Most of the news these days, written or spoken, is negative. Seems bad news sells, and we don’t take the time to weed out the good news.
It’s at times like this we all need an optimistic friend. Not just a person, like me, who tries to lighten the atmosphere with cynical comments.
I’m thinking of a person who can lighten our loads by just appearing in person, phone or postmark.
Such a person is Wally Lee. Wally is a phenomenon. He’s a man with a weak handshake (which disarms you) and strong enthusiasm (which delights you).
Some months ago Wally had a couple strokes that causes him to hang onto walls, a cane and wife Sue’s arm.
So, we look into his eyes when we meet, ignore his weakness and become absorbed by his greeting, his oral energy and his healthy smile.
What prompted me to write about Wally this week was a letter he sent following my column about blowing snow with my John Deere.
Wally and Sue have been going to Florida to escape Michigan winters for some time, and he loves sand and sun, swaying palm trees and watching the surf roll in while tasting Manhattans.
He writes: ‘My good friend Jim. I am prompted to write after that superb job of writing you did in your Jottings.
‘I’m sure you are shivering on your John Deere. That machine, I can see, really turns you on. I used to have a Wheel Horse with a snowplow on it, and that %#*&@ thing would not start at the first sign of snow.
‘I swear it hated cold weather more than I did. After a jump start and a few harsh words from me, I adjusted the wheel chains and braved the 3 ft bank of white misery.
‘No matter which direction I would travel the wind was always in my face, stinging and burning, which required me to wear goggles, a scarf, 4 pairs of mittens, big heavy coat, snow boots, hand and foot warmers and anything else to avoid frostbite.
‘Then I was stuck with another problem, like when I had eight boats. What fun that was. I soon found that maintenance required five days of work for each fun weekend day. This led me to golf, where there was no maintenance.
‘I’m just back from cruising the Caribbean and there was no sign of recession for 3,200 of us.
‘Remember, when you ask a cat which canary to buy, its first concern may not be how well it sings.?
A little background on Wally. When he came out of the 2-year stint in the Army he went to dental school. Then he came back home to Oxford and took over his dad’s dental practice in Pontiac. Dad was a dentist by trade and farmer by hobby and love.
But, Wally wasn’t aiming to make a lot of money, so he practiced dentistry Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Every weekend he could he went elk hunting in Colorado, moose hunting in Canada, snow skiing in New Hampshire and Idaho, fishing in Canada and Fairview and collecting coins.
He became very knowledgable on old money, then specialized in National Bank notes. He concentrated on Michigan National Bank notes and, after 30 years, wrote a coffee table size book on the subject. The demand for such a book isn’t great, and they sell for $125.
Wally has also got an affection for a small bulldozer and has worked it in developing three residential areas.
It’s the excitement he can generate in relating his experiences from his assortment of adventures that refreshes my outlook. Thanks, Wally.