Many people touch our lives and leave an imprint. We may not remember it happening, but it’s there.
Recently, I attended a book signing at the Ethic Heritage Museum in Rockford. When I saw it publicized on Facebook, the author’s name, Bob Hill, rang a bell. In the ’70s, he had served as one of the state editors at the Rockford Morning Star while I was a community correspondent. He sat at the newspaper’s desk, accepted my collect call before the 10 p.m. deadline and cradled the telephone with his shoulder while typing as I dictated my report from a local school board or a village board evening meeting.
We met face to face after the superintendent’s secretary phoned me one afternoon to pass along the information that the school board planned to close their evening meeting to the public while they discussed whether to send busses to pick up students at their homes in the nearby, private, recreational development, Lake Summerset. Their proposed action would be contrary to the state’s open meeting act and I tattled to my editor.
While my husband was donning his uniform and paraphernalia for his 3 to 11 shift at the sheriff’s department, we had a row about the upcoming meeting. In general, cops don’t have much love for reporters. Ken said, “Your dad will be fired and our kids will flunk just because you won’t keep your nose out of where it isn’t wanted,” At that time, my dad was a janitor at the school and our three children were students.
That evening, with Bob Hill and another reporter, Joe Baker, sitting at the press table with Sue, the editor of the local weekly, and me, the board complied with the law. My family experienced no repercussions.
At the book signing, I didn’t recognize the old man who used a walking stick to move from the chair beside his wife of 63 years, Janet, to the stool positioned in front of the microphone.
After his presentation, he signed copies of his memoir, “Out There.” When I told him we used to talk on the telephone, he didn’t remember me. I didn’t expect that he would.
Who are some of the people who have touched your life briefly?