I am nothing if not a creature of habit.
I have a tendency to do the same thing at the same time every day.
I can probably tell you to the minute what I'm doing from the time I get up to the time I climb into the car each morning.
One of the downsides of this job is that my morning routine comes long before dawn. I no longer have need for an alarm clock. I'm almost always up, thinking about the rest of the day.
The order goes like this.v
I grab the portable radio that sits on my bedstand, flip on KYW-1060 AM, and head to the coffeemaker. They usually manage to get me caught up on the day, at least they used to. I'm not a big fan of this new format. Then again, I'm not a big fan of change in general.
That's why something else about my early-morning commute has thrown me for a loop.v
When I climb into the car each morning, I shift my allegiance.
I tune in to WIP Sportsradio. I do so for a single reason.
That's because for the next half-hour or so, I am entertained by the antics of Big Daddy Graham. Ed Gudonis (his real name) has manned the overnight shift at WIP for as long as I can remember.
From his "Ditty of the Night," the song he focuses on, to his rundown of who was born on this day and the historical anecdotes that occurred on this date, it's a truly unique, original show.
Big Daddy and I have interacted many times. In addition to his radio show, he of course made his bones as a stand-up comic and often appears locally as part of the "Two Funny Philly Guys" with his cohort Joe Conklin. He's always looking to get a plug in the paper and I always try to comply.
Last Christmas season I finally got to meet him in person when he asked me to be one of his guest hosts for his special Christmas show, "A Row Home Christmas." I didn't have to go far. The show took place literally in our back parking lot at the Players Theater here in Swarthmore.
When I got back from vacation last week, I noticed Big Daddy was not on the air. On Monday I figured he was just taking a long weekend. On Tuesday and Wednesday, I just assumed he was off that week.
But on Thursday I started to hear rumbling that something was wrong.
That was confirmed by his daughter Ava Friday when we learned that Big Daddy, who has suffered more than his share of medical maladies, had suffered another and was in the hospital.
He had suffered a serious spinal cord injury was looking at a long rehab.
The ride into the office just isn't the same without him.
We often joked that I should call in during my ride in and we could chat about the day's news. I never did.
Here's the deal, Ed. You get better and get back on the air, and I'll make that call.
The ride just isn't the same without you.
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