Afghans welcomed
Thank you for your coverage of the Afghan refugees here (“A refuge rises: Afghan refugees welcomed to new homes in Kansas,” March 2022). We’ve witnessed an amazing outpouring of compassionate aid, and it’s just beginning. I’ve spent a couple of days with some of our Afghanistan families and as I’ve found in my lifetime of travels to far and obscure corners of the world the graciousness and generosity of those with few possessions is always true. I shared cups of tea with Grandmother and the omnipresent tray of fruits and nuts was placed in front of me. Dear, dear people.
Ann Garvey
Major Astro sings
Patrick Palmer’s recent article in The Active Age (“Major blooper: Encounter with local TV idol not exactly as planned,” March 2022) brought back memories of the only time I have ever sung karaoke. In the late 1980s I co-hosted Mike and Mac’s Reel Late Movies on Wichita’s Fox 24, along with Mike Miller, my partner on the KXLK Radio morning show. We presented really awful Friday night flicks, leading into the Nightmare Show with The Host and Rodney. The Host was Tom Leahy, Major Astro. Tom also did a great imitation of John Wayne for local TV commercials.
At the annual FOX 24 Christmas Party, several employees worked up the courage to make fools of themselves on the karaoke microphone. Tom and I were enjoying glasses of saki, and the Japanese rice wine was taking its toll. We may have made a few critical remarks about the performances. At some point I heard the phrase, “think you can do better?” After a couple more glasses of saki, Tom and I stood up for an awful rendition of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
Media folks collected many Tom Leahy stories over the years, all of them heart-warming and often hilarious. This is mine: My karaoke duet with Major Astro.
Happy orbits, boys and girls!
Steve McIntosh
