JOSE CAN YOU SI.

It was the last Tuesday of the month. The Suffolk AHRC Board of Directors was about to begin their monthly meeting. The room was filled with directors, sitting around a 26-foot long wooden boat-shaped table ready to begin.

The Board Secretary was carefully reading off the attendance list for the presence or absence of members, to establish a quorum for voting purposes, and frankly to see who gave a darn about showing up.

Name by name, the Secretary read from her list, as I attentively waited my turn to say: “Here” or “Absent.” As she read my name, and I checked to see if I was present, then answered she went on to the next names.

On the conference table sat a cell phone belonging to Tony Forgione, a retired businessman and great guy.

As the names were read off, a sudden rendition of the Star Spangled Banner began to play. Being a baseball fan, I immediately stood, as my chair shot out from under me like a cannon ball. As if on cue, the balance of Directors stood to join me, as poor Tony, his phone the culprit, didn’t know whether to stand with us or answer his phone.

When the music stopped, I wondered if we would get someone to throw out the first pitch, or at least hear: “PLAY BALL!’