True Story Peace Corps Yemen

1. ​ SOUL MISSION​S

2. Chp 1 5 You Win with People
Chp 2 26 Rohrs Family Farm
Chp 3 28 Malama ‘Aina
Chp 4 29 City of Brotherly Love
Chp 5 33 City of Light & Love
Chp 6 35 City of Stone
Chp 7 42 A Salam Alikum
chp 8 43 Riding w The Greatest
Chp 9 49 Mountains of Al Taiz
Chp 10 54 Al Suk
Chp 11 56 RoadTrip Al Mokha
Chp 12 64 Power of Love
Chp 13 66 Coed qat chew
Chp 14 70 Makbana Road
Chp 15 72 Father Damian
Chp 16 73 Halas!
Chp 17 76 Children of Al Khowka
Chp 18 94 General Advice
CHp 19 95 East of Aden
Chp 20 94 ​Mangiare Italiano !
Chp 21 97 REd Sea Barracuda
Chp 22 98 Pirates of the Tehama
Chp 23 100 Eye Capt Ahab
Chp 24 101 Tiger Shark 4 Christmas
Chp 25 104 Moosh- moosh ka la
Chp 26 106 Hot In Al Hodeida
Chp 27 108 Exodus
Chp 28 111 Bullet the Blue Sky
Chp 29 116 Back in the USA
Chp 30 117 Pura Vida in the City of Angels
Chp 31 126 Surfing Goats
Chp 32 127 Soulmate
Chp 33 130​ Fire on the Mt
Chp 34 135 Aloha​ Warrior
Chp 35 144 Love Your Enemies
Chp 36 146 Love is My Religion

3. Prologue
“Soul Missions “ has a simple message to people that we can all Love Each Other
more! resonating a quarter century Soul Missions is collection true stories about a
Ohio boy growing up in a small country town playing high school sports and then
college football in Toledo volunteering for the US Peace Corps serving in Yemen
going west to LA CA traveling Europe then teaching in (and surfing) the Hawaiian
Islands Soul missions showed me the power of Love and gave me the strength to
work for helping in the uniting all of God’s children Playing team sports in Ohio The
United States Peace Corps Ohio Football was my first passion and became my first
mission “The Toughest job you’ll ever love” The US Peace Corps Yemen mission
brought me right to the frontline of service working side by side with local people in
their villages and communities and the from the heart (kelb) hospitality , immersing
myself into the culture, ​tackling ​some of​ our world’s toughest challenges and turning
them into triumphs of LOVE. I have since learned ​that ​when it comes to uniting people
you can do it a couple ways one by selfless serving , two by playing team sports and
three by living by example “Live Aloha” a bumper sticker that stuck in my heart from
Hawaii i felt the “others first” style of Aloha
living in LA CA where Billy Wirth told me that Love was the answer to every question !
all these places blended well together with me. The the familiness the multicultural
unification, people having common goals all inspirational !
Looking at the world in this day and age​ you may wonder ​How can I help?.
My friends t​he answer is simpl​y:
LOVE​ each other MORE!
Pres John F. Kennedy founded the Peace Corps in 1965 the same year i was born
but It was not until college that I had heard about the Peace Corps its creation in the
60’s I loved its message of international friendship and Peace. After graduation I had
the freedom and opportunity to ask myself “what can I do... to help bring peace to

4. the world? ... I was inspired by his famous quote “Ask not what your country can do for
you...but What You can do for your Country? ? The PC answered that question for
me with its Mission statement “To promote World Peace and Friendship” it was
Patriotic and Groovy to me. I wanted to volunteer and represent its goals.
1 . To help the people of interested countries meet their need for trained volunteers,.
2. Promoting a better understanding of America on the part of its peoples served
3 . To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of America
Volunteering in the PC was my way to fulfill my desire to serve and work for peace , I
would also meet new different people and see the world A WIN WIN Right ?. i was
intrigued by all exotic tropical “paradise” places that the PC serves it was romantic .
The South Pacific maybe Bali, Fiji….and then, The Caribbean... Jamaica Barbados
Virgin Islands ... and Central America Costa Rican rainforest ... I dreamed of serving in
a l tropical warm area by the sea With Blue water and pristine Beaches mountains and
SUNSETS I dreamed I may meet miss right and fall in LOve .....watching beautiful
SUNSets over the water with my soulmate ”Make Love not War? !” at times My
conscious was fought the two sides of myself ….. The serving humanitarian volunteer
and the guy looking for a soulmate. Could I make it a win win? Do both in the PC ? I
wanted to represent the ideals of America that All Women and Men are created equal I
wanted to help with the healing Mother Earth and wanted to fight to end world hunger.
Was i ready Are we ready to Love Each other more in the world today ? Ziggy
Marley sings “ People Get Ready there’s a train a comin!” written in 1965 by Curtis
Mayfield it inspired me at his concert we attended in Maui I copied them down to
add to my Diary …
People get ready
There’s a train a comin’
You Don’t need no baggage you just get on board
All you need is faith
To hear the diesel comin’
Don’t need no ticket you just thank the Lord
People get ready
Train to Jordan
Picking up passengers from coast to coast
Faith is the key

5. Open the doors and board them
There’s hope for all among the Love the most
There’s a train there’s a train there’s a train a comin’ people
There’s a train there’s a train there’s a train a comin’ people
There’s a train there’s a train there’s a train a comin’ people
Just get on board
There ain’t no room for the hopeless sinner
Who would hurt all mankind just to save his own soul
Have pity on those whose choices grow thinner
There ain’t no hiding place from the Kingdom’s throne
Chp 1
You Win With People
At around 12yrs old i was looking through the endless collection of my brother Wes’s
National Geographics organised in a bookshelf... which one was going to take me on
a new adventure? ...put me into a dream ….send me to Africa, to Asia South
America….or who knows where? but Wait a second... what was this thick scarlet
book with the grey title at the end of the shelf? Called “YOu Win with People” ?? i
grabbed it ..opened it... no pictures ? but after reading the first words i couldn't put it
down it was the first book i read cover to cover i read first 2 chps right there,,... i took
it.. i asked my big brother later if i could read it he said “ yea ok just put it back” i never
did. .thanks Wes the author was Woody Hayes a football coach of The Ohio State
Buckeyes a coach a man who loved his players like his own sons it inspired me and
helped me realize where i come from and what i wanted to do . I wanted to be a
Buckeye !
“The Cradle of Coaches” is the name given to the Heartland of Ohio and where
people and family are its biggest asset . Woody was a people’s person his players
loved and respected him He knew it takes a community a team to raise a good kid. I
loved football it was the biggest thing in my smalltown I give a A Big “How!” to all the

6. Native Americans and respect to Chief Wauseon the American Indian Chief who ruled
his tribe here on the land of Wauseon, Ohio where I'm from and grew up . Respect to
Our All Native American People! Now fighting in the in the Dakotas for clean water
!LIFE!As a Kid playing in the woods I always wanted to be a Indian Warrior ..dressing
myself up with my moccasins w a hand made bow and arrows and wearing mud war
paint on my ace “Living in Harmony with Nature”, was cool to me even as a kid that's
what impressed me I watched the tv show “Daniel Boone” it was a favorite
too.sometimes i was him with my raccoon skin hat and with my play Kentucky rifle but
I’ll always be an Indian warrior in my heart! Not taking more than one needs and Living
Sustainably Respect to Mother Earth
Now more than ever as our world gets smaller and smaller like a team we all need
each other the world it becomes a community and we all need to work together for
peace and unity Dave Moore was our dedicated 8th grade football team’s coach he was
a cool counselor with a big afro head of hair 1978 he put me @ starting tailback on the
football team that was my beginning Our team went undefeated my best buddy Jack
Warncke the QB was magic @ running the veer option he faked out the referees they
were always blowing their whistles early just as Jack was about to pitch me the ball for a
70 yard sprint to the end zone There was a small Mexican American population in our
majority caucasian town and on our football team had one tough thick running back
named Robert Rodriguez he was the full back quiet humble hardworking a and my
friend Chris Menchaca a def back that became a state champ wrestler had me over for
traditional Mexican dinner which was amazing my fav food!! Most of the guys on the
team were hard nosed farm boys that had brothers and dads that also played football
Tom Richards Troy Weber Tabb Gype Alan Lane Tim Yackee Tony Andrew Todd
Dunning we all were friends growing up together in grade school PICs Football was the
biggest show in town in Wauseon Ohio Of course I wanted to be in that show i can still
hear those drums beating in the band .. Our school WHS had years winning Football
TRadition and I went to every friday night game under the lights as a kid ….growing up
wanting to be a Wauseon Indian football player ! I wanted to be A running back so I
could score touchdowns and make that big Liberty bell ring in the end zone , i played
Tailback for 3 yrs under our Head Coach Larry Fruth He was a great influence on me
a great man and a great coach He had a dedicated staff of some 25 years they all
cared about their players on and off the field and that created a winning program
together “Attitude Reflects leadership” a line from the movie “Remember the Titans “
The majority of our team fortunately was more interested in sports than partying and the
team refused to follow the norm we had some great dedicated leaders I am grateful
for that and grateful to live in Ohio “The Cradle of Coaches” the sacred family of

7. tradition of hard nosed football handed down from father to son ,brother to brother …so
honored
Jim Tressel an assistant FB coach at OsU at the time wrote me a letter via Coach Fruth
he after I went to the Buckeyes summer Camp as a running back (pic) that season and
said he'd be watching me….. but I made a bad decision the accident PiC…..getting into
a car that the driver hit a telephone pole it was on a friday right before our 4th game of
the season pic I was in the back seat and ended up lucky just breaking my wrist and
slashing my head other teammates suffered worse injuries of broken back and ribs and
legs .. I can not when forget Coach Tressel wrote me and said those dreaded two
words “Good Luck” later as Head Coach he went on to win a National championship in
??
But always God works his lil miracles.. Not only did he spare our lives in the accident
but he gave our team another blessing...in our last HS football game of the season
against Archbold our BIGGest crosstown rival they were 9-0 and on the way to the
state playoffs Everyone from both towns was at the game they still talk about it today
We upset Archbold 27-24! In “the Archbold game” I ran for 275 yards and 3 TDs my
O=line blew out some huge holes Thx very much guys the kind you can drive truck
through Coach Fruth wisely mixed it up an found an off tackle weakness and exploited
it. .our defense was so tough Thanks to Coach Fritz RIP known for his ability firing up
the D get’em floating up off the ground A Univ Toledo fb scout Coach Ron Curtis was
scouting Archbold's big fullback Andy Peterson went to Army but Curtis noticed me
and after the game offered me a full ride scholarship right then to the the Univ of
Toledo He said I Reminded him of a running back Dave Preston from the Denver
Broncos Wow still w a cast on my arm At 8-1-1 we missed going to state playoffs just
short by . 4 computer points... that was really a tough one
Watching The Saturday afternoon NCAA college football games on TV was a big
tradition as a kid... being a Ohio boy I was a Ohio State Buckeyes fan of course I looked
up to running back Archie Griffin #45 what a great role model a 2x Heisman winner a
great person and Legend Head Football Coach Woody Hayes and his book “You win
with People” was so true as a kid my Dad Mom Brother Sister all liked the Cleveland
Browns I never forget watching the “Cardiac Kids” and QB Brian Sipe, running back
Greg Pruitt on Sundays then I was amazed watching the highlights of the greatest
running back of all times Jim Brown #32 a man amongst boys ! my favorite Pro running
back of the times came from the Chicago Bears Walter Payton he become my idol I
tried to imitate his moves on the playground I remember my buddy Todd Creager our
awesome Wingback /punt return man we used his moves to make each other miss

8. when playing kill the man on the playground in grade school “Sweetness” was Walter
Payton's nickname he was super tough a true legend!. RIP #34
I really love the sport of Track ! I loved to fun fast it was such a prestige to be the fastest
kid on the playground my dad was fast I think it's a genetic thing a gift I thank God for
this gift he gave me to have the ability to run its such a free spiritual thing to me
Running track in HS was great the big invitational meets I got to meet even more kids
from w different ethnicities than me like Mexicans and African Americans Asians,
French, Germans, Italians Joe Robinson was the only African American @ WHSchool
Joe was a year younger than me in highschool we were friends on the track team but i
wish we would've hung out more , I knew he was a good guy w a y big heart it showed
on how he pushed himself in practice and worked hard i tried put myself in his shoes
I'm know he felt discrimination being the only African American in the HS i think
everyone should be a minority some time.
i Loved that aspect of sports that brings us all together for a common goal . Amazing!
we also were the league NWOAL Champs, District Champs and got to run in the”
Horseshoe “ The Ohio State Stadium Track where the Olympic Champion Jesse Owens
once ran ! What an athlete to say the least Have to see that movie! Running there was
Amazing Dream !I also thank My HS Track Coach Charlie Meyer who took our 4x100
relay team to the Ohio State Championships ! I ran 1st leg of the relay we ran 41.6 and
set a Wauseon school record that still stands today in 1984 (pics) w my buddy Tom
Richards 2nd leg, Shawn Clausen 3rd and Denny Rupp Anchor. I got to do 4 events up
to the regional finals Long jumping, 100m and 200m also. My Coach Meyers was a
great man and coach most importantly installed morals and discipline into our lives “ I
saw him almost every Sunday at church “ It takes a community to raise a kid “ and I was
lucky to be raised in. working class town of Wauseon. . Put on your hustle baby.
because we Work ! We ran some HIIT High Intensity Interval Training We ran 400s
300s 200s til we could not…. it was tough… I threw up... I loved it. .
My Parents never missed one of my games or meets ever in my whole career and my
Mom or Dad would always greet me with a smile “Did ya have fun ? “ Always positive... I
loved that ! I now feel so Blessed to be raised by such great parents in a wonderful
small town I had some tight friends too growing up together. .as a Ohio boy... hunting
and fishing swimming with my teammates Tom Richards our center and my QB Jack
my best buddy who perfected the veer option we said we had mental telepathy and he
was fishin buddy too Jack and I once visited a opponent in the hospital after a game
that I had a head on collision with I think he was a linebacker...i just got lower than him..

9. they took him off on a stretcher I was lucky it wasn't me laying there in hospital the bed
next to him…
Now we have Concussion protocal in football Hs thu Pro when i played they held up
some fingers and asked how many ? I've seen the effects of some serious
concussions in football our QB Jack would never even think of ever running out of
bounds at 155lbs never he took some hard hits and concussions and our corner back
wing back Todd Creager who also played w no fear like many on the team Todd got
knocked out in the Archbold game he wasn't the same for a while but didn't show it
maybe missed a few plays he was to hard nosed we really didn't think about back then
it was part of the game I know i've had my bell rung more than a few times from helmet
to to helmets collisions a “ear hole shot” is the worst right when you get a helmet on the
temple. .lights out. . I was lucky I had such hard head. 3xs on my bike i split my head
open i'm lucky my mom was a nurse to help sew me up .. bicycle Helmet? What’s that ?
never even had them back then?Nowadays seeing stars is called a concussion?
right?? Love the new Movie w Will Smith “Concussion” one of my biggest college career
head shot concussion came down in Louisiana @ McNeese State when we meet up w
some wild crazy southern boys I took a headshot Returning a kickoff hostility was in the
air it was a lil civil war N vs S and the s came to defend their backyard in the heat they
knocked me clean out lights out I woke up regained consciousness at half time in the
locker room I do remember that I asked “did I fumble ?” yea I did. . They were a smaller
team but they whooped us in their hot humid backyard I think we all ate way too many
crawdads and jumbulii the day before but man the
food was damn good
Grateful to receive a full ride scholarship to play tailback for the Div 1 University of
Toledo Rockets football team in 1984 under Head Coach Dan Simrell I could not wait to
sign that letter of intent ! I could never afford to go to college unless I took loans and
worked. my freshman year @ TB the upperclassman welcomed me into their family and
the starting senior Fullback Jerome Stephens and starting TB Steve Morgan who ran for
over 2000 yards he signed w the Seattle SeaHawks were great people I Steve on TV
our rb family kept everyone laughing we were always cracking jokes on each other all
the time That senior class led by example... hard work and humbleness...what a great
influence they left on my life they were true Champions on and off the field! They won
the Mid American Conference so we were the MAC Champs and we got invited to CA to
play in the California Bowl vs Las Vegas Nevada which we won by default and now I
have a championship ring ! I remember Randall Cunningham and Ickey Woods and his

10. “Shuffle” in 1984 I watched cheering realizing being redshirted and all those scout team
beatings were worth it,...grasping the the “No I in Team” concept .
I Will always remember the day in practice my fresh year I was feeling down.. i was
down on scout team . .7th on the depth chart @TBack running the other teams plays
against our first team defence trying to make them better. That day .our starting
defensive tackle Brent Williams 6-7 285 kinda took me under his big wing I must have
tried too hard and had a good run Brent got mad at the defense wow ! players moved
10 ft away from him when he got mad w incredible intensity... I saw it... I felt it … then
came one of my most proudest moments in football was is when Brent said ‘hey keep
runnin like Marcus Allan!”I was so honored when he nicknamed me Marcus!
Brent Williams went on to be drafted as a Def End by the New England Patriots He had
an impressive career At Toledo he was a great leader by his intensity, a team motivator
by his hard working actions He was just a cool upperclassman! I remember his new
Jimmy 4x4 and pictures of his new home he bought from his signing bonus into the
NFL. ( Add Career stats from NE) His son played for Ohio State and Brent wrote a great
book called “Recruit My Son” which explains the recruiting process I recommend to all
moms and dads with college bound athletes to read! He also runs a camp ( More info) .
Brent was from Flint Mich a city that is struggling in a National Crisis because of their
water supply that has been lead poisoned ! Children lead poisoned what a tragedy for
the for the people of Flint ! Please America... Government politicians you should be
ashamed !! Imprisoned !
Clean Water is Life !??
A Michigan teammate Mike Varajon was a big fullback Mike Varajon 240 ran a 4.5 once
I had the honor to spot him in the weight room he had 550 on the bench.. the bar was
bending I prayed he would get it..whew ... no prob! He was a good old boy w a Stetson
cowboy hat on a plaid sleeveless shirts and a chew in he ran like Earl Campbell too
wow... had some bad luck and blew out his knee but later recovered to go on and play
w Joe Montana and Dwight Clark blocked as FB in the play “the catch” the San
Francisco 49ers super bowl. (Pic) great Senior Athlete great guy ! was always jamming
Ozzy Osbourne real loud ! War Pigs! Loved it ! Def Back Mark Brandon kept us up with
his athleticism and positivity and Pat Delaney Bryant Jones Dexter Clark Marc Patton
Keith Brewster Walter Duncan ( more lookem up)RIP Dwayne Fletcher and Keith
Saunders the Tatum brothers Rodney and Roland and hit so hard i'll never forget em !I
always thought they Row an Tate were related to Jack Tatum from the Raiders Then
there was the tough and extra brilliant Academic All America Harold McGuire a Free
Safety Aka” HEAT” another senior he was always making everyone laugh but still hitting

11. like a human missile he was a great leader ! He was working in Washington DC the last
time we talked on the phone?. I vote for you HEAT! FB pic w Patton BJ Dex Tate But I
soon learned going to College and playing football was pretty tough work it was a job
and being a student athlete was challenge to me physically and mentally!.
My sophomore year we went to Tallahassee FSU's head coach Bobby Bowden had a
pregame prayer meeting for all players from both teams that was cool …. but then just
before the game all hell broke loose and things got a lil wild down south... a Seminole
Indian appears riding out on his horse onto the field w a flaming spear he was in full
war paint…. . all the lights go out.. the stadium rocks loud and in total darkness all you
see is the flaming spear The Warrior stops on 50 yd line he turns and throws down the
spear into the ground in front of us ….the ground shakes more from the ecstatic fans
going nuts our heartbeats quicken as warriors prepare to go to battle
I went into the game to give our starter Kelvin Farmer a breather in the 3rd quarter the
play was a pitch sweep . .as I caught the pitch I was coached to stretch the defence I
turned it on. .out of the corner of my eye I could see a bit of the orange end zone
marker.… I felt that everyone was flowing w the ball then I made my cut back against
the grain looking for daylight I saw some opening my heart swelled “ take it to the
house” our QB Billy Bergan said to me in the huddle the feeling of scoring a TD in front
of 70 thousand fanatic Florida State Seminole fans sent a huge adrenalin surge through
my veins... i kept the football bear clawed high and tight in the outside arm as I made
another cut and got back up the sideline I was on my way to the ” Promised Land !!” ...
then out of nowhere like a unidentified flying object. .like an arrow shot from a bow. .i
was hit.. in a split dec i was laying flat on my back staring up into the blue Florida
sky…… whaaaat. .? ??!! . . a Seminole defender was shaking his helmet looking down
over me ….” NoT!”...
I got the message!!!… It was as if I had passed into the wrong fly zone. .it all happened
so fast like A Flash of Neon light ….i saw the #21 it was Deion Sanders the Seminole
free safety…. I came off the field and went over to K Farm an told “wow 21 is quick I
never even saw him ? I had never experienced that level of speed before... I think some
science is involved here Velocity =Mass X speed ?? …. Mr Saunders was definitely a
man amongst boys ………..our 2nd team offence missed the field goal …. They won
24- 0 That was a highlight in my football career tackled by Deion Sanders an amazing
athlete he was so fast what a honor to be on the field w him In that same game.
I was returning the kickoff in front of 75,000 i remember seeing the ball coming down
in slow mo...subconsciously protecting my dislocated finger I missed judged the ball

12. and it hit me in the face mask bounced up in the air they recovered it ran in the endzone
for a TD was i in a nightmare? ….it was halftime… coach Sim just looked down. I felt
bad for my Mom and Dad cheering in the stands
Traditionally UT was known for its tough Defensive w it's inspiring defensive coaches
Jim Yockey Tom Amstutz and Steve Gwin. Waynard Jones our Defense End he kept a
Bible in is practice pants His forearms were as big as my legs I had to try and stop him
when he was on a blitz... he ran on “spiritual power” wow how strong he was... he
crushed me every time. . what a great message he sent... I was honored to be humbled
by the Spirit. His younger backup Clarence Good was so scary to me he was African
American an had a tough mean edge i was intimidated by him he was outspoken rebel
in trouble sometimes but in the end i let go of my fear and he became a close friend he
calls me lil bro now .. its Good feeling
But UT’s TailBacks were known to carry the ball 40x a game wow and I loved to run the
ball so having that opportunity of running a lot was a reason that influenced my decision
to play for UT UT recruited some tough local football players from the Ohio areas Kelvin
Farmer a running back from Cleveland who I played behind until my senior year he was
the the 2nd leading rusher in the nation w 2000+ yards Dallas got him. AJ Sager 6-5
and Billy Bergan were our dueling QBs AJ was so talented he went to pitch for the San
Diego Padres now a Baseball commentary for the Toledo Mud Hens ! When I watched
the movie “Rudy” I fell out of my chair when I realized it was Billy Bergan under center
wow ! Same #5 and Bergan on the back of his ND jersey! What Great Guys AJ and Billy
i shared a apt with them for a year we had this great big huge corner couch we rented
we all gathered on after practice to kick back eat popcorn an watch sports
My senior year finally came and I was the Rockets starting TB now I can thank my Off
line for protecting me. Kenny Moyer my big OT 6-10 335 a brilliant Engineer was later
drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals (STATS). George Linberger was my bodyguard he
went to the detroit Lions he was my center we shared a house together where we
hosted “fight nite” 15-20 guys came over to watch the Mike Tyson fight and of course
have a few cold ones. .George was a Boxer also and had a couple pairs of 8oz gloves
in the house the testosterone level was high during the Tyson fight and somehow the
gloves came out after the fight a guys were sparing wow it was scary watching guys
weighing over 275 throw a punchs with 8oz gloves George fought Phil Brown first
KOing Phil in the 2nd round and went on to box professionally adding 25 more KOs to
his 29-9-1 record Winning the North American Championship even more impressive to
me is that now he is giving back to our future working with youth operating alternative
education programs in several schools that serve over 350 students The programs are

13. designed to help students with severe behavioral, emotional and academic issues
helping others help themselves. George Linberger super tough guy …..with some super
tough LOVE! Thanks G!
Rick Phelps he was a Linebacker from South Bend and Before I knew it we were
paired off to fight to box was decided that there would be 3 1 min rounds I was next in
the ring the energy was nuts the house was a big victorian style all the furniture was
pushed aside exposing the hardwood floors and the high victorian ceilings made it a
show time atmosphere Stevo was coaching me up wow I was scared and adrenaline
was kicking in someone yelled Ding! Rick was bigger than me @225lbs and we shuffled
around eying each other up.. we had faced each other many times on the field one on
one w backer blitzes I knew he had a wt adv I was only 190 we started w jabs but both
landing punches we both went into mad flurries and I got tagged a few times the
adrenaline raised I could see his big punches coming he cornered me and knocked me
down with a flurry to body and head I went down against the wall round 1 I think we had
a 2 min break I remember Steve looking into my eyes saying “he's ok” round 2 ..and
someone threw water on my face and I heard ding ! again we both again started right off
both landing shots to the head I caught Rick off balance and knocked him down into the
couch lucky it was round 3 again we all out brawled both landing shots beating each
other refusing to go down and so they separated us calling it a tie whew! “Fight Nite”
got shut down when Coach Sim heard guys were getting KO'd yea it was getting ugly
I loved track so i ran the 60m for Toledo during the winter indoor track season Track
people are cool people too so there i was in lane 3 right beside “the Rocket” Raghib
Ismail in lane 4 he was known as “The Rocket” on the ND football team because he
was their fastest guy I noticed him as we warmed up his focus was laser like oniy
looking down the track not even acknowledging anyone...lasor like straight
concentration before the start of the race and to the end of it …. Amazing at the Loftus
indoor track meet ….
The starter yelled . “runners set!…the mass adrenalin rush through my blood……. ...
bang ! the gun dig !! dig!! low and hard pull arms head down raise slowly..
Wow..already as i looked up I saw the bottom of “the Rocket’s” track spikes wow what
an explosive start he had ! never had I been so close to such quickness out of the
blocks !wow so I caught his drift as the 60m race was over before i knew it “The
Rocket” Raghib Ismail went on the qualify for the olympics in the men’s 4x100 relay
wow he was a Rocket I was so impressed and with ND facilities and its great athletic
tradition I found it refreshing being in a Catholic school that was so open embracing
Rahib ismail as a Muslim. Univ Toledo @ ND invitational in their new Loftus indoor

14. track facility I saved the program with my lane assignment next to “the Rocket” I did
shake his hand and congratulated him he was humble and gracious nodding back
Rodney Whitlow a wideout and was faster than me. My freshman roommate Renza
Hughley wasour punt returner a very toygh job! Rickey Isaiah now a minister in Akron
went to the NY Jets he was a wide out with another great athlete who religiously
blocked for me downfield when i ran the ball 30 + times Love my WR’s Romaldo Brown
they all had great hands and magic moves they all did a lot of awesome selfless team
player humble blocking for me downfield and even Joe Windover too I carried the ball
so much , ,35-40 x a game Thanks MEn!!
Craig Kuligowski my guard just moved from coaching the Mizzu Wildcats to now
coaching the D line for the Miami Hurricanes!! KOOOOOL! Bill Blazic my other OT I
caught up w on FB and the Olsen twins my guards local Toledo boys who I hope to
catch up with someday and our TEs Jerry Evans went to Seattle and good old Tyler
Burdick went to Tampa Bay Buccaneers we went on Spring break together down on
Anna Maria Island he's a southern wild guy 6-7 245 the only time I ever saw him
knocked down is when he got hit by a jellyfish wrapped around his neck he layed down
on the beach and said” it's hard to breath “….we called the life guard
Surviving Sunday mornings made me wonder how did Walter Payton remain so durable
and gain so many yards For me to be the TB @ UT i knew it would take a lot of hard
work in the wt room I was built more like a wide receiver tall 61 and lean 180lbs i was
very very lucky to have Coach Mannie to prepare me i put a bar on my back and did
squats he had a leg workout called the “filthy five “ he prepared me for the punishment
to carry the ball 40x a game Ever feel like you've been run over by a Mack truck ? well
that's how I felt after my first Saturday football game after being tackled 30xs I would've
never even survived as long as i did without the grueling weight room training ... guess
that's just normal for backs a total body beating …hands swollen bloody like hamburger
bruised ribs thighs dislocated broken fingers ankles twisted “just put a lil ice on it” our
Head Trainer Dave would say he was right it helped numb the pain and healed us faster
southern gentleman awesome healer I did contrast baths in whirlpool full of ice then a
hot one.getting rehab was mandatory so you could feel almost normal by thursday then
do it again on Sat physical mental
The Real toughness in a player comes out when we play in the freezing cold in Nov...
like @ Northern Illinois Univ with winds chills - below 0 and ice sicles on your facemask i
dislocated finger tips catching the frozen ball longjohns and layers it was tough i loved
summer practice 3x a days in the heat in August we had no indoor stadium like some of

15. the bigger schools nowadays have. . it was 90+ degrees smelting on the turf at midday I
didn't mind the heat so much but the cold took more mental toughness especially when
fingers dislocate catching a cold football ouch!
My 1st major injury came against Univ Temple it was our 3rd game of the season I was
avg 100 yards a game w35 carries a game I was a physical runner but I should of side
stepped that tackler but instead of lowering the shoulder to run him over … I dislocated
the rotator cup it was very painful I threw up in the huddle then took myself out wow on
a pain felt like a red hot shrapnel stuck in my shoulder I threw-up from the pain in the
huddle then took myself out what made it all worst was we should've won the game we
were going in for the winning score but fumbled on the ten it wasn't me.. whew! (
Temple PIC w Steve0 being a student athlete was tough too football starts at 100pm
and classes that all classes had time to be taken before or after 700pm I did learn to be
on time to classes it was embarrassing walking in late, and if we were late to a team
meeting we had to sit outside putting a dunce cap on... very effective
What really made me took me to the edge of my physical capabilities was the 5am
winter strength and conditioning program... directed by our Strength and Conditioning
Coach Ken Mannie that was toughest thing physically I ever experienced in my life,,
currently in 2016 He was awarded the Best Trainer in the Country the Strength Coach
of the Year He is at MSU now a Legend! Nick Saban wanted to take him to Alabama
and Bill Belichick wanted him at New England both tried to get him to train their teams
but he has taken root in Lansing MI loyal ask any of the student athletes they will tell
you Coach Mannie is the Man ! Doing his push ups @5 am I was lucky that he was in
my face 5yrs @ Toledo! motivating you on a every level. .he had that touch to take you
places you did not think you could go…. a real person... and family man but when we
train …. put on that face cuz it's time to go to work! an put out the buckets... especially
for the “filthy 5” a legendary leg workout Ken Mannie invented manual resistance
training I called it “Manny Resistance TM” he is Intensity Defined ! just survive the
workouts and If it doesn't kill you it only makes you stronger can definitely be said about
coach Mannie ! He motivated me to become a 3x Conditioning champion @ UT
teaching me dedication determination and toughness . I became a successful certified
personal trainer and thrived in the best gyms in the country in the mecca of trainers
Hollywood CA with some of the world's best trainers just by using what he taught me,,.
.and I thank you Coach for giving me all that tough love !
My second injury was a career ender just an unfortunate part of the game... I tore a
lower back muscle doing a twisting “up and over “ on the goalline for aTD against Ohio
U It was at the end of the game it was a cold and rainy night I was cold and tightening

16. up and wet soaked to the bone I was having a great game ended with 3TDs 110 yrds I
felt the muscle in my back pop as one guy twisted me one way and another guy twisted
me the other I got up from the pile unable to stand up straight I hunched off the field in a
lot of pain I knew sometime was seriously wrong I tried everything to recover over the
weekend hot cold contrast whirlpools massage motrin then But I had to practice for the
next game against U Miami Hurricanes... i couldn't go….. they were ranked #1 in nation
I wanted to run against Bennie Blades but practice it only made my back worse and if
you don't practice you don't play I could not go to Miami it was to painful no practice no
travel that was the rule I was done after 7 games end of my senior year …Astroturf was
still evolving in the 80s but I knew that it was especially hard when frozen it felt like
playing on asphalt and was when the sun was shining it was hot I can still see the 3’
heat waves rippling over it I believe the turf had taken its toll on my body from all the
days of practicing and playing games getting tackled on it BUT luckily I can still
remember to mention the brain bruising too the helmet to helmet collisions that
happened daily “ bangin heads” it was called getting your bell rung sometimes seeing
stars it all was just part of the game and throw some head butts just for fun ? iand after
a game at the bar if you won that night!?… Free Pitchers
A day I will never forget in Kalamazoo Michigan it was a on cold windy November day
w wind chill @ sub 0 yes testing your mental toughness I was a Soph a “redshirt
freshman” I my reverse play was called I hear “Rohrs in at slot!” my heart grew…...
Kelvin Farmer our starter TB @nd leading rusher in the nation took the pitch sweep and
runs stretching the d of course everyone flows to him I come around top speed from the
other direction and he flips the ball in stride I run for the corner of the endzone “the
promised land” but I can still feel a presence Running with me down the line ...it was
John Offerdahl the LB chasing me on the reverse he wasn’t fooled he dove at my heels
w his arms extended he was pisssed off I felt his fingers claw across my shins just as I
stepped into the corner endzone!!! We won that game and I scored my 1st TD in college
against JO. That year Offerdahl was drafted and played linebacker for the Miami
Dolphins and was named All Pro. He was a tough. . it was a tough game in the freezing
cold in Kalamazoo!
In practice When the offense struggled or I blew an assignment Coach Simrell would go
off yelling at me I think I was his whipping boy ROooooHRSssssss!! I just listened... I
always remember the advice my running back coach gave me one day “Hey if a coach
isn't yelling at you then get worried ….because then he doesn't care ”... I guess It was
“tough love” from Coach Simrell ok my skin definitely got a little thicker and tougher.
Thanks Coach Simrell he went on to coach @ Finley College in Ohio and then to Italy to

17. win Super Bowls in the World Football League.. Amazing !! I called him up once for a
recommendation and a Big Caio ! Molto Beni! ! (Find out where now)
My running back Coach Paul Winters a great coach and person also. He brought out
the best in me HE Is Head Coach for the Wayne State University Warriors in Detroit
Mich leading a winning football program He was an inspiration in my life making football
fun an a reason why I love the game! Go Warriors!
The summer before my 5th year I was “Going Back to Cali” to my Aunt Jo’s and Uncle
George’s house I invited myself and they graciously took me into their beautiful home in
William, S Hart State Park located in the hot dry canyons of Southern CA I needed take
a college credit and work, train/ rehab the shoulder and back injuries I was fortunate
that I could do it all there and a great opportunity to visit with my family. Because I was
injured I failed a class and dropped another so I needed the hours to graduate on time I
had to make up some hours to be eligible to play for my 5th year of football Football
was “the toughest job I ever loved” and i'd do it all again …even if. 25 years later i'm still
trying to heal up that dislocated rotator cuff on my right shoulder being in water
swimming and surf paddling in Hawaii for 10 years helped it heal, my lower back and
knee both lost mobility from scar tissue. 12ys of contact football and countless
concussions ..I still love the game..
Education was never a race to me because there was so much in life to experience and
with ball and training being a student an athlete in College to me was a challenge
especially managing time When I moved acrossed the Street from my duplex apt on
Greenway Rd to split rent with a bunch of Toledo Baseball players they had a wall of
fame you could writing anything you want on the wall and I wrote “Education is not a
Race” my buddy Kevin Barr just texted me “ Education is not a race “ reminding me yea
education never ends. .and sent a pic of that house we shared Kevin was on the
Toledo Baseball team a scrappy infielder from Athens ,Ohio He reminds me of the
shortstop in the movie “42” that hugged Jackie Robinson so all his friends could see. we
caught up and went to coffee in Sarasota where we talked about the good times in that
house wow Kevin is now the Strength and Conditioning Trainer for the Tampa Bay Rays
helping them to win a World Series ! and Thanks for those tics Cuz! I showed my 8th
grade Team Sports class the movie I saw their jaws drop when Jackie got called every
racist name at the plate I never knew how strong he was not to lash back out Amazing
baseball player and man!
I looked out at my Aunt Jo’s and Uncle George’s beautiful pool and saw a roadrunner
on the deck and then a huge American Bison appeared roaming the hill just a stone's

18. throw away to me incrediably big 7’ emmense it was great to be surrounded by nature
living in William S. Hart State Park a famous cowboy .. Time to run the canyon with the
rattlesnakes i heard them in the bushes I was lucky i took a super cool Geology class
at College of the Canyons we ended up visiting 4 different national parks in CA which
was part of the lab I loved doing the doing hands on research I loved camping in the mts
of Yosemite and desert of Death Valley we sure Learned about quartz and felspar..
very hands on.
Riding w my Unk George to work at his record company in his Jaguar on the 405 LA
freeway was great an quite an eye opening experience I learned about a lot of things
outside my fb world from my Uncle George who is a genius his son my “cuz” Rick
was my summertime buddy along with his big sister Chris when they came to visit us
down on the farm in OHIo He was a couple years older and we all had a lot of fun
together on the family farm PICs in LA Rick was the foreman at their distributing Co.
warehouse CRDI he went to University Idaho and Univ of Colorado and busted
broncos a real cowboy My cuz!
Rick and his wife Kathy were super great hosts to me while i was in LA I loved the
classic Stetson cowboy hat they gave me up with a and helped me w my style picking
out some new sc clothes plus having the coolest music we got to meet some of the
artists they distributed and one weekend we went to see a Aswad reggae concert at the
Palace in HollyWood it was amazing to me my Cali cuz was a lot of fun!. ‘we worked
hard in the record warehouse and on friday Rick would buy Corona beers for all the
even with lime si senor! the mexican people were an inspiration to me with their hard
working ethic and Mexican food was my fav muy bueno Gracias Señor Rick para total!
!..
I came back to U of Toledo for My 5th year l my brutal job as tailback was over a
couple younger backs stepped up Neil Trotter “Trotting: and Arnold Smiley took over
the reins Barry Sanders type runners low and quick but I got to return kickoffs and
played some slotback so I was lucky... no more beatings and luckily concussions no
mas. Dan Simrell got fired but I was grateful to be coached by some the greatest
coaches from “the Cradle of Coaches” in Ohio. The University of Toledo hired Nick
Saban as Head coach w Ken Mannie still as Strength coach tried for MAC Champs
!……...HOLY TOLedO!!!!
( Add fb post coach of the year ).
(The Toledo Blade article )

19. I was beat up My body was needing some physical rehabilitation.. the brutality of 5
years college football blood sweat and tears it had definitely had taken its toll on my
body .. a shoulder and back injury needing healing from falling on hard astroturf.
wow I can only imagine how professional football players bodies feel after they finish
their careers i was lucky i had just played at the college level college football was def
the toughest part of my life... physically tough, mentally tough going to practice and
class was a grind.. but I loved the game i loved it..
After the season I was given a 3 day tryout from the Pittsburgh Steelers at the try out I
lost a few steps from not running my best 4.3 40 i also lost some strength too w the
injuries...I knew it was over…. . I graciously took the Steelers T shirt when they said
“Good Luck” Maybe you should try the World Football League it may be for you?”
Playing in Europe sounded fun.. I thought of it … the travel… but my body said ‘nope’
and..my mind said ‘ it's just not the same as the NFL’s big BIG $$$ aaaaahhh !!’ “Go
Big or Go Home “ ... right? like the Hawaiians say .. so done with ball I hung up the
cleats... . well I got the STEELERS t- shirt ! Grateful for the try out and and always
grateful to the game it taught me so much it was tough…. but i loved it . I think I saw the
Steelers shirt somewhere ? I think Dad used it for to clean some tools in the garage...
He is a die hard Cleveland Browns fan, Cincinnati Bengals fan Indians fan loved that
World series of 108 years for the Cubs ,Cavs Fan ,Ohio State Buckeye Fan ,Toledo
Rocket fan, Wauseon Indians fan all Ohio sports fan all the way.
full of information from hours of college classes... a little bruised mind from
concussions but i still had some sense left ..Ever see the Will Smith movie?.. I am lucky
Football had became my life i loved the comradery of my teammates it was intense
going into battle together we had to trust each other Since grade school we always took
a knee for the Lord's prayer before each game .. My spirit was moved from the blood,
sweat and tears and brotherhood shared w my teammates ... but …. it still … felt i
needed more………. i needed to go on a “soulful mission”
It was my QB that told me about the the PC “, my bro Steve Keene” Keeno” a Ohio
Bucyrus boy was a pro type QB 6 4 born leader plus a musical genius he had a little
studio in his Mom Dad’s house His Dad played the banjo in a bluegrass band Steve
could play acoustic and electric guitar, piano, drums and could sing from the heart He
covered the Beatles like …. “Black Bird .” ” ... at weddings when he sang and would
make people cry! He had soul and a success w 3 beautiful kids and a beautiful wife
Mindy and a athletic daughter with 2 young boys we hang when i'm in Toledo .every
time..we were playing in a over 40 flag football league and Keeno can still throw that
great post pass!

20. So i can not forget the day i committed to the PC yes w a little help from my friend in
the name of Love it was on a cold grey overcast March day still brainstorming our
post football futures... we were writing love songs to our girlfriends in Steve music
studio .. Steve said , ” “Hey Rohrsy... why don't you join the Peace Corps.?.. It’s a
“noble thing .“ I said volunteer and help people in need i wonder for for how long ? Its
2 for years You . travel to an exotic place and and maybe you will met miss right?” ...
.”..ok…. I’m there ! “ I picked up the phone and called up the US Peace Corps
recruiting office the closest one was in Motown Detroit Steve played the song “In the
name of Love” by U2
I booked a interview with a recruiter for the next day i remember i drove my Toyota
corolla in the freezing rain and snow listening to a mix Bob Dylan’s Poetic
expressions the times they are a changing ..and “$ doesn't talk it swears” love him
and his Tombstone blues”lyrics and some GD singing “cold rain and snow “ Janis
Joplin with my windshield wipers keepin time w Bobby Mcgee I needed to do
something meaningful in my life i needed to volunteer … by serving others try to
make a difference maybe I could stop always thinking about I and think of others first
end my party party party gluttonous ways … yea and i think i had to realize how good
i had it here in the US to appreciate it i needed to learn about the rest of the world . I
always kept a globe w me wherever I went...
After the interview Now came the application process and I found out about how it all
works to be able to serve in the US PC first you fill out an application to be accepted
and it pretty competitive who gets picked I basically had to write my life bio .all My
strengths... my experiences, , my life background my rural background but wow 2 years
away from home in a different culture made me realize it's gonna be a real commitment!
After the 6 month interview period I qualified as a Health Educator in the Republic of
Yemen!!!I’ll always remember the recruiter telling me that Yemen is the toughest place
to live in the World to live. Sounds like a challenge.. I thought After more researching
of Yemen in the library I found out it's a Along way from Ohio and a whole lot different
too… but cool I was ready to embrace some diversity celebrate it and bring it back
home
God had a master plan for me .. naaaa i wasn’t going pro ..but . he had blessed me
another way by helping to Graduate! Yes A miracle ha A degree would allow me to
join the Peace Corps. I GRaduated w a BA in Education and a minor in Health ...I even
made the dean's list when i closed out my last quarter w a 4.0 in student teaching in
the field of Physical Education... whew ! I had a blast w those 8th graders playing floor

21. hockey! Education was not a race for me I found myself experiencing a lot of different
people and as much diversity as i could in college . I partied in Bowling Green Ann
Arbor Columbus Cincinnati and Kent State “4 dead in Ohio” Crosby Stills Nash and
Young . I found The University Of Toledo a very mixed multicultural school so i felt
fortunate to met people from all over the world during school and football a kicker
named Wa Vue was from Laos Wheres is Laos..? i looked on my globe and did some
research A Lot of us don't know about the war there at the same time as Vietnam
(something's happening here stop what what's goin down ?” song?by? ,,,,and after i
learned what happened i was amazed that Wa Vue had treated me so kind . Steve I
went to his family wedding party i felt like i was a Honored guest and wow the food as
great sharing another's cultures food sitting down and eating together is so bonding so
respectful so human They had a lil pig w a apple in its mouth what a feast how nice
everyone was . LOve the Laoasians!!
Frank Igrec was another kicker he had Croatian heritage he was super positive funny
and a hard worker but he wasn't to sure of me dating his beautiful sister Maria from our
arch rival school Bowling Green Univ she was tall and a great smile and personality . I
learned about the Croatian people and their heritage i won’t forget her.
In football my position @ Running back gave me a great opportunity to be introduced
to the African American heritage and some of its toughest athletes who dominated the
position . I love the movie “Remember the Titans “ a true story so inspiring to me
about highschool integration in the 70’s bringing a racially mixed football team
together to play as one team .showing the courage of individuals “trusting the soul of a
man rather than the color of their skin” a line from the white assistant coach,.....
epic!!!
‘Leadership reflects attitude’ one of the African American players said to his white
Captain another epic line ! On disciplinary action the team ran to the cemetery one
early morn in the foggy mist of Gettysburg , PA. and looked at all the tombstones ‘This
is where the land once bubbled red with blood, brothers killing brothers more men had
died there than any other war in history of the world Denzel Washington the head
coach said “We can learn from the dead…. because if we all don’t come together
…..this is what happens “ loved that scene The Movie reflected the positive power of
how sports can transcend perceived and ingrained differences. The 60’s soundtrack
music was so right on too! my 8th grade PE students were moved Inspired! A big
Thanks to epic Producer Jerry Bruckheimer cast and crew . music CCR

22. During school years of the 80’s I tred and break through the racial barriers . My first
college dorm roommate was Renza Hugely l a African American a WR we hung out
alot with my running back teammate Kelvin Farmer also African American they
became my close friends brothers on an off the field. I took them both home to my
hometown of Wauseon..they both kinda joked.. “Are we safe here ?” wow...i thought
putting myself in in their shoes of being a minority in a all white town . Mom made us
feel comfortable and cooked some dinner and we had a good time loved the real
soulful laughter from my new brothers I felt uneasy seeing separated unmixed dining
tables on our team at training table so.. I took a seat and was graciously always well
accepted I went to college parties w K Farm where I stuck out like a light bulb I loved
the positive reception of acceptance and the love I received from everyone
A multicultural seed had been planted in my soul…. now i needed to let it grow team
sports unites people no matter race, color .religion it about working together for a
common goal it fueled my mind and spirit i needed to move on in that direction Body,
Mind and Spirit was my personal motto it's how i tried to operate throughout my a
high school and College sports careers but when football had come to an end and the
5 years of fighting for the Gold and Blue Rocket Football was over it had become my
big family and physical toughness had become part life but now it was time to get a
new life and i think the spiritual toughness part of my life was still yet to be tested
My campus neighbor Mike was mixed heritages his father from Barbados African he
was the ambassador to the U.S his mom was from London English white. A big ball of
Blond dreads hung from his head covering his whole face with his English accent..
through his dreads he would pull them from his face to look out and say “Early on Mon
" instead of ”Later on Man” he was Living Positivity he was studying international
business and what a great cook too making some mean Jamaican jerk chicken and
other great food from the Caribbean brothef Mike mon
The British Dollimore brothers Andy and Phil from Manchester ,England were always
inviting me for a “Spot of Tea mate?” what class and manners so damn polite! they
lived above me in our Greenway Duplex They were brilliant studying engineering and
super cool neighbors Playing European versions of techno reggae.. that's when I heard
Peter Tosh for the first time. The song “ Get Up Stand up Stand Stand up for your
Rights”
The campus bar down the street from us was called "The Pig " with Middle Eastern
owners “”Habibi “ ” I love you!” they would say at last call.. “Go home Make babies " I
was intrigued by their lifestyle and stories about the Middle East…. my international

23. friends…. ! My 1st girlfriend was a Lebanese girl Janie she was a track girl who ran the
100m and 200m in the same league she was beautiful w olive skin rich black hair and
big green eyes with the melting smile and perfect body ouch i was “in love” we dated
and we trained together and spent a lot of time working on our form together over my
highschool years i think of the song by Bob Seger “Night Moves” ..” She used me.. i
used her.. neither one cared “ i'm sad it ended with jealousy and me fighting other
guys... my friends saw her out at the club with another guy i went to the club to see if it
was true yep i was done… the 1st time my heart broke but i had to take it to the
parking lot i was alone to brave from the 3 long island ice teas in me he brought a
friend i was bigger but before i could get in a punch his friend hit me in the back of the
head he grabbed me by the collar i think a pro hockey technique ? after a half dozen
hits to my head i hit the pavement and that left a big scrape on my face and an shiner
too I learned a couple lessons the hard way don’t drink before you fight especially pro
hockey players ...and just don't fight ... Violence is never the answer! LoVe IS you
dummy!! It was embarrassing when the fb team found out I hoped to see a experience
much of the world as I possibly could in my short life and why not? try to help others
help themselves along the way? it would be a win win in the PC and Hopefully God
would guide me to fill my soul with his purpose for my life? i prayed for that!
After Living 5 yrs in that tight family football brotherhood now i started getting out and
hanging out with the other UT students that lived in the neighborhood around me on “
Greenway Rd” they came to be kind of family too a sharing tribe of ” hippies” a lot
were following the Grateful Dead band around on tours... living the movement to revive
the spirit of the 60’s. Dokk’s apt was on on Greenway he was a tough hockey player he
never wore shoes even in the cold Ohio winter just some Teva Sandals he had a great
ear for the best music he would spin my globe and you had to imagine going to live
wherever he put his finger One day Dokk just said , “ ok bro . we're going on summer
tour w the Dead !” “You'll like JFK what a great show to start with” He was a tour
veteran. That night in our apt he put a big bose speaker next to my head while I was
passed out on the floor it was the “Infrared Red Roses CD” a GD disk he put on repeat
its instrumental only... space & drums..so. it played over and over all nite til morning ”
that's how I became a “Deadhead” I was brainwashed ! So i got on tour and caught a
ride with my bro Drew in his VW bus i was grateful to be a rider on board to
Washington DC our Capital w some tour vets i sat in the back grooving to the best live
music boots i ever heard of the GD and other blues bands wow Drew knew good music
too I heard my first US Blues it was there closing song I saw Dokk saw at the
campfire dancing around the drummers after the show I loved when my bro Dokk
would say “Never look down on a person unless you are helping them up. “ Thanks

24. Dokk you were there to help me up.Dokk was studying to be a music engineer his real
name Carlisle and yes he loved the ladies..
Yea man we dug the hippie girls because they were really kind and natural. I got my
first “miracle” a free ticket to the show @ Deer Creek by a real kind sister...she was
beautiful inside and out Cassy had given the ticket to a cool old hippy guy and then he
gave it to me when I went inside she showed up in the seat beside me just before the
first song “rain” we sat together during the show then danced in the rain wow i was in
LOVe ! I was humbled by her kindness and soft generosity what a amazing beautiful
woman and show i learned It is all about love and giving/sharing with others the
music message with psychedelic bluegrass roots the folk rock that went right to your
soul you could feel it man incredible !
The GD band had the longest strangest trip of the 60’s. They were the psychedelic
era’s most beloved musical ambassadors as well as most enduring survivors
..spreading their message of Peace and Love across the globe for 3 decades. Music's
most devoted followers the “Deadheads” are legends in their own right The Grateful
Dead became Superstars solely on their own terms..... tie dies and free form live shows
were the rites of passage for an extended family of listeners who knew no cultural
boundaries which i was drawn to I met some l kind. intellectual compassionate ..” love
your brother and sister “ folks I liked the fact that most were Earth Conscience and
humanitarians I always loved looking at a globe ...that big blue spinning Ball we call
earth “Eyes of the World” lyrics
Steve warned me “Don't get on the purple bus”... but I didn't listen and Before I knew it
I was headed to see my next show…. my mom said I looked like Jesus with my long
hair and birkenstock sandals On our way to the show we really did come across a
purple school bus it was broken down on the highway we stopped we went and got
them some gas and i got invited to ride on the bus to the show i met some really nice
very hairy hippies onboard playing Jimi Hendrix “Are you experienced ?” “Purple Haze”
and .. “Voodoo Chile…” and of course i remember grooving to the GD song ” Going
Down the road feeling bad “
Summer tour was on! after the Epic show in Deer Creek ,Indiana with Cassy dancing
in the rain songs and drums and space we then loaded up my bro’s Frank’s orange
Volvo station wagon to go further on to Blossom Music Center tucked into beautiful
Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Richfield., Ohio we had a dome tent to camp in it
was full a pile of friends sharing a Amazing summer rain “Rain “ and “ Sugar

25. Magnolia” My friend Brian was a taper and he gave me a live tape of that show I could
hear myself yelling in the background so epic !
my family and close friends at school gave me more peer approval about volunteering
for PC my bro Kelvin said “ yea it's so good to see the world and give back to
humanity”, Dokk’s buddy Kelvin was a cool guy i admired for his brash style he was
Australian he could drink pretty good too and had a strong character always speaking
his mind His dad was my WSI instructor DR MAc ! I had a feeling Kelvin would be a
success and he was.. he did all the digital effects for the movie “Fast and Furious 7“
now living with his beautiful family in LAin the movie biz.
.
One nite at an after hours party at Dokk’s w the Rivermen the 60’s cover band that was
packing every bar they played in Toledo Frankie’s was their regular sellout Thursday
night gig on the East side next to the Maumee River i was a groupie and I felt lucky i
had the opportunity to discussed w the band about joining the PC they have become
like a family my bro’s Jim,Joe and Jeremy (on his own now ??) , my Athens bro Drew
married Michelle who sang like Janis Joplin they were all a positive influence on my
decision to join the PC. ​Jim and Joe’s Mom Carol gave me a dairie to take with me to
Yemen which i could write down my events at the end of each day . the Mclean
BRotherS Jim and Joe were good friends next door neighbors great athletes and
musicians Jim played rhythm guitar in the Band Joe played guitar too out on his own
now an activist we jammed on drums at some Dead shows Rhythm is Life it was good
time so I wrote in that dairy on the Red Sea usually about my fav things and events at
the end of the day usually while watching the sun drop from on top of my roof rage
swinging in the hammock in the ocean breeze pics ...some notes vague but some w
details which became the Red Sea Dairies.
My college football teammate Rick Phelps supported my PC mission and he thought it
was good idea to serve and volunteer that was the ND in him he was a great
student/athlete and always being on the cutting edge of computer technology a great
communicator now working in The Big Apple NY City My friends opinions were
important to me Rick’s Dad Richard “Digger” Phelps was Head Coach for the ND
Fighting Irish Coach Phelps was influential to me on making my decision too Rick took
me in the locker room to sit in and listen to a couple halftime speeches of Coach
Phelps what a motivator a brilliant coach a player’s coach His dedication to make
sure that all his players graduated was awesome that really impressed me and
reminded me the importance of graduation He was a renaissance man with a great
art collection and had great style in his choice of suits He wrote me a recommendation
for me to the Peace Corp Rick introduced me to his mom a professor at ND teaching

26. law she was very nice and a great cook. I also met some of the players on the ND
basketball and football team at a sunday brunch at the Phelps house Tim Brown , David
Rivers and Alonzo Mournings it was a family uniting feeling. I was also grateful to
receive references from my teacher and track coach Charlie Meyer and my football
Coaches Dan Simrell and Larry Fruth too all took time.., great my background check
cleared, a college diploma a prerequisite the time I was Taking 2 Grad school courses
@ Univ Toledo ` World Health and COmmunity Health with so many years of college I
felt I was becoming a ‘professional student’ and a bit over school but Dad inspired me
to stay on track because he was a County Health Sanitarian for over 25 yrs He can tell
some stories about restaurant hygiene and clean water supply .
AJ Sager and Billy Bergan the QBs during my freshman year and my bro Steve
Keene battled back a forth for the starting QB position later as a senior @ UT Mark
Melfi who threw me my longest TD out of the backfield 67 yds I can't forget that one ...
when big Tyler Burdick picked me up in the endzone and bust my chin open ...we
celebrated as blood ran down my neck...so fitting but Steve my bro really convinced
me and i'll never forget those words “ Hey Rohrsey why not Join the Peace Corps ?
“I'm going for it ! over and over that echoed in my head. I had started the application
6month process. I still needed to get a recommendation from our Ohio state senator
and I did ( TaFt Bob? name)
i needed to do some hands on action work serve humanity and feel the unity of
friendship the kind i felt in sports …I wanted to help the world i searched my soul I
know God had a plan for me to go on a mission w the PC. in Yemen,,. I had gotten
physically tough in football with Coach Simrell and Coach Mannie Strengthening me
Physically and College had prepared me Mentally writing papers and taking exams
earning that BA...i was going from the “Cradle of Coaches” to the “Cradle of civilization
“ sew seeds of love uniting people, coexisting, embracing differences. Opening my
heart and mind soul to a Soul Mission I wasn't sure about the Middle East because it
was desert and there were wars there which was shown in tV and the media. It
seemed maybe a little dangerous even on my globe I never had noticed Yemen ! but
now I did ! I should've payed more attention in history! The 2 key words that stood out
during the interview process with my recruiter were Red Sea and beaches ?? now
where exactly is Yemen ...? It has Beaches sunsets boats warm salt water... hummm??
ok Yemen is toughest place in the world to live . perfect . I liked that ! Just 14 degrees
north of the equator w some warm weather too ?
Yemen is a Muslim country heard from my recruiter the Yemeni people are very kind
and and known for their kind hospitality throughout the Middle East and embraced

27. current PC Volunteers i would have to confess my faith almost daily because of the
Yemenis curiosity of a westerner speaking Arabic Ok that's understandable “Anta
Muslim? I would be asked many times .. i felt uncomfortable sometimes being different
I had to understand that this was God's plan for me. I was not different at all we are all
one .. I would reply “Wahead Allah’ (One God )“ as a suitable answer God was
working in his mysterious ways opening my my heart and spirit to love all of his children
strengthening my faith and accepting the Yemenis faith and coexisting to unite us
like “The Greatest “ i was touched by Muhammad Ali when he said “We all have the
same one God ...we just serve him a little different “ and like Bob Marley who wrote the
song ”One Love “ Let's get together and feel alright “
Serving in the US Peace Corps and going to Yemen was a blessing in disguise for me
. . many good people helped me to make the decision so it couldn't be wrong . I have
to dedicate this book to all them... Starting with my Parents always supporting me in
my decisions no matter what..hey let me live and learn and i learned some things the
hard way but i learned,. A Big ThankYou ! to ALL the People family and friends for
helping make the Peace Corps a reality to me !I really had a great opportunity to go to
a country that needed me and i them.I Went “ In the Name of Love . You Win with
People.. ‘
Chp 2
Rohrs Family Farm
As i sat in the window seat on the fast train traveling heading east from Paris i was
coming into the Southern German countryside headed to Zurich Switzerland to work
with a modeling agency there and i had met a Swiss Miss in Paris who lived iin Zurich
she was nice i loved her Swiss accent we both would beworking together i drank a
couple glasses of wiine and enjoyed the beautiful counrty side view we were
approaching the Alps it was a blurr out the window but if i looked a little closer i
pictured the name HERMAN FREDRICK ROHRS written on the big white barns going
by ?? what? It looked just like his barn the shape the style the architecture of the
landscapes the similarities and the barns and houses they all looked the same as the
ones back in Ohio.. same as the Rohrs Family farm! I was going 70mph looking out

28. the train window face pressing against the glass window wow i think I had found my
roots!! this is here my people come from !. i just took it all in ….all the similar details of
the farms in southern Germany on the boarder w Switzerland amazing
..My Grandfather Herman and Grandmother Elma took great pride landscaping their
grounds around the farmhouse it always looked perfect and manicured the colorful
Tulips accented the garden ,the Red Roses Gramma grew strong with eggshells
always sprinkled around them for calcium , colorful wild flowers, Daisies and the
classic row of giant Sunflowers green shrubbery trimmed perfectly the long driveway
was lined by 80 year old huge 60’ oak trees and at the end I tire swing hung from a
thick branch by the house That's where we ended our work day under the cool shade of
the big oaks Grandpa had a lawn chairs and we would sit talk about the weather how
he could feel it in his bones and the crops and animals sipping a cold German beer or
my fav cream soda and it always tasted better after a good day of chores
Gram always kept stocked sweet cream soda in the icebox because it was my fav
how sweet I enjoyed going out to the farm you could always find some peace and quiet
on the 80 archers This is where I learned how to care for animals we loved our pigs and
took care of them humanely i learned how to sow seeds and tend the crops we could
almost watch the field corn grow past 12’ tall we ran through and played hide and seek..
soybeans too they were big and bushy 4’ and the amazing garden with almost every
vegetable you could name Grandma and Grandpa grew. growing up around my
grandparents farm in NW Ohio growing food working hard with my mom dad harvesting
the corn and beans pulling weeds on my knees staying close to mother earth what a
blessing ..You eat by the sweat of your brow (/bible verse ) /?
Just like my Grampa & Gramma Rohrs they feed 3 families giving and giving with their
75 year old garden and fruit orchard of red apples green apples pears peaches and
plums all canned so we could enjoy throughout the winter not surprising G Rohrs lived
105 years Gramma 98 yrs. RIP “Live Long and Prosper !” Spock
It was a family effort with the harvesting but Alma and Herman did most of the
tending the planting watering fertilizing but the harvesting.was shared by all and so was
the abundant yields from the garden my grandparents grew such a variety of
vegetables bushel baskets full of everything that could feed 3 families plus do canning
They loved their land fertilizing w nitrogen rich pig manure which helped to give
Incredibly healthy yields and tending by hand wo any chemicals i remember the bushel
baskets full of ears of white sweet corn, we all would sit and husk , the tomatoes we

29. picked ,the potatoes we dug w a pitch fork and many more vegetables acorn squash.
pumpkin for the pies
I really loved the strawberries in the summer picking them by the quart in the back 4
acres of 80 more acres of soybeans Grandpa and I had to sometimes get down our
knees to pull the weeds where they were too thick to hoe harvesting the field corn in the
fall with dad at night in the combine was fun Once I got to help my grandpa deliver a
farrow of 12 + piglets from a sow in freezing temps in mid winter Herman kept around 8
sows and a big boar and 50 some feeders I gathered eggs from the chicken coop The
pigs had free range to root an be pigs he gave them ½ acear to roam chickens to could
roam freely I swam in the cows old watering tank on hot summer days the fresh cold
well water felt so good we keep as glass by the pump for a cold drink I learned how to
care for animals my friends had Horses sheep and goats
my cuz Rick and I went “fishing for pigs” we would open up the trap door in the barn
then lower down a ear of corn tied with twine rope that we would lasso em by their snout
the little feeder pigs loved it they were having as much fun as we were but we sure
stirred up the manure that good old fertilizer that we put on the fields good old nitrogen
Gramps said that was the smell of $ Working on the farm hoeing weeds in the
soybean field pics was my summer job as a kid 5$/ hr plus lunch with grandma and her
home cooked Meals yum yum apple strudel sweet corn pork chops w mashed potatoes
and gravy homemade bread radishes asparagus sweet potatoes sauerkraut w fresh
Spring water from the well green salad fresh out the garden county cooking can't beat it
Zurich was amazing...
CHP 3
Malama’Aina
Malama ‘aina means to care for and nurture the land so one day it can give back to you
all you need to sustain life for you and your future generations. To live in harmony
respecting the aina land One of the wisest things ever uttered by man I believe happens
to be the Hawaiian state motto “Ua mau Ke e ka I ka aina pono “ "the Life Of the Land is
perpetuated in Righteousness" which means to me that if you take care of their land it

30. will take care of youOne of the wisest things ever spoken by man is the Hawaiian State
Motto “Ua Mau Ke eka ika pono…”The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness”
Revolution for healing the earth must take place ! We are victims of a broken system
but we can fix it for the good like in Woody Harrelson and his YOUtube Docs on
“UNSlave Humanity “and “the power of th e consumer “ activists on Global Warming
/Climate change and All those thinking about the future of our children and the planet
and All earth conscious people doing the little things like reducing recycling reusing
mahalos!
My Grandparents lives were a little similar to the Hawaiian and the American Indians by
the simple way they thought of family and others first and took care of and respected
the land and animals The main thing my parents friends and my Ohana had in
common was that they all were always sharing all the food they grew an canned or
fresh with all the family and friends ...giving unconditional thinking of others first…this
to me is also love and in Hawaii it's called Malama ‘Aina Nurture the Land we must
stop and fight against Climate change ! we can’t deny the facts Fossil Fuels /Co2 has
gotta go!.. Hello .it is not sustainable !:?!?!/ it's gonna run out but before it simple to
me let’s take action ...create clean solar energy grid an create some new jobs
building it it can be done we can go solar, wind, water more reusable energy sources ..
it must take place for our future... for our children .. pics say a thousand words so my
class in Kauai@Kapaa Middle School 7th/8th grade made a collage of pictures to
express Global Warming for a end year Project pics I tried Living sustainably in Hawaii
Maui Kauai to Malama the Aina give back care for the land instead of leaving a mark i
tried reducing reusing and recycling..eradicating envasive plant species pick up trash
where ever you seee it just go to the landfills you see what i mean Education youth
was my job as a teacher i shared all i could with my students and hey taught me a lot
too they shared their ALOHA! “Over the Rainbow” Iz a Great Hawaiian musical artist
.Song by Israel Kimaka ?? “Over the Rainbow
Chp 4
City of Brotherly LOvE

31. Philadelphia PA 7/8/92
After the 3 days in Philly the hot informative initiation meetings of ​Staging ​were finally
over and our PC crew had to unwind a bit. Of course i met a girl during the events and
already had a crush on her she was looking like a cross of Salma Hayek and Penelope
Cruz i couldn't guess her ethnicity but her tan brown skin an black hair big brown eyes
an positive vibe was everything i loved in a woman Karen was her name she was well
traveled international intellectual and confident sexy and bubbly cute too i couldn't wait
to see her sometime out in a more casual circumstance i was hoping it was tonight @
our party . My roommate Dave and I went​ ​all out hosting our “exit USA party” w beer
and pizza and movie we both invited everyone of the 38 volunteers 30 of which were
women ...the excitement grew and I started to get this feeling that by leaving my corn
fields of O -h-I-O in the good old USA I just might be on the brink of experiencing a eye
opening epic experience in my life? !!
what stood out most to me from the meetings was the fact that Yemen was said to have
some friendly generous people but also be the most toughest place on earth to live
because of its extreme weather, terrain During the event we learned how poor of a
country Yemen was having one of the the highest infant mortality rates in the world.. I
learned that traditionally women do the majority of the raising of the children...
homemaking.. nursing and the men work running small shops others do construction
become mechanics ,Doctors , teachers or fisherman and farmers some grow qat and
some many try to just survive their country is very very poor …coffee had been a main
export 500 years ago now trade routes have changed and Yemen is struggling for a
number of other reasons too (research ) I realized how important it was for us to be
there And how lucky to be in such a beautiful and exotic place and how different the
people the culture and religion how rugged and diversified the landscape was We
learned a lot about cultural sensitivity, Arabic language skills, health and survival skills
it was a lot of good info to process over the 3 days it was a lot but went by fast .
time to relax and reflect the upcoming event about to happen in our lives …. LoVe and
compassion is what we will taking to Yemen from the City of Brotherly LoVe “ In
the Name of Love” U2 Together we will plant some seeds of friendship and LOVE
Love Love… a soul mission from the heart .
I had to run up the 72 steps to the Rocky Statue before the entrance of the Philadelphia
Museum of Art i was singing “dah dah dah da dah da” the Rocky tune as i looked up at
the bronze statue of the immortalized hero I was motivated i remember how he fought
for his wife Adriann” for Love passion it drives us to do wonderful things .. and i was

32. hungry to do something good my stomach growled when i smelled the steak an onions
a mile a way so i why not top off my Philly adventure with a classic steak and cheese
i ran back down to a little stand i enjoyed every last bite ummm I walked off the steak
and cheese I was stoked and thirsty from out walking those cobblestone streets in July.
I visited the Liberty Bell imagining it ringing its sound of FREEDOM !!!!!!when our
founding fathers lived “the Spirit of 1776” Where it All started “We the People”
establishing a gov “by the People for the People “. People! people! people !!!!!I
remembered back to 1976 when I was 12yrs proud to wear red, white and blue striped
bell bottoms converse kicks w a thick leather belt old we celebrated America’s
Bicentennial and I heard a Liberty Bell ring loud and proud . It was a good walk through
the streets of Philly ..
Now Americans must show decency , grace and compassion and much Love! live up
to their ideals in the constitution to become even greater together a united America...
we the people can and will rise ! 240 yrs ago we can't forget the so many veterans
that fell for Liberty!!!!….​“ fighting for One Nation under God indivisible with Liberty
and Justice” “And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!” I
Love that America is “The Melting Pot”​…unless you are a Native American we are
all immigrants of every ethnicity!!!! . from everywhere here in the American melting pot
.. land of the Free ...home of the Brave.. Free People! America is about Freedom and
LOVe and with Love we will Rise Together for our children for our future generations !
History books taught us that the first politicians hired to serve in gov were normal
citizens and not paid much money for their services they were farmers,, carpenters ,,
blacksmiths, small business men, they served out of a sense of patriotism love for their
country and they represented the true majority of the population.?! $ !???!!!!
As I opened the bathroom door of our hotel room I was amazed to see the bathtub
stocked full of stella artois beer... on ice … yeah !. my roommate Danny had
demonstrated his southern hospitality for the exit party It was now dusk From the 17th
floor i went out and stood on the lanai overlooking the glimmering lights of the
Philadelphia skyline ...the history of the city …. the “exit USA” party was on ... “Ask not
what your country can do for you but what You can do for your country “ feeling of
patriotism came over me ...as Dave and here my roommate Dave a TEFL guy a
English Teacher hands me a cold stella beer an asks “ You ready for this Dave? I reply
".... humm.. Man I love pizza w a good cold beer”... taking a long drink…. ... “ wow
alcohol is not allowed in Yemenis is it?”. .,,I take a big bite of the double cheese
supreme pizza mumbling w mouth full ..“i don't think there’s pizza either..?” ..Danny
looks at me nodding “yes …” and some time went by we look out over the city
….“What can you do for your country?”…..

33. I asked him “ Hey Have you seen Karen around yet ?” He shook his head smiling like
oh boy” i heard the knock at the door I went to answer the door hoping it might be her
More volunteers joining us it was great w so many women filling up the hotel room, it
was on.. we were having our official first and last pizza party with so many more women
than men yea! 30-8 ratio it was time to get to know each other more freely tonight my
odds seemed pretty good even if Karen and i didn't work out... but I i was into her in
particular I had been hoping to meet her
Wow I have never even been out of the U.S I thought … while talking with the other
volunteers they have seemed to of been everywhere,,,. . Oh yea i went to Canada
...My buddy Tabb who I grew up with as a kid invited us to their cabin our mom and
dads were friends also we went Up to the great white north in Beautiful Blind River CAN
Tabb had a family cottage on Lake Labatts on tha lil beach surrounded by mts
Awesome fun mt hiking waterskiing and fishing and catching huge Northern pike on red
devil spinning lures Pure clean water pure nature…ahey?… I also Took a trip to
Yarmouth ,Nova Scotia and worked as an intern coach /counselor during my senior year
of college it was for little baseball campers great fun at Blue Nose Baseball camp while
there I trave little led to The fishing villages on the coast they were perfect so beautiful
kept I ate lunch once at Hall's Harbor it exports the most and best lobster in the world
and the highest rise and fall of the tides I found the Nat Geo issue about it.I ate a nice 2
pounder lobster and drank a Labatt's while watched the tide fall…. It drops some 35 ft in
a day amazing... the Nova Scotia kids were great super polite I was impressed by their
behavior reminded me how much I love being a kid and the game of baseball. .l running
down fly balls in center field in little league every summer … such good fun! America’s
Game ! Go Tribe !
At the party Everyone was excited I could hear the buzz everyone talking anticipating
the trip and their proposed site. Volunteers were "claiming their stakes” expressing their
feelings for locations Taiz, Hodeidah, Sana’a, Zabid was Karen’s fav choices Yemen
was the toughest place on earth to live •That challenged me and I respond well to a
challenges as I have had the opportunity to experience through high school and college
sports. geographically Yemen is isolated by some very rugged mts on its borders with
extreme climates So i heard some PC Vols wanted to live in MTs. villages. some in the
Cities me I was hoping for that coastal village on the Al Bahar Amar the Red Sea i
remember my recruiter told me you get placed where you are needed most. . ok I know
how to swim fish, i'm a water lover, lifeguard w a WSI. . ok “wanna be” beach guy. .but I
had a rural country background with a health minor but I have to admit I was just dieing
to build a health garden along with tiki hut on the beach help others help themselves

34. teach and share knowledge and garden and landscape heal teach go out fishing on a
boat w fishermen and go diving on a coral reefs maybe I'll meet a woman too ? that
sounds romantic to me living on the Red Sea .talking to Doreen a beautiful Indian
American girl and some others realized our crew had some strong women and after
learning the cultural expectations and differences of women's life in Yemen I realized
how brave these Women were to be volunteering How Cool my chances of meeting
miss right seemed possible . but now I started fighting my conscious . thinking about
miss right so much ? . what was driving me? or desire to serve humanity? ? or just to
meet miss right ?? . ... Lil devil on one shoulder...lil Angel on the other•
After the majority of the volunteers had arrived i was anticipating seeing Karen but
maybe she would come later ?? we shot A documentary of Yemen up on the wall in
the hotel room called” Al Bahar Amar “The Red SEA How beautiful amazingly colorful
the sunsets( pics) they caught my eye straight away.. and I immersed myself into the
video... enjoying the drinkability of the cold beer and having dreams of sunsets and the
legendary Arabian starry nights …. the visuals were putting me in a dream in a village
on the coast romancing miss on the Red Sea w its beautiful sunsets I was getting
stoked the more I learned of the beauty of Red Sea!
I was totally absorbed into a Red Sea sunsets as the the documentary was ending
and out of nowhere Karen slides down beside me on the floor I turn and all I see are
her big brown eyes and a heartwarming smile melting me... she says Hey Great doc i've
seen it but ….Hey i was thinking would you wanna go to Africa w me on our
vacation... and do Safari to Mt Kilimanjaro ?”.out of the blue..was it the Stella talking
to me or was this a dream ? ...i felt a tingling vibration and sat up an took a long drink
"of course yea Africa . ." I said. …’how cool!”
we started to plan a safari trip to the Serengeti and Mt Kilimanjaro to Africa we agreed
could do it during our two month vacation we were allowed Yes ! PC motto “The
Toughest Job You ever love??” is true . . is the love part? cool :).. What a babe wow.. I
was in love already... I was intrigued by her braveness, internationalism and.. and her
yes big and brown her eyes hypnotized me her shiny Black hair flowing the way she
moved smoothly with all the right curves Oh no I was a gonner … Hey what was my
goal here in Yemen??? Service to Humanity? Help others Help themselves?? or falling
in love ? or both? oh that Conscious lil devil up on one shoulder get get her the little
angel up on the other what's up Dave?? Could i make it a win win ???arrggg
When I decided to volunteer the PC I was single and I was always looking for romance
and miss right and some adventure…but I also had that true desire to seriously serve

35. humanity think of others instead of myself … maybe I Could I do both? Could I handle a
relationship falling in love in such a intense poverty stricken country? With such
beautiful educated women around and Working in a Health Clinic in a village having a
infant mortality rate of around 3.8 4 out of 10 kids die ok I really look deep inside my
soul... …handle the graceful balancing of love and Life?…. giving and receiving LoVE.
.?
After the crew cleared out all the pizza and beer gone we said our Ma salamas Karen
and i were talking out on the lanai we went on about Africa safari and being neighbors
in Zabid and Al Khowka we were also feeling some chemistry standing looking over the
city getting closer the air had cooled her shoulders were bare so i put my hands on her
arms.. to just warm her.. her skin was so soft as she fell up against me and we held
each each other i felt the small of her back her hands on my chest i looked down she
looked up an our lips met for a long soft kiss my arms pulled her and squeezed her
tighter moving my hands up into her hair and face holding her face looking into her eyes
while the stars reflected in them over the sparkling lights in the city of brotherly love
Chp 5
Paris
City of Love & Light
Charles de Gaulle
We flew out of Philly the next morning after our “Exit USA” party ...I put my headphones
on i was jamming to songs on my mix tape a Grateful Dead the song “Turn on Your
Love Light” was playing … “and leave it on!” yells Bob Weir right at the end of the
song “Ok I will !” i thought. then some Steve Miller came on w some Space
Cowboy…...you know the words ”i'm a love i'm a sinner.,, .sure don’t wanna hurt no
one... “ ” Maurice!” I was so happy and excited We had a quick changeover. in Paris
airport I smiled at Karen while we were boarding I was already in love…. she smiled
back ...sexy.. shy …. that's how I took it.. the ride went fast over the pond I wrote in my
journal and read a Book called “Motoring with Mohammed “ by Eric Hansen on the
plane it was a great book i could not put down while listening to music at the same
time on my yellow waterproof sony walkman. Hansen found himself shipwrecked
because of a turbulent Red Sea on the desert island of Jabal Sukar off the coast of
Yemen there he buries his 7 years worth of travel journals deep in the sand He meets

36. up w some smugglers and they offer him a safe passage to Yemen so he pays them
and takes his place on a leaky sambuk boat he makes it to Yemen . 10 years go by and
hansen returns to retrieve the journal in Yemen this is where it gets funny with his
guild trying to load up his truck w more and more goats, they come across some crazy
expatriots and Eritrean gun runners he describes Yemen's landscapes that include
cities of dreamlike architecture splendore , endless sand dunes and terrifying mountain
passes. Hansen reveals the allure of a land full of customs , conflicts old and new and
uncommon beauty my nose buried in the book….
just like that it was 1200 noon we were already arriving to the Charles de Gaulle
Airport.. PAris... we had a couple hours between flights to change planes so i wanted to
cruise around the airport.WOW how the whole airport smelled so posh ??... ummm so
$?? One perfume dominated my olfactory it was just right Ahh such a romantic
aroma ...ok... I figured it out I remembered where perfume came from … Paris! I will
always remember smelling the fragrance of Christian Dior always I will think of Paris as
it was permeating throughout the airport and seeing its huge fashion advertising
campaigns on the walls everywhere. very stylie an very high fashion... and most of all
the people they were dressed to the max detailed very stylish. It was my first time in
Europe being around real Europeans...i remember seeing the people unloading their
plane coming back from this Spanish island called Ibiza.. wow so beautiful exotic hip
and everybody was dressed and looked so beautiful... I could not help to noticed all the
different details.. uniquely bohemian I loved it wow I thought there must be Bou cue la
mode en Pari ??
Chp 6
Sana’a
City of Stone
w headphones on. .listening to Bob Ledgends album pumping I listened to all of it the
on the plane ride it twice it went fast ….. before I knew it we were now FLYing into
YEMEN'S Capital Sana’a... looking out window while landing I see” orange and reds a
sky swirled like orange sherbet we are descending, landing gear hydraulics, I find the
landing gets me a bit nervous and I tighten my seatbelt, I practice a lil MY Arabic

37. greetings. .,” As-Salam ALIkoum”.,.. “Kaif Holic ?” is “ How are You?” ..5 min til landing
seatbelt lights flashing .... the sun is setting looking out the window .... I dread landing
so much.. But stay calm w “Take it Easy “ watching the sunset org lemon red then we
hit the runway just lil bouncing erk errkk my stomach turns I say a little prayer “Please
God let us land safe” … WE Land Safe ! Praise be to God! Is “Alhamdulillah :” ! in
Arabic whew,... welcome to Sanaa Bob ” singin dont worry... bout a thing... cuz every
little thing is gonna be alright” aahahh” . .
7:00pm it was early dusk in Sana'a city of stone.Yemen’s capital Only Hand carved
stone natural soft lines outlined the city the sunset illuminated its magic light over the
soft brown edges... the sky swirling mystical mix of org/red….like sherbert ice
cream.....as I got off the plane I gave a big smile to Karen noticing her all the way but
now we were here I gave her a long hug it was nice to feel her hour glass shape w tiny
ribs it was hard to let go I was glad to be in the local style . .English blazers were the
local style.. . I was in awe at the ” little men / boys” dressed in their mini blazers but they
whore futas like a skirt instead of pants (sarongs) wrapped around waist some of the
older youth w an a jambiya, a sharp hooked dagger knife with an ivory, gold or silver
handle sticking out from the front of the waist very phallic like a decorated symbol which
portrayed your manhood status in a tribal society like a you drive a Lambo . Porsche
Chevy or junk...the dagger a Jambiya a Yemeni iconI was relieved that I had chosen the
right clothes comforting when you are in the style.. I didn't want to stick out like a tourist
so my blue blazer was in fashion..cool. but My hair was not even though Karen had said
she liked it when she first saw me at staging but it was way too hot now even when
pulled back in a ponytail it had to go I was way too hot The burr cut with mustache clean
shaven no foo man chew just a mustache trimmed was the macho look that was in and
probably much cooler...so I had to find a barbershop first thing
in the Sana’a airport and I used my first Turkish toilet. It was The kind you stand on
Porcelain Foot placements w ridges for traction just you squat over it no sitting down on
the job here wow and always I remember the smell. Like our outhouse down on the
farm it was definitely a mans kinda world here in
We all loaded up into a bus and left the airport was feeling and seeing as we drove
though the Mt streets of Sana’a many toyota forerunners, and toyota taxi mini buses
on the roads they were decorated colorfully both inside and out wit stickers and
dangling balls. mixed in were were men on their mopeds with their flying turbines,. beep
beep beep continuously beeping horns taxis and mopeds all merging blending into a
river of sound and color and exhaust wow LA 405 freeway piece of cake. it seemed like
I was breathing the intoxicating fumes straight out the tailpipes... bumper to bumper
traffic my head was pounding from all beeping of horns and co2 overdose.. I learned

38. what the use of the turban wrapped around most of the men's head across the face was
used for a filter covering the nose and mouth or to blow your nose from the all the dust
kinda but I noticed most men keep a extra hanky for that dust and blowing the nose I
noticed As I was getting off the bus another man was arguing with the bus driver and
the bus driver then drove away and he spat a big hawker right in the other Yemenis face
right out the window. hawwwwktooooo …Yemenis are passionate and arguments are
common i've heard sometimes even sometimes come to drawing the jambiya dagger
and having a knife fight … wow gotta love the drama and excitement on the big city
streets of Sanaa
AFter the dusty bus ride from the airport we stopped into the pc headquarters to meet
the director and other volunteers I just stopped to stare and admire Karen’s beauty in
the the amazing background of Arabic architecture of stone arches and colorful
stained glass windows..(research) as we traveled through the city the ancient
architecture of stone arches with white trim on the brown stone and colorful glass
windows caught my eye and with every move of Karen her flowing dress everything so
exoctic ancient everything built by hand the details simulating it was like traveling
back in time a 1000yrs the PC had reservations to stay 3 days in the Sanaa Hotel pics
it was a historic landmark the first hotel in Sanaa it was beautiful the big door entrance
was a great impression 1’ thick made hand carved meticulous designs it was so thick so
heavy mahogany PICS opening to the The courtyard was even more amazing it was
designed like hanging gardens of Babylon Babylon was just a little north of us up in Iraq
Rich Green ferns and vines and fresh air ahhh a water fountain trickling in the middle
With all our bags we headed for the stairsteps up to the 5th floor with stairs were narrow
the men stayed on the highest floor the women a floor below us i passed Karen going
up the steps i can't help but watch as she walked up th step in front of me i loved the
smell of her perfume as she moved so gracefully with the breeze that carried her up the
stairs the little square windows lit her body like a picture i saw her go into her room
she turned knowing i was behind her no words i smiled she too i continued up the
stairway
I dropped my bags looking in my room amazed with the intricate design details an
perfect simplicity of just a mattress and a pillow but on aw from the intricate details
of fabrics the hand designs so intricate so much detail in the fabrics walls wood I had
to see more of the ancient hotel so went to the top the maffarge on the top I opened the
narrow but heavy thick door my eyes opened wide and I stopped to take in the
panoramic view pic of Sana’a Pics all glass w old carved wood frames so rustic the
rooms had some Afghani design floor mats and pillows with beautiful detailed designs
(Pics) I looked out to see all the multitude of stars almost lighting the marffrage naturally