A Weekend of Soccer, and a Great Book Club Meeting

After working at the car rental branch last Saturday morning (1 Nov.)., I came home to get ready, then went to Fox High School in Arnold to officiate two boys' youth select soccer matches. I was in the middle for the first game, an under-14 contest, which was rather spirited, and I had to issue two yellow cards--one per team--to help keep the players in line. Fortunately, all ended well. I had to work with only one regular referee, as there was a shortfall of available officials, and we had to use a club linesman for each of the two games we did. I'm glad to say it worked out well.

The next day, I was at Saint Louis University's Robert R. Hermann Stadium to cheer on the Billikens against Rhode Island in the final regular season home fixture. The Billikens left it late, but won it 1-0 on a goal scored in a goalmouth scramble three minutes from full time.

Work has been well this week. I was allowed to go home early on Monday and Wednesday, which I take was due partly to the efficiency of myself and my fellow car preps.

It was good to have gotten off early yesterday (5 Nov.), as this allowed me to get to Laredo on Lafayette Square, a Mexican restaurant in south St. Louis, in time for the Big Ideas Book Discussion Group Meetup. There were eight of us last night to enjoy Mexican cuisine and to discuss the book "The Man Who Never Died," a biography of Swedish-born US labor activist Joe Hill. He lived in the western US in the early 20th century, until he was executed by Utah in 1915 for a double homicide the year before in Salt Lake City. Many believed Hill was innocent of the crime and that he was arrested, tried, convicted, and executed because of his association with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), for which he wrote songs. The book, by William M. Adler, provides a fully-researched look at Hill and his times. The consensus of our group was that this was a good book, if bogged down in detail at times, and recommended reading. The meal was very nice. This was my first time dining at Laredo on Lafayette Square, and I very much hope it will not be long before I dine there again.

I'm traveling this weekend. Will tell you more in my next post.

Later.