I hope everyone had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day weekend feels a little different as an employer, or as someone who works in a newspaper office. For this newspaper, our deadlines really aren’t affected by Labor Day. Other papers, which print earlier in the week, were required to have their papers finished/laid out for printing on Saturday, a full two days earlier than what is typical. I’m glad I didn’t have to do that. But, on the other hand, it meant that I was working on Monday.
The office is closed on holidays, which means I can work from anywhere.
I spent my weekend with my friends having a grill-out on Monday. I worked from my computer throughout the day at various points, an opportunity I’m grateful for. Most people, when they have to work on a holiday, don't have the luxury of working from wherever they please.
With the fall season beginning soon, and school starting this week, things at the newspaper are starting to heat up a bit. Thursday night was officially the start of the football season. The Panthers, unfortunately, lost 14-0 in Randolph. I enjoyed a scenic drive, which brought me through Morristown, followed by Dundas and Northfield. I believe it was the first time I’ve ever driven through Northfield. It was an hour-long drive, but I enjoyed it.
Once at the game, I ran into, well, everyone I know. Dan Stork filled me in on Randolph and how they were a season ago. He also recapped the first couple of minutes of the game for me as it took me a while to find a parking space. (Yes, I was late. I shouldn’t have enjoyed the drive as much as I did.)
My first memory of Dan was from gym class. He, of course, was one of my gym teachers in elementary school. I don’t remember what he was teaching us, but he made a joke about his belly button and everyone laughed.
Throughout the softball season, and at other sporting events, I run into Dan a lot, and he’s always there to lend a helping hand in filling me in on what I should know about the other team, our team also, and what I may have missed. I really enjoy those conversations.
From Dan I went to the sidelines to start taking pictures. I really enjoy taking photos at football games. The lighting this early in the fall is just beautiful and I found myself smiling on the sidelines as I took pictures.
Shortly thereafter I ran into Johnnie Phillips, the sports editor at the Steele County Times. He asked me for my assessment of the NRHEG football program, and then Randolph. I may or may not have simply repeated everything Dan Stork just told me.
I don’t run into Johnnie all that often. Like Dan, I enjoy talking to Johnnie and after running into each other often enough, we worked out an arrangement where we share photos we take at various NRHEG sporting events. It is difficult to be in two places at once.
On this day, however, we talked for much of the first half. Something I enjoyed thoroughly was hearing about what it was like working for our neighboring newspaper, the Steele County Times. It’s interesting to compare how other newspapers operate compared to ours. Turns out, this newspaper isn’t all that different from those around Southern Minnesota.
I chatted with several readers this week who had very nice comments I would like to share.
I have an update in the ever-evolving case of Mrs. Hagen, the reader who remembers me running up to her on the street from my house when I was 3 years old to hug. Mrs. Hagen wrote me a very kind letter after my previous column recounting the experience. Since, another reader whose name escapes me at this moment, stopped into the office and chatted about the same experience.
“I remember when that happened. Mrs. Hagen and I were out for our morning walk the next day and it was all she could talk about.”
I really should write these folks' names down, so I don’t forget. Oh, well, you know who you are.
Nancy Rudau, one of my former English teachers, stopped me at the school last Wednesday. I was there dropping off the NRHEG activity poster and calendars, and, of course, I strolled through the school to visit a couple teachers.
Nancy saw me and stopped me to tell me how much she appreciated the column I wrote a couple months ago about grief. She said she liked the way I wrote that, when a memory of a loved one comes back to you randomly, to enjoy it and think of them giving you a hug, or simply that they’re saying hi. The grieving process never really ends.
I have more than one fond memory of Nancy’s classes as a student.
My favorite is when she asked us students to write about “our happy place.”
She gave examples of: enjoying a cookie; or going to a baseball game.
I thought about it and a thought occurred to me, something which I think is really important for a writer. “What if?”
Instead of writing about a place, or an action, I wrote about a recurring dream I had growing up. It was a happy place, a field with a bench, a swing set and always a beautiful sunset. I didn’t know what she would think about it, but the thought excited me so much, something sparked inside of me, and I just went for it. I think that was the first A ever received on a writing assignment from her. She wrote me a paragraph note on the paper and it still makes me smile when I think about it.
I also remember a speech I gave in her class. She asked us to bring in a prop, or an item, and talk about why it was important and memorable. I brought in the foul ball I caught at a Twins game a couple years earlier. Danny Valencia, that’s who hit the foul ball.
My dad and I got to the game late, he was really crabby, and until that foul ball came our way, it was the worst experience I’d ever had at a baseball game, ever.
And then Danny hit me a ball. I was the only one in our section, down the left field line at Target Field, to stand up when the ball came our way. It hit the seat in front of me, rolled back and ended up directly behind me, a row up, underneath a seat. I grabbed the ball, and immediately a hand shot down to try and grab it away. I can still picture that hand coming out of nowhere, but, alas, I had a firm grasp. I didn’t let anyone touch the ball for three innings.
When the season ticket holder came back, whose seat the ball hit, she didn’t stop joking about how she hadn’t had a ball come her way all season.
That was the story I shared in Nancy Rudau’s class that day. I’m grateful that was the assignment. I, like most at that age, hated public speaking. But, given the circumstances, I was excited to share the story about my foul ball.
It’s kind of funny how many memories, emotions and interactions result from one conversation. I’m grateful for this giant game of telephone called life, which I get to share every week in the newspaper.
“Always be surrounded by people that you like, people who have a nice conversation. There are so many positive things to think about. A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than 10 years mere study of books.” - Sophia Loren, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.