I declined then Shelly accepted. Glad she asserted herself. We attended an off-Broadway play, “Cagney,” at the Westside Theatre, last night (Saturday, July 9, 2016). Mostly a musical it focused on actor extraordinaire James Cagney's career. The movie that I most identify with Cagney remains “The Gallant Hours,” his excellent portrayal of Admiral William “Bull” Halsey. Never much for gangster movies, I never watched “White Heat” or “Public Enemy” in their entireties; I knew Cagney made his name in them. I had thought Cagney's portrayals of George M. Cohan in “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and “The Seven Little Foys,” demonstrated talent apart from his typecast roles; I later learned it better represented his pre-holiday career.

I never knew Cagney's early support for workers and unions or his run-ins with Congressional witch hunts for Communists in the 1940s before after and Second World War. Though in his later years Cagney adopted conservative views (not the first actor to do that.), his support, including dollars, for those in need and social justice causes offers parallels today.

Just Saturday morning, the back page of the Daily News reprised Carmelo Anthony's thoughtful Instagram post urging his colleagues in sports to use their celebrity – to speak out and press politicians for solutions after the tragic shootings that never seem to end. I want to see where the conversation Melo started takes us. I prefer to be hopeful.