Sorry, I just wanted an excuse to post the cover to one of my favorite NES games. RESCUE: THE EMBASSY MISSION Yesterday's events, while not as thrilling as rescuing an embassy from terrorists, are interesting enough to make a decent story.

At around 11:00 AM I receive a call from my good friend John Roland. John provided the usual "Hey how's it going," phone conversation starter but there was a slight hint of anxiety in his voice. While conversing back to John the usual "not much right now," a faint voice was heard in the background saying, "SAVE US." That voice belonged to Ryan Smith. John, knowing that I heard Mr. Smith's cry for help, fessed up when I asked him where he was at the moment.

John and Ryan had gone hiking up South Mountain. The two of them started in the early morning and managed to hike for four hours. Their goal was to reach the T.V. Towers stationed at the top of South Mountain. When John and Ryan finally reached the towers, they were out of water. Rather than face dehydration and heat-stroke, they decided to enlist someone to drive up the mountain and save them.

So in the car I went off to the mountain to save my friends in peril. A problem soon arose. I didn't know how to reach them. Worse yet, my car was severely low on precious gasoline. There existed a possibility that I could get stranded up on the mountain along with my friends. Of course that possibility didn't stop me from being hasty and reckless. My friends needed me! So up the windy roads of South Mountain Park I went.

When the sign says to go only 15 mph on the road to the T.V. Tower, it's not fucking around. Even my little Honda, with its outstanding turning radius, was having difficulty navigating around this narrow road. Adding to the suspense and danger, the gas needle kept falling down near that horrible little 'E'. I arrived at the small look-out parking lot at the summit where I found Ryan and John conversing with people inside a large white truck. Inside the truck were two Native American gentlemen. The driver was named Clancy and the passenger (whose name I don't remember) was very drunk.

John and Ryan were happy to see their rescuer had finally arrived. Their eyes bugged out once they saw the two large bottles of fresh water I brought to quench their thirst for precious water. They climbed into the car as I cranked up the A.C. and we soon headed back home. Of course going down the mountain along that windy road was twice as scary going up it. The road was no match for my superior driving skills and everyone made it back to John's house safe and sound.