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25 MAR 04: DREAM-WORKS

I returned home from work Wednesday afternoon to find a surprising note taped to my front door: "RICHARD - WILL BE PUTTING YOU A NEW BACK DOOR ON TOMORROW." Some people write exactly as they talk, even if the words are jumbled a bit.

The note about a new back door astonished me - because believe it or not, I had a dream Tuesday night along these lines. I dreamed the back door of my apartment was off its hinges, and I couldn't put it back on. Of course, I was a realist in this dream - and was more concerned about people walking right in and stealing my computer.

The landlord of my apartment complex is putting on a new back door as he does an all-around painting job. It's about time this happened, because the brown paint on the back door is peeling badly. One more good slam, and I feared only the wood base would be left.

The good news is I'll have a new back door, which hopefully will seal better than the current one. When a thunderstorm came from the south right after I moved in, I actually had to mop up rain which dribbled over the threshold and into the kitchen. A hurricane might have left me with the cleanest floor in town.

I suspect that gap at the bottom of the back door is also how countless cockroaches have wandered into the apartment over the years. I've tried to push them out that same gap with my feet and brooms - but for some odd reason, they're too lazy to go find a home of their own.

The bad news about the new back door came Wednesday afternoon, when a painter stopped by to make sure I received his note. The new door will NOT have windows, as my current one does - because he said that would cost too much. Maybe if I had given the landlord a tip, on top of my rent....

The three-paned windows on the old back door let in plenty of sunlight. It's been great for breakfast on chilly winter mornings, and adds a nice touch as I prepare dinner on Friday evenings. And when storm clouds gather south of Golden
Park, it's a safe way to chase tornadoes.

The window on the back door also allowed me a look at Golden Park's post-game fireworks shows during baseball seasons. Of course, those happened when the RedStixx were in town. Now we have the Catfish -- and they may settle for depth charges in the Chattahoochee.

With a last "10-4, back door," we check other quick things from Wednesday:

+ A group in a romantic feud on "The Jerry Springer Show" announced they were from Georgia - whereupon the entire audience stood up, and started square dancing all over the studio! And all this time, I thought only the guests were given
alcohol before the show....

+ Two Columbus Cottonmouth hockey players bought tickets in the St. Jude Dream Home drawing. For $100, it's a good investment for these guys. If they win, the team wouldn't dare cut them next season.

+ Instant Message to WRBL: Did I read the screen right Wednesday - that this weekend at a hockey game, the Cottonmouths are giving away "1,500 free U.S. Army PUNKS" ?! If Fort Benning drill sergeants can't break these guys, why do they think the fans can?

COMING FRIDAY: Full coverage of my trip to a telethon.... and a trip a few years ago to Birmingham....

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