This was written to me by a dear friend, Rich Cade
I saw on your website that your brother passed away. I am truly sorry to hear. I remember Dennis being extraordinarily decent and patient as an older teenager with us when we were 12-14 years old. He taught me and our entire baseball team how to steal bases. I still tell the story of how he would stand in the third base coaches box. His steal sign would be that he would shout "steal" across the infield. We were too afraid to not go so we would steal. I don't think anyone got thrown out that entire year. My oldest, Andrew, is in his first year of stealing bases in baseball. I'm planning on teaching Dennis' methods for taking a lead, staying low & balanced and diving back to first base on the throw over. I might have to come up with different steal sign.
"Rosebushes" as shared by Larry Killoran (Dennis' amazing drummer)
Dennis, Tim, Dean and I were playing at a "pre-prom" party for Chestnut Hill Academy at one of the student's homes when we were still practically teenagers. We had beer, music, and the guys at the party were getting a little pissed at the "longer than acceptable" glances that their dates were giving the boys in the band. Our music career at that point was working perfectly. After it was over, I was backing down this really long driveway with amplifiers and drums piled high in the backseat. I could not see a thing. Dennis was riding shotgun and giving directions (we were both slightly intoxicated). All of a sudden I heard this "crunch." Then, the owner of the house came running out the front door pointing and yelling. Dennis, completely unflappable, said "hey man, I think you just backed into that guys prized rosebushes." Sure enough, the guy's house had roses everywhere. I said "well, you were giving me directions and backed me into them!" Dennis, still totally calm, said, "Well...I didn't mean to." Then, pointing, he said "look how mad he is" The guy's face was actually red. "What should we do?" I said. Dennis,now laughing, said "if it were me I think I'd get out of here." Which I did. The guy came a'running until it was obvious he could'nt catch us...if he had a shotgun he would have fired it at us. Dennis watched him in the sideview mirror as I raced down the street laughing the whole way. What a scene! He was great in a crisis!!!!
Another from Larry
Dennis Tries "Horse racing."
On my 39th birthday, My wife Pam organized an outing to Bay Meadows Racetrack, near San Francisco. The idea was that we would take the train to the Racetrack picking up our friends at the various stations as we went along. There was actually a Bay Meadows station stop that let you off the train right outside the entrance to the Racetrack. It was a Saturday, and by the time we got to the track we had about 12-14 people. None of us were horse racing afficionados but we were having fun and knew just enough to get by inside the track.
Dennis and Susan were living in Richmond (near Oakland) at the time so were coming on the train from the opposite direction. They were a little late arriving and showed up around the third race. After handshakes, hugs and "happy-birthdays," Dennis showed me his racing program and said, "Larry....what's a trifecta?" I said, "forget it.....you basically have to bet on the first three horses in the order that they come in." Dennis said "ok" and left. I assumed that I had talked him out of wasting his money.
The fourth race started. When it was complete, there was a "photo-finish" for the horse that came in third. It was between the number 4 horse and the number 8. Dennis showed me his betting ticket and said "hey, if the number 4 horse gets third, I think I won that trifecta thing."
I said "...are you kidding me? You bet the trifecta?"
Dennis said "yeah...in fact, I picked the number 7 horse for third place but the ticket guy got mad and told me that if I knew how to read my program, I'd have know that horse was scratched. There was a long line, so I said OK....ummm... make it the 4 horse!" Dennis said "the guy was pretty rude that I didn't seem to know what I was doing." Of course, Dennis was pretty cheerful about the whole thing and was more mystified than upset that someone treated him that way.
There were four or five old guys standing on the rail right above us who looked like they practically lived at the track (cigars, crumpled up race forms and ripped-up ticket confetti at their feet). They were listening to Dennis and I talk. They couldn't believe Dennis' potential "beginners luck." The one guy said he'd been coming to the track for years and had never hit on a trifecta. So, we all waited and watched the board with great anticipation until the official winner of the third place photo-finish was posted.
The midfield board blinked number 4. I couldn't believe it. Dennis walks in...makes a bet...and picks three horses in a row. We were all excited because the winning totals had not yet been posted. I asked Dennis how much he bet. He answered "just two-bucks." I said "I think you're going to be surprised at how much you win even on two bucks."
When the totals came up, a two-dollar bet won nearly $600.00. Dennis was pretty shocked. He had know idea. I told him that no matter how long the line, he should go back to the same ticket guy who was rude to him to collect the winnings. I went with him. When we got up to the window, Dennis said "yes...I'd like to collect on my trifecta winnings." The guy's mouth popped open. He was actually a good sport about it. He told Dennis that's just how it goes sometimes....beginners luck and all of that. Still, he was shaking his head in smiling disbelief as he counted out the twenties.....Really, only Dennis.
