I knew the time would be soon.

Much of the summer I gave thought to it.

Retirement.

After basketball this morning, I stopped home before continuing on some usual errands, including checking the P.O. Box, gassing up my car, and sometimes a bank deposit.

I needed to pick up a civic association check to pay my neighborhood printer, Gotham's own Scott Levine (not the lawyer) who also prints my FDR Lodge 613 Knights of Pythias bulletin, The Beam. Since I stopped in for the check to pay for North Bellerose Civic's Newsbits, Shelly asked if I could visit the dry cleaners and gave me a pair of her slacks. I pre-pay my dry cleaning bill so I never worry about how long the clothes remain there; but now I'd need to go. Bellerose Cleaners lies directly across Union Turnpike from Scott's Minuteman Bellerose shop.

For more than two years I've enjoyed a pair of sneakers I designed. Usually, because we would play outside late May through early September, it would take a toll on my sneakers. Around the time I bought the sneakers, my friend Eric Diamond convinced us to rent the gym our lodge provides us fall through Spring for the summer for one night each week. The next year, we extended our weekend play year round. Not playing outside on concrete saved much wear and tear on these lovely and comfy pair of sneakers.

All summer I muse about retirement. My dry cleaner cleans sneakers. Today, not only became the last day I use them for ball, I left them to be cleaned; I hope the pair will look as cool as the day they came out of the box. And of course, its last day of sports use, its last game included the game winning shot (and 40% of my team's baskets).  I dedicate the same song to my sneakers that I quoted in my final editorial in CONSCIENCE some 35 years back at my law school today known as the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.

I broke in the new pair – which I bought at the same time – blue of course with some red trim, picking up dinner and shopping for the remaining items Shelly need to cook her usual sumptuous Rosh Hashanah dinner.

To my Jewish friends and families, best wishes for a sweet new year. Shana Tova.