Shock before bed

I always flip on the tv before bed. Its a bad habit, I know, but one I can't seem to (or want to) shake. And I always flip it to ABC. Last night was no different. But, I was shocked to turn it on and find out that Peter Jennings had died of lung cancer.
Just like Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick are my "sports" guys, Peter Jennings was my "news" guy. Well, I admit I cheated on him a few times with Tom Brokaw, but I always came back. There was just something about Peter's voice that made me want to listen. Oh sure, he was witty, and he wasn't especially hard on the eyes, and he was sometimes humorously self deprecating, but it was the voice that drew me back.

As they were recalling his 40 years at ABC, I could pick out things that I remembered seeing for myself. I think, where I really started paying attention to the news, the first thing that I definitely remembered as having chosen to watch on ABC, was the falling of the Berlin wall. Sure, I was around for the Challenger disaster, but I don't remember paying close attention to the news and I certainly didn't care who was reporting it. The Berlin Wall story was the first time I can distinctly remember saying "Turn it to Channel 8 (our ABC affiliate) That guy does the news better."

I haven't really watched the evening news, consistently, since April when Peter left. I always thought he would be back. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1995 and she lived until 2001! I certainly didn't think that was the last time I would see my news guy on tv.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Jennings.