of Austin's old

heritage homes on the hillsides overlooking the downtown area. Most of these mansions

are now occupied by legal firms, insurance companies and professional agencies.

Last night we watched, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, a movie produced in 1944 about

the daring raid led by James Doolittle in 1942. Spenser Tracey, Van Johnson and Robert

Mitchum played major roles. I was about to enlist at the time of the raid and remember

clearly the joy expressed by all about that operation. It gave us an upbeat feeling

that we were still in the game after the beating we took by the attack on Pearl Harbor in

December 1941. It's hard to believe that the Tokyo raid took 70 years ago and not many

Americans are still around who recall the excitement when it was announced on

the radio and in big headlines that followed. If you get the chance, get a copy of the film

and although it may seem a bit archaic in terms of today's media standards, it still

gives one a good idea of the flavor of the age; patriotism, heroism and simple love story.

It may sound somewhat corny but as one who grew up at that time it still invokes in me

a certain nostalgia for the good ole days so long ago.