5 Things On My Mind, Speed Round: Fall, ER sights, Bud's Pizza, and 'Deepwater Horizon'

The work week is closing in, so let's come together for a moment.

As I await the season finale of the brilliant HBO series called Task, let’s dive into a lightning round as the cooler weather hits St. Louis.

5) Die, summer, die. Slowly but surely, the beast that has been a potent and quite resilient heat wave is dead… at least for the moment. Waking up to chilly temps in the 50s and more fall leaves on the grass signifies that the lawn mower can reach a resting spot for the winter. It also means mosquitoes are going to die or vanish. It’s a beautiful time in this city.

4) Emergency rooms remain a place of hope and despair. In one experience, one can witness the harshness of life’s darker dealings and the light at the end of the tunnel. While helping a friend this week, I was riveted by the work of the nurses, doctors, and various employees of Mercy Hospital. I felt as powerless as any patient pal or family member, but also saw that human beings can turn into heroes right before me. It’s never a spot one wishes to be in, but you deal with what comes your way with some help from trusted souls.

3) The Blues are scoring big early on. Let the results come into play as the month ages, but respect the ability to put a stop on tough opponents (Dallas) and tally up goals on the opposition. There’s room for improvement in Jim Montgomery’s team, but they’re competing every game. Well, except for that wretched Chicago game on Wednesday at home. That’s like taking a giant dump on your fans. Joel Hofer was either doing his best Ray Charles impersonation, or the entire team laid an egg. Still, this team isn’t boring.

2) Deepwater Horizon, a compelling Peter Berg thriller about the real life terrible BP oil spill, is streaming on HBO Max. Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell are absolutely terrific, and it’s a moving experience. The explosion scenes will chill and thrill you, so be prepared to shed some tears. It was a major shitshow from the jump, but people learned harsh lessons that night. Movie fans know that if Berg and Wahlberg are doing a sad but true cinema story, tuning in is necessary.

1) Bud’s Pizza and Beer on South Kingshighway. In the immortal words of an under-disguised Starsky, “do it.” The New York style pizza is made perfect each time, the sides and salads rock, and the interior bar area is cozy and cool. Plus, they play Indiana Jones movies on occasion. The Garcia Group opened this spot, and they are currently rehabbing Uncle Bill’s back into shape. Eat local, and they’ll stick around.

Now, go rest and prepare for Monday. Just know, like any other day, it will eventually end. For better or worse, positive or negative, this too shall pass! Goodnight.