I always think I'll have time on the weekends to write an entry or two, and then wind up busier than ever, and putting off the blogging for another day.
Last Friday night, I had planned to see John Mellencamp in concert in Toledo, but instead spent the night at a funeral home for the visitation of a friend who died suddenly at age 48 after an unexpected series of medical problems. It all happened within two weeks. Makes you realize how precious life really is.

John Mellencamp meets with Jason Slemp of Open Doors Ministries, in front of a pink cardboard house Mr. Slemp made in honor of Mellencamp's hit song "Pink Houses," at Tent City in Toledo, Nov. 2.

But I did get to see John Mellencamp come down to the Tent City about 5 p.m. and visit with a few homeless people. Then Mayor Carty Finkbeiner gave him a key to the city.
Mellencamp seems like a sincere person with a big heart and really cared about the people he met with. He wasn't doing it for the publicity and in fact asked ahead of time that it not be publicized. Then he had one of his staff members come back and hand out 70 tickets to the homeless people and volunteers.
He certainly did not have to do that. I was so impressed. And I was surprised that the article in The Blade by Tom Henry (you can read it here) mentioned that I had played a role in arranging Mellencamp's visit to the shelter. What happened was this: I met with the organizer, Ken Leslie, a few months ago and when Ken said the Tent City was going to start on Nov. 2, I realized that was the same night Mellencamp was performing downtown. All I did was suggest that he contact Mellencamp's management and ask whether he would stop by. Later, Mellencamp's management called to check with me on whether this was a legitimate charity and of course I said it was. So I had a little part but it was Ken Leslie and John Mellencamp who really made it happen.
Toledo, Ohio
Nov. 6, 2007