Thanks so much for having the strength to revisit me this week to conclude an article I started last week. As I mentioned, since this is my 100th column, I would like to review some of my favorites. They are in no particular order, except the last story in this column is my favorite for, I think, obvious reasons. You will note that all of the articles are from “Person to Person – Impact” and not from “Book Beat – Impact” for the simple reason that they actually involved person to person contact.
“The Lady in Red”: This story happened many years ago when I was less bold than I am today. A perky, well dressed young lady strutted into Suburban Station in Philadelphia with a nervous, older man, obviously one of her work underlings. They proceeded to sit on a bench across from me where she gave him his performance review. She tore him to shreds, not saying one good thing about him. I was so upset; I trailed them back to their office and upon returning to my office called her to advise her she did an awful job in her appraisal. She ended up inviting me out to lunch and after I received approval from my wife, I agreed. She listened to my complaints and she ended up paying for the lunch.
“Application of an Aesop Fable”: Over seven years ago, two weeks after we moved into our home, I slipped on ice and hit my head on the curb by our mailbox. I was so stunned I could not get up or speak for a very short time. Ronaldo, who was riding on the back of the garbage truck a few houses down the street, saw me, ran up the street and helped me up and into our house. It was Christmas Eve and the only thing I thought to say to him was, “I’m sorry, we’ve only lived here two weeks and I did not leave you a tip.” I wrote a letter to his company telling what a help Ronaldo was and gave him a nice tip the next week (as well as a hug). Ronaldo is still on our route and I frequently give him and his driver sodas and snacks, and we always greet each other by our first names.
“Touching the Heart”: A few months ago, I met a man in his eighties, who at one time was president of a company (I called him Paul in the article). He has two incurable kinds of cancer and is dependent on blood transfusions to keep him functioning. Despite his station in life, he is humble, not a complainer, and is an inspiration to many others through his witness to Christ in living his daily life and periodic letters he writes to friends. I asked his permission to print his last letter, which he approved, and I am hopeful that he has inspired others facing major problems through the writing of the article.
“Donald Ennis’s Treasures” Series: I met Don a few years ago while delivering Meals on Wheels to him in his apartment in Elverson. You could tell that his years in the Navy meant a great deal to him because a porthole was affixed to his apartment door. On one side was a photo of the ship he served on during World War II. On the other side was a photo of him with the dates of his service. The only thing that topped the Navy was his wife, Muriel, to whom he was married for 63 years before her death and his son and daughter. I “threatened” for quite a while to sit and talk with him about his life and finally got around to doing so. I arranged to purchase a Meals on Wheels meal for myself and ate with him several times. He also went to church with Barb and me once and we went out for lunch, which when we left, he said it would be a long time before he would come back to that place. It was okay; none of us liked the restaurant. I tell you this so you can get an idea of Don’s “spicy-ness.” I completed the five part series in August of 2015. The Tri County Record and I decided to wait to run the articles until the approach of Veterans Day. I was so happy as soon as I completed the articles; I placed the 15 page report in three small notebooks and gave them to Don, his daughter and his son. Don became ill and died at the age of 93 before the articles were printed. I developed not only a liking for Don, but a love for him!
“Thank You, Bill McClarin”: When I was in elementary school through high school, my father worked long hours and travelled a fair amount. Our next door neighbors had a son named Billy, who was my age and was my best friend. His father, Bill, also became a respected, great friend to me by including me in many activities with him and Billy. Billy and I went our own ways during our college years, the McClarins eventually moved and I lost track of the entire family, not seeing them for decades. About six years before I wrote this column, it hit me that somehow I should thank Mr. McClarin, if he was still alive. I tracked Billy down by running a column in the small town newspaper where we used to live asking for help. I received four replies from people who gave me enough information that I could contact Billy. I found out his Dad was in his early nineties and living in a retirement home in New England. Not only did I have a chance to talk with Billy, I also sent his Dad a long letter of thanks! We corresponded several times. Years later I received a card with a photo of Mr. McClarin on the front, with a letter from his daughter to tell me he died at the age of 97 and to say she hoped it was okay that part of my letter was read at his memorial service. I was absolutely honored!
Let me once again thank Lisa Mitchell and Laura Dillon for allowing me to write for the Tri County Record. Doing so has let me express my opinion more than usual, permitted me to like and love many more people and made me so much more aware of what is going on around me that may make an impression on me and those who read my articles.
Finally, please don’t think I have a bubble that needs to be popped because I made it to 100. I just read an article by Michael Smerconish in the Philadelphia Inquirer, which I frequently read but also frequently disagree with, that said he wrote 489 columns for the Philadelphia Daily News and 555 columns for the Inquirer, and they are papers that people actually pay money to read!
Jeff Hall, of Honey Brook, contributes columns to Berks-Mont Newspapers. Questions/comments may be directed to jeffreyhall77@comcast.net.
