Summer of Hope

This column goes beyond the superficial aspects of clothing and answering such inane questions as "Can I wear black socks with a navy suit and black shoes?" LeDandy assumes you know the basics. The most important part of dandyism is your spirit.

The soccer program at left has a tremendous significance to me. It is the unofficial program to the Group F games held at Rosaleda Stadium in Malaga, Spain for the 1982 World Cup. Sadly, I wasn't there for these games. This program was an eBay purchase a few years ago for about $25.

At the time of these games in June, 1982 I was eighteen years old and just finished high school. It was a memorable point in my life as I held the highest expectations for my future. In a few days I would leave for a long vacation to the Middle East for most of the summer. When I got back, I would head off for college. It all seemed so real back then: a great career, women, money and happiness. It seemed all within reach and I could taste it.

The apex of this quixotic* optimism occurred on June 22, 1982 while I watched the Group F match between the USSR and Scotland. It was a 'must win' game for Scotland. The game had a wild finish and ended in a 2-2 draw, thus eliminating Scotland and propelling the Soviets into the second round. I remember the details of that game. It wasn't really the game that mattered but it did mark a precise point in time. My trip was just a few days away and I sensed a high point in my life. It was the exact point in life where one has the adult knowledge to appreciate the real world while still harboring a childlike optimism for the future.

I am sorry to say that my life took some very bad turns over the next twenty years. As with most people, life didn't work out according to my dreams at the time. Only within the last ten years has my life turned around. Nevertheless, I still recall with great fondness those magical days in June of 1982 when I thought that everything was within reach for me.

I try to keep the spirit of that time alive in me. It influences everything I do.
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* Big word for the day.