Wednesday, September 12, 2007

the surfacing of a random memory

preface: relax if you're not a baseball fan. i mention the Red Sox but it's not about that, i promise.

i listened to the Red Sox game online tonight. the radio broadcast. it was a pleasant change of pace to hear Joe Castiglione call the game. i love Remy & Don, but this took me back in time...

when i was a kid, we would often be in the car while the Sox were playing. Dad would tune into our local station, WTIC 1080 AM. i remember when it used to be Ken Coleman alongside Joe Castiglione. i remember their voices, and how Dad hated Roger Clemens even then.

but that wasn't the only time WTIC 1080 was playing in the car.

every weekday morning, Dad would load Josh & me into the car, in the early pre-dawn hour, for the ten-minute drive to Gram & Gramp's house, so he could head to work knowing we were well-cared for. even when we were no longer small, we still went to Gram & Gramp's house in the morning, had our breakfast, caught the bus to school (because at home, we would have had to walk, and Dad didn't like that). and each morning, the radio would be tuned to WTIC 1080.

i remember the digital tone that used to sound the top of the hour. i don't recall all the names but i can still conjure up the voices of the sports guys (Arnold Dean & Scott Gray), the news girl (Angela Dias), the meteorologist (Joe Furey), the traffic report guy...

but most of all, i remember Bob Steele.

Bob Steele was such a well-spoken, interesting, intelligent man. he believed in good grammar, and in the correct pronunciation and usage of words, so he had a word of the day. he would provide little tidbits about international weather, and other stories he found interesting. he would toss in a corny joke. he would play classical music, big band and the occasional oldie. and in the winter, we lived to hear him make school closure announcements. his warm, grandfatherly voice greeted me each morning. the predictability of that morning show followed me through my entire childhood & beyond my adolescence into early adulthood. he was like a well-known friend.

those were good mornings. comfortable & familiar. day after day. year after year. the seasons cycling through, one after another. fresh spring mornings. summer mornings, with the sunrise beginning to burn off the fog. crisp exhilarating autumn mornings. cold winter mornings when the heat blasting in the car made me drowsy. it was all so routine back then, but in that cozy way that feels like a warm blanket. i was too young to know that i was building memories i would later look back on, fondly... and sometimes wistfully, with the bittersweet wish that i could go back & revisit them one more time...

6 with their own thoughts:

Anonymous,  Wednesday, September 12, 2007 11:06:00 PM  

Hey Dawn,
Wow! You really brought back some memories for me! I can hear the WTIC call signal and Bob Steel. He was a real gentleman. Met him once on a studio tour. He took the time to answer all our questions. Have not thought of him in a very long time. How about tonights game? Big Pappi is BACK!!! Day off and then the Yankers move into town. I'll have no fingernails left!

~**Dawn**~ Wednesday, September 12, 2007 11:19:00 PM  

Marc: Isn't it funny what can set off a memory you haven't thought of in forever? So I am going to guess you hail from Connecticut? (Based on the visit to the studio.) Was it in The Gold Building when you visited?

I think tonight's game was even more exciting than last night's. Not that I enjoy losing going into the bottom of the ninth, but I have missed Papi's walkoffs. Thank God for an off day before the Crankees roll into town. I'm going to being a nervous wreck. Break out your Sox gear & all your superstitious Sox rituals. With Matsizaka up against Pettitte, this is going to be one bumpy ride, I fear.

Chele76 Thursday, September 13, 2007 7:20:00 AM  

interesting timing for your post... yesterday morning the shuttle from the dealership brought me into work and 1080 was on. I was thinking about listening to it in my Grandfather's Grenada a million years ago... then this morning while I was driving in, I kept thinking how lousy the radio station was and that I should start listening to 1080 in the mornings.... at least their traffic reports are worthwile to listen too.

Brian in Oxford Thursday, September 13, 2007 8:56:00 AM  

You guys HAVE to try to find a copy of "Bob Steele...A Man and his Humor"

It's a book from like 1980 or so....all his groan-inducing best. I think the book was my grandfather's, but I've ended up with it.

Anonymous,  Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:39:00 AM  

Hey Dawn,
Yup. Southington.
The studio was on Constitution Plaza if I remember right. But it could have been the Gold Building as I was @ 8 or 9 at the time.
I remember going into Hartford to see the Christmas lights at Constitution Plaza and watching Santa come down the side of a building and turning on the lights...that was fun!! Did that for a few years and we use to stop at the Monopole Restaurant in Plainville for dinner. Wow...the cobwebs are getting a cleaning from my memory.
Bob Steele was always on with my parents. Yes, I do remember hoping for the school closings to mention our town. Bob Steele had a voice that gave you comfort no matter how bd the news was.

~**Dawn**~ Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:00:00 PM  

Chele: Wow, what a weird coincidence for you to come here & find me talking about it too, huh?

Brian: I will definitely have to try getting my hands on a copy of that book. I bet that will bring back even more memories.

Marc: Small world. I am originally from Bristol. I love when something causes the memories to push forward into clarity...

  © Blogger templates The Professional Template by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP