But It's a Dry Heat!

It's not unusual for it to be hot in Missouri around the 4th of July.  The last weather forecast I saw had a string of 100+ degree daytime temps forecast through Saturday.  What is unusual is the humidity - or lack there of.  As I type this blog the humidity is under 40%.  At least that's one good thing about our current mini-drought.  That, and all the gas I'm saving from not having to mow my lawn. 

Meanwhile, friends and relatives in Florida are no longer worried about drought as Tropical Storm Debby dumps copious amounts of rainfall across the state.  In Florida, they no longer ask "Why did the chicken cross the road."  Now they ask "Why did the fish cross the road?"  (Answer: To get to the other tide).

With a string of 100+ degree days, I am not looking forward to getting my electricty bill.  Exceptionally cold weather or exceptionally hot weather always makes me open the bill with a little fear and trepidation.  No matter what my bill is,  I'm certain it will be better than the one Abilene, Texas resident Kristin Harriger received from Potentia Energy this month.  It showed she had used $1,381,783.92 worth of electricity in May.  That was up from $100.78 in April.  And if she failed to come up with the money on time, the late pay fee would be $66,000. 

I have three words for Kristin:  LEVEL PAY PLAN!

After checking into it, Potentia Energy customer service personnel allowed as how the bill might be erroneous and they would check into it.  Looking on the bright side, Ms Harriger just saved a ton of money on her medical bills.  Usually it takes a thousand dollar stress test to assure you your heart is strong.  All it took for Kristin was an erroneous electricity bill.

Kristen Harriger's Profile Pic on Facebook. 
No word whether she was this pale before opening her electric bill.

We're Surrounded - That Simplifies the Problem! - Chesty Puller, USMC

General George Armstrong Custer

The Battle of the Little Bighorn took place in Montana on June 25-26, 1876.  General George Armstrong Custer, forever famous as the namesake for "Custer's Last Stand," died alongside the men of the Seventh Calvary who he led into battle on June 25, 1876.   Accounts of the battle indicate that General Custer knew his men were outnumbered, but was more concerned that the Indians might flee before he could attack than that his men would be defeated in battle.  Most think Custer expected to be outnumbered 3-1 instead of the 12-1 that more approximates his last stand.

General Custer was not accustomed to losing.  He was described as follows:

Libby Custer

He was nearly six feet in height, broad-shouldered, lithe, and active, with a weight never above 170 pounds. His eyes were blue, his hair and mustache of golden tint. He was a man of immense strength and endurance, and, as he used neither liquors nor tobacco, his physical condition was perfect through all the hardships of his life. Eleven horses were shot under him in battle. At the age of twenty-three (1863) he was made a brigadier-general, at twenty-five (1865) a major-general.

Impressive?  I find it equally impressive that his wife Libby accompanied him on most of his campaigns after their marriage in 1864.   Her logic?  ". . . I well knew there was something far worse than fears for my own personal safety. It is infinitely worse to be left behind, a prey to all the horrors of imagining what may be happening to one we love. You eat your heart slowly out with such anxiety, and to endure such suspense is simply the hardest of all trials that come."



Last Stand Hill

In 2008, my wife and I visited the site of "Custer's Last Stand."  With gas prices averaging $4.15 a gallon at the time, attendence at most national parks we visited was sparce.  Not so for the Little Bighorn.  It was the only park we visited on that vacation that was crowded.  And Park Rangers there win the prize for their dramatic retelling of the bloodshed that occurred there on June 25-26, 1876.

According to historians, rather than wait for reinforcements after his scouts located the Indians, Custer sent Trumpeter John Martini with a message for Captain Benteen that said "Benteen, Come on, Big Village.  Be Quick, bring packs.  W.W. Cooke  P.S. bring packs."   Expecting help would arrive soon, General Custer then led his men into battle, unaware that Martini's horse had been shot out from under him on his way to deliver the message and that Benteen could have used some reinforcements himself. 

Legendary Marine General Chesty Puller, the most decorated Marine in history, reportedly once apprised the position of him and his men as follows:  "They are in front of us, behind us, and we are flanked on both sides by an enemy that outnumbers us 29:1. They can't get away from us now!"

Sounds like something General Custer might have said.

King of Rock and King of Rocks

Four-wheelers in tow, some neighbors and I headed to Warsaw, Mo. early Saturday morning.  Friends of ours who grew up in the area had secured permission for us to explore nearly 4000 acres of private land in Benton County, Mo.


The Induction of Elvis - King of Rock

But before hitting the hills, we needed some nourishment.  We found it at Dar's, a popular local eaterie staffed by a single waitress and a single cook.  At Dar's, patience is rewarded with a home-style breakfast.  As we waited, I admired the ancient pictures of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Babe Ruth which adorned the walls, including one picture of a youthful Elvis in his tighty-whities being inducted into the U.S. Army.  

After breakfast, more like brunch, really, we unloaded our ATV's and headed into the woods.  The oaks and hickories and cedars have adorned the Ozark landscape for centuries, but the one feature with which our ancestors would most readily identify would be the rock.  Not the kind that made Elvis famous - the kind that seems to grow wild in the Ozarks.

Missouri - King of Rocks

Though the temperature was near 90, an overcast sky and an abundance of shade made our ride more pleasant than I expected.  After covering 13 miles of rugged terrain in just under 4 hours we loaded our four-wheelers back on the trailers to head home.  But first, we needed - more nourishment.  After wandering in the wilderness for a while, we discovered Charley's Buffet.  The website says it is in Lincoln, Mo.  It wasn't on my GPS.  What it was was good. 



Charley's Buffet - Limited Hours, Unlimited Food

We arrived around 4 PM.  People were already lined up.  The door said Charley's would open at 4:30.  It opened at 4:45.  In Benton County patience is advised when visiting restaurants.  By the time the doors opened people were lined up around the building.  Charley's features an old-fashioned buffet, all-you-can-eat, $14 a head, drink and tax included.  The food was great.  The dessert bar was amazing.  I had strawberry pie, blackberry cobbler, coconut cream pie and german chocolate cake.  After that I seemed to have lost my appetite.

I will definitely visit Charley's again.  I believe it is only open Friday & Saturday nights.  I'd suggest calling ahead at 660-668-3806 to find out their hours for sure.  You can find it on Facebook by typing in "Charley's Buffet, Lincoln, Mo.  The only thing I will do differently next time is to walk the 13 miles through the woods instead of riding an ATV.  Then maybe I'll have room for the soft-serve ice cream.                                                     

Charley's Dessert Bar



Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Nat King Cole has been gone nearly 50 years but I still think his song "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer" still best describes my feelings when it comes to warm weather.  Especially the line "You'll wish that summer could always be here!"  I do.  And, as of today, it is officially here, though my utility bill might argue that summer has been here for at least a month already. 

Last week I attended the second of Jefferson City's "Thursday Night Live" celebrations.  Three great bands performed a variety of songs from Blue Grass to Country - something for everyone.  It was during the performance of The Martin Family's Bluegrass Band that I witnessed the amazing restorative power of music.  A man whose age might most diplomatically be described as "up there" sat quietly in front of me.  His face showed neither emotion nor expression.   Then, suddenly overcome by the power of the music, he grabbed a woman and proceeded to do what I would describe as "shaking a tail feather." And then, when he was done, he grabbed yet another woman and shook yet another tail feather. If the effect the music had on that man could be bottled and sold by Jefferson City my guess is paying for a civic center would not be a problem.  

This Thursday night the theme is rock and roll.  It might be worth a visit just to to see if this guy can "bust another move" without busting anything internally.

At each point of the age spectrum, area residents found something to interest them.  Kids twirled hoola hoops, young people admired each other from afar, families bonded while enjoying the free entertainment and baby boomers admired the classic cars displayed along High Street.

Jerry Seinfeld once said "There is no such thing as 'fun for the whole family'."  Thursday Night Live might be exhibit one against that theory.

                                                                                            



The 300

With the temperature above 90 degrees today I expected I might have the Katy Trail to myself on my ride from Jefferson City to Hartsburg. I expected wrong. I passed a steady stream of people. 300, in fact.

300 hardy souls left St. Charles Monday morning and spent Monday night in beautiful Hermann, Mo. They will spend Tuesday night in Hartsburg. When I arrived in Hartsburg at noon on Tuesday approximately 300 pieces of luggage were neatly laid out beside the trail awaiting their owners, some of whom had already arrived. The ride is sponsored by the Missouri State Parks, a division of the Department of Natural Resources, and has been held annually since 2001.

After experiencing the night life of Hartsburg Tuesday, riders will spend Wednesday night in Pilot Grove and Thursday night in Sedalia. Though most riders will camp out, lodging with a real bed is available for people like me who have lost their affection for sleeping on the ground. 

Riders were given these instructions to prepare for the ride:

2012 Katy Trail Ride is geared toward the intermediate cyclist. Good physical conditioning will make the ride much more enjoyable. The ride will cover 230 miles in five days with daily mileage ranging from 25 to 64 miles and can be very strenuous. All riders will be expected to complete the ride each day except for true emergencies. Before the ride begins, ride as many miles as possible and ride as often as your schedule allows. Long rides of 40-50 miles are important, as are a series of back to back rides. You should experience cycling in all types of weather and on similar surface terrain as the Katy Trail. June weather in Missouri is unpredictable. It may be hot (in the 90s), humid, windy, rainy or cool at night. Weather conditions can make even the shortest days more challenging. The surface of the Katy Trail is packed crushed limestone. Mountain bicycle and hybrid bicycle tires are best suited for the trail.

It's too late to sign-up for 2012, but you might consider carving five days out of your schedule to participate in the 13th annual ride in 2013. Unless you are superstitious.

A relaxing Katy Trail Missouri River Overlook
4 Miles West of Jefferson City

If you've never experienced the Katy Trail and want to try it out, send me an email. I'd be happy to take you along on one of my rides.  I promise it will be considerably shorter than 230 miles. I've even got a spare bike you can use if you don't have one.

Be prepared to love it - in spite of the DNR's description of Missouri weather in June.  If Lewis and Clark made, so can you.

Kindness Researcher Kind of a Liar



Ray Dolin's Business Logo

Last week, a West Virginia man named Ray Dolin set off across the United States to research a book he intended to write.  The book was tentatively named The Kindness of America.  He suffered a setback when he was supposedly the victim of a drive-by shooting in Montana.  Now Mr. Dolin has admitted that was a lie.  He shot himself in the arm as a stunt to drum up publicity for his book.  Ironically, on Facebook Mr. Dolin lists his occupation as the Owner/President of One Shot Impressions, a photography business.  His logo is shown at left.   Funny, huh?



Charles Lloyd Danielson III Exonerated

I'd say 99.999% of all the people who heard Mr. Dolin's story initially felt sympathy.  The exception to that was Charles Lloyd Danielson III, shown sleeping at right.  Mr. Danielson  was mistakenly arrested for shooting Ray Dolin.  The charges have since been dropped, with the possible exception of the driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which was the reason he was stopped by police in the first place.  

Actually, Mr. Dolin's book idea was kind of a ripoff anyway.  Last winter I read a book titled The Kindness of Strangers: Penniless Across America, by Mike McIntyre.  In 1994, Mr. McIntyre left his home in San Francisco without a penny in his pocket and hitchhiked to Cape Fear, N.C.  Though a ground rule of his trip was that he would accept no money, he did accept food, a place to sleep, and rides.  He made it safely with only a couple of bad rides.  One was from a guy he feared might rape him and dump his body.  The other from a large, manic-depressive man who alternated between fits of generosity and rage.  Mr. McIntyre's book is available an a ebook for a couple of bucks if you are interested.

Hitchhiking across America and writing about the experience would definitely be a good source of material for a book.  Luckily, for Mr. Dolin, so will spending time in a Montana jail, though The Kindness of Montana Prison Inmates may not make for a lengthy book. 

Ray Dolin  - It Takes All Kinds

                                                                                                   

The Kindness of (Most) Strangers



I was in McAllister's Deli enjoying a sandwich and the best iced tea in the world today when an older model Ford drove up. The elderly female driver parked in a handicapped spot right outside the window where I sat. She got out, walked to the passenger side, and helped her husband out of the car. He was stooped over, walked on crippled feet with the aid of a cane, and wore a sling on his left shoulder.

When they entered the restaurant, two things happened. First, the staff greeted the couple like they were their long-lost friends; and second, I noticed the man's sling had come undone and served more as an adornment than a medical device.

As the man fumbled with his sling, an attractive lady behind him waited patiently and then sprang into action. At first I thought she was with the elderly couple because she cheerfully retied the sling and positioned it so that it supported the man's arm as intended. As it turned out, the woman was a complete stranger. After the man thanked her, she said something to the effect of "You're welcome! I do this all day at Capital Region Health Center so I feel right at home." With that, the woman placed her order to go, picked it up, got into her car and disappeared into the stream of cars on Missouri Boulevard. An unheralded angel of kindness with a pretty smile. I hope something good happens to her unexpectedly today.

Kindness Researcher Ray Dolin - Shooting Victim

Ray Dolin left his home in West Virginia last week to hitchhike across America and gather material for a book. He planned to call it "The Kindness of America." On Monday, Dolin had made it to Montana when he unexpectedly got some material for a new chapter - and possibly a new name - for his book. Here's what happened according to Valley County, Montana Sheriff Glen Meier:

"He was sitting down to have a little lunch, and this guy drives up. He thought he was going to give him a ride and as he approached the vehicle, the guy pulls out his weapon and shoots him. It's as simple as that.”

Dolin is expected to live, but he may want to consider a new name for his book. Maybe a new take on the 23rd Psalms: "Yea, When I Walk Through Valley County Montana, I Will Keep My Thumb Up and My Head Down."



Accused Shooter Charles Lloyd Danielson III

A Hot Car and Cool Music Inspire Warm Feelings

A neighbor of mine just fulfilled every baby boomer guy's fantasy. No, not that one! He restored the hot rod of his youth. Actually, the inmates at the Moberly Correctional Center restored his 1966 Chevelle SS 396 to like-new condition. The car did 20 months behind bars and came out completely rehabilitated. On Sunday afternoon Keith Fletcher threw a party at Apple Creek Farm west of Jefferson City to show off his "baby" to all his friends and neighbors.

Keith Fletcher's Newly-restored 1966 Chevelle SS 396

Keith has owned the car for over 40 years but he was never prouder of it than he was this past Sunday as friends and neighbors "ooh'ed" and "ah'ed" over it.

When Keith originally got the car the Vietnam war - the Baby Boom generation's war - was going strong. At the open house Sunday I met a veteran of the latest U.S. conflict, Tyler Huffman. While serving with the Marines in Afghanistan, Tyler was wounded and lost the use of his legs. Operation Tyler,  currently underway, is an effort by citizens appreciative of Tyler's sacrifice to raise funds to help build him and his family a home.

On Friday, July 27, at 7 pm, Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band will perform at Apple Creek Farm to raise funds for Operation Tyler.   On the Lt. Dan Band website - http://www.ltdanband.com/pages/concerts.htm  - it says the concert will be in "Colombia". Not so. It will be right across the road from our house. Lt. Dan will be in our 'hood!

Gary Sinise came to fame portraying "Lt. Dan"  in the movie Forrest Gump, released July 6, 1994.    Much like every guy who has ever served in the military, Forrest intially had some reservations about the military, as evidenced by the following scene:


Forrest Gump: Hello. I'm Forrest. Forrest Gump

Army Bus Driver: Nobody gives a horse's shit who you are, fuzzballl! You're not even a low-life, scum-sucking maggot! Get your maggoty ass on the bus! You're in the army now!

Forrest Gump: voice over] At first it seemed like I made a mistake seeing how it was only my induction day, and I was getting yelled at.

As it turned out, Forrest adjusted quite nicely to military life:

Drill Sergeant: Gump! What's your sole purpose in this army?

Forrest Gump: To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant!

Drill Sergeant: Damn it, Gump! You're a damn genius! This is the most outstanding answer I have ever heard. You must have an I.Q. of 160. You are gifted, Private Gump. 

Forrest Gump: [narrates] Now for some reason I fit in the army like one of them round pegs. It's not really hard. You just make your bed real neat and remember to stand up straight and always answer every question with "Yes, drill sergeant."

After being sent to Viet Nam, Forrest was assigned to Lt. Dan's platoon.   Lt. Dan had the following orders for Forrest and his best good friend, Bubba:

Lt. Dan Taylor: Two standing orders in this platoon. One, take good care of your feet. Two, try not to do anything stupid, like getting yourself killed.

Lt. Dan, Forrest & Bubba

[Bubba and Forrest look at each other]

Forrest Gump: I sure hope I don't let him down.

These days, Gary Sinise  uses the fame he earned portraying a soldier who lost his legs in Vietnam to help real soldiers like Marine Tyler Huffman who lost the use of his legs after being wounded in Afghanistan. 

Like Forrest Gump said, "My Mama always told me that miracles happen every day. Some people don't think so, but they do."

Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band

Gloom, Despair and Agony on Us



Jim Carr's Rolling Motel

A favorite warm weather activity of mine is riding my bike on the Katy Trail, Missouri's 237.7 mile-long, 50-foot wide State Park.  It was on just such an outing this week that I encountered Jim Carr, a self-proclaimed "prophet of God".  Six miles into my ride the trail was partially blocked by 2 brightly-clad female bikers, a heavily-laden multi-wheeled conveyance filled with assorted possessions, and a guy sitting on his rear end in the dusty trail.  I slowed slightly but didn't stop.  The women smiled and waved and the guy didn't seem in distress so I kept going. 

As I rode further I had second thoughts.  Was the guy having a heart attack?  Was he was dehydrated?  Should I have stopped to see if I could help?  I kept going, more concerned about getting my heart rate up than lending a hand.  As it turned out I would have gotten my heart rate up either way.


On my return trip, barely 100 yards from where I first passed the man earlier, the man sat on a bench in front of the Claysville Store.   Near him were two baby strollers lashed together loaded with a wide array of items.  Foremost was a boom box strapped to the front of the lead stroller.  As I slowed to a stop I asked the man "Where you from?"  "Washington, D.C." he replied.  "Wow, where you headed?"  I asked.  "Columbia, and then to a very important meeting in Denver" he informed me.  "You sure don't believe in traveling light, do you?"  I noted, as I took a picture of his rig.  "Mind if I take a picture of you?"  "YES, I MIND!"  he answered.  "I think pictures are evil!"  In my experience, only the Amish and people with warrants out for their arrest think pictures are evil, and this guy was definitely not Amish.

As we talked further, additional facts(?) came to light.  His name was Jim Carr.  He is a minister, he said.  Actually, he clarified, a "prophet of God".  My internal B.S. meter suddenly red-lined. 

"I spent the last 4 weeks in Jefferson City" he said.  "Nice city, but it's doomed!" 

Doomed? I thought to myself.  Well, sure, there's that civic center idea that never quite comes to fruition, but the whole town doomed?

He explained:  "Any city that sits on seven hills is doomed.  Don't you ever read the Bible?  Lynchburg, Va. is another city that sits on seven hills.  Doomed!" he continued.  "And southern Missouri?  It's doomed too!" 

How do you know this?  I asked.  "God told me.  I got saved in 1967.  In 1983, God spoke to me in a vision.  Told me my future.  Said I would one day go to Rome where I would be killed.   Don't you know the Catholic religion is the biggest lie there is?"

I was no longer amused.  Jim sensed this.

"What's the matter?" he asked.  "Don't you believe God still has prophets?"  I honestly hadn't given it much thought.  "I don't believe you're one."  I said,  getting back on my bike.  "Why not?" he asked.  "Because you're full of . . . malarkey!"  I answered as I began to pedal away.

"I'll pray for you!" he said while I was still in earshot.

He might want to pray for those strollers he's pushing, instead.  If they make it to Denver it will be a modern day miracle. 

Frankenstein's Picnic

Our Lady Help of Christians Church
Frankenstein, Mo.

Though the name Frankenstein may conjure up images of an out-of-control monster in most places, in central Missouri it brings to mind a sleepy hill-top village in Osage County.  According to my neighbor, Rich Samson, who grew up just down the hill from Frankenstein, the town's name has nothing to do with the Frankenstein, the book written by Mary Shelley and published in 1818 when Shelly was only 21.

According to Rich, the name came from a combination of the name of the farmer who donated the land, Gottfried Franken,  and the German word for "stone", which is "stein" - Franken-stein.  The solid stone church was completed in 1922 with the help of a German stonemason recruited by the citizens of Frankenstein and brought to Osage county from Germany to oversee the construction of the church. 

Last Sunday my family attended the annual picnic held by the Frankenstein parrish.  I'm not Catholic, but a love of fried chicken is something Baptists and Catholics have in common.  For $10 the picnic features all-you-can-eat chicken, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, sauerkraut and beans, cole slaw, iced tea and a piece of pie.  I chose blackberry.  It was a tough choice between a half-dozen contenders.

Outside the church an ATV pulled a make-shift train of a dozen barrels on wheels filled with squealing kids around an obstacle course of craft booths, bingo tables and the line to get inside the church to eat.  My grandson, age 4 and obsessed with all things trains, rode the train with a permanent smile while singing:

Runaway train, never going back
Wrong way on a one-way track

I carried an umbrella.  To the west the sky held the promise of rain, a rare commodity these last few weeks.  "I hope you need that!" said one farmer as he passed by me.  I didn't. 

Inside the  Frankenstein Sanctuary

You won't find Frankenstein on a GPS - at least not on mine.  To get there take 50 Highway east from Jefferson City, turn left on Highway 100 at Linn, follow it to Highway C, turn left and it's 3 miles to Frankenstein.

It was the first picnic my parents have attended since relocating to Jefferson City from Springfield last fall.  Unlike most picnic attendees, my dad actually needs to put on some weight.  At these picnics, as long as you keep eating, they keep bringing more food.  That is probably against the law in New York, or soon will be, but in central Missouri it's a time-honored tradition.

A few more of these picnics should have my dad watching his calories like the rest of us.

The Great Flood(s) of '51

Kansas City, Mo - Great Flood of '51

Though I've never lived beside a river, my life has been greatly influenced by Floods.  When Kansas City flooded in 1951, I was 3 years old, lived in Oklahoma and could not have cared less.  In 1977, when the Plaza flood in KC killed 26 people, our only inconvenience was some water in our basement in our home in south K.C.  During the Great Flood of '93, when the State Capitol in Jefferson City became an island, our family lived high and dry in Springfield.

So how, you might ask, has my life been impacted by Floods?  Let me explain.   On June 4, 1951, a baby girl was born to Howard & Patricia Flood in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  They named her Valerie.  In 1970, much to Mr. & Mrs. Flood's alarm, I began dating their beautiful daughter.  In 1972, to the Flood's even greater alarm, their baby girl became my wife.  While Noah only had to endure a flood for 40 days,  I've been dealing with a Flood for 40 YEARS!  

I'm not complaining, mind you.

While most Floods sweep away good memories and leave bad memories in their place, my Flood has provided me with overwhelmingly good memories.  There there have been a few days when she could rightly be called a "raging" Flood, but only because it seems more poetic than "a bitchy Flood."

With a new pair of titanium knees, I believe she is ready for wherever the road may take us for the NEXT 40 years.  In fact, when she had her last knee surgery in April, I asked the Doctor to go ahead and give her a complete front-end alignment. 

My wife is a firm believer in the Bob Hope theory on how to look younger - hang around older people.  Namely, me.

 

Happy Birthday, Valerie!

 

May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine.

THE OTHER GREAT FLOOD OF '51

This picture is a year old, but, as you can see,

she can still fill out a bikini.

Meet Me at the Fair

The Missouri State Museum, inside the Capitol in Jefferson City, currently features an exhibit called "Meet Me at the Fair".  It contains memorabilia from the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.  On August 7, 1999 I met a living exhibit of the 1904 World's Fair.  His name was Robert L. Hendershott.  He drove his minivan to my office.  He was 101 years old at the time.

In 1904, Robert attended the St. Louis World's Fair a number of times with his father, a trolley car operator.  Though he was only 6 years old at the time, an interest in that Fair was indelibly imprinted on his brain and he became one of the foremost experts on all things surrounding the Fair.  In 1994, at the age of 96, Robert wrote and published a book about the Fair called The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair Mementos and Memorabilia.  When Bob mentioned his book to me in 1999, I told him I would be interested in reading it.  "I've got a copy in my car!" he said, before adding  "Twenty-five dollars."  I made the purchase.  On the inside cover he wrote:

 Best wishes to Doug Reece

 Robert L. Hendershott

 Aug. 7, 1999

101 yrs old

 Author

I still remember bits of my conversation with Bob.  He told me his first wife had passed away when he was around 85.  He subsequently met and proposed to a lady who was 60 years old.  When she hesitated, he said he told her "If you marry me I'll take you on a trip around the world!"  She did, and he did.  Bob also told me he had drank a bottle of Coca-cola every day since 1940.  "People tell me 'Bob, that will kill you'" he said.  "I just answer 'Oh, yeah?  Well, when?'"

If you are interested in living to be 100, Bob had the following suggestions:

1.  Keep busy

2.  Think positive

3.  Have goals, and

4.  Have a hobby

When I met Bob he was in the process of moving to Iowa to be closer to his family and I never saw him again after that.  When I googled Bob's name recently I discovered he had passed away in 2005 at the age of 106.  His obituary said he had passed away peacefully in his sleep. 

I hope he wasn't driving his minivan at the time.