There was a quiet that hung over us as we arrived to play golf yesterday morning.

The normal banter and kidding each other was not there.

The cause was Linda’s death. An unspoken thing as we gathered to divide into teams and go forth to play.

Once play commenced, everything fell into its normal routine. I played with Don, Tino and Michael. I finally had a good day at golf! Was the big winner! Proud was I! All of $9!

The custom is that the winner buys drinks. Normally the winner walks away with around $20. Drinks cost me $7.50. Without tip! So my better game yesterday ended up costing me money! I did not care! I was thrilled to have finally played well again!

We sat around on the porch of the club house drinking and talking after golf. About 10 of us. The ice was finally broken. Some one mentioned Linda’s name. And then in varying degrees every one spoke of and about her. Some even shed a tear or two.

I was watching one of the TV talk shows last night. Alex Kerensky’s name was mentioned. In what context, I am not sure as I was half asleep. And I find no mention of him in news reports on the internet this morning.

Let me tell you a bit about Alex Kerensky.

He was the first President of free Russia.

At the time of the Tsar’s abdication in 1917, the Russian people were divided into two groups. The White Russians and the Red Russians. The good guys and the bad guys as it turned out.

Kerensky was the leader of the White Russians. His presidency lasted about 8 months. There was a civil war and the Reds beat the Whites. The Reds were the beginning of the Russian communists as we have come to know them. The Reds were ideologically led by Lenin. From the Reds ultimately came Stalin.

Keresnsky, overthrown by the Reds, had to to flee Russia to save his life.

He ultimately settled in New York City and eventualy became a Professor at Columbia University.

I attended Manhattan College in New York City. Columbia and Manhattan are on the Seventh Ave subway line. Columbia at 116th Street and Manhattan at 242nd Street.

Kerensky agreed to be a visiting professor at Manhatttan College for one semester. To teach Russian history covering the 20 years from 1898 to 1918. The 20 years leading up to the Russian revolution and the revolution itself. He rode the subway 2 times a week from Columbia to Manhattan and back to teach the course.

The class was limited. About 20 persons. I was lucky to get into it! I was excited to take the course. I was a history major and what could be better than to take a course from an individual who had actually lived the material he was teaching!

The course was fantastic! Wild! Overwhelming at times if you were a history freak as I was. Here was a man who led the revolution! And a man who understood the consequences of communism. Recognize that I was taking this course around 1955, a time when the United States and Russia were in deep conflict. The threat of actual war hung over us. About this same time Kruschev, the then Russian leader, took his shoe off at the United Nations, slammed it on a desk and told the world Russia was going to bury the United States. The conflict was reality!

Kerensky was distinguished appearing. He had presence. Soft spoken. If I had to compare him physically to someone, I would say he looked like a white haired Jack Kennedy.

Tonight bocci! A big match! For the money, as the saying goes!

I hope my golf streak continues into the bocci matches!