I was going to title this true story “Welcome Bigfoot Friends” but probably only Bigfoot fans would read it. And if you don’t read this, you’ll be missing out on meeting a father marching to a different drummer, while making an incredible difference in his son’s life.
However, this is what you should know about me. I strive to be a welcoming ambassador to everyone I meet. I know it is a difficult task. I act like a Walmart greeter on steroids. I smile, open doors, while shopping, make positive comments about team logos I see strangers wearing. When I see acquaintances and former co-workers in the wild zone of the frozen food section of the supermarket, I strike up a short conversation to catch up with them. I am a people person.
But what does this story have to do with Bigfoot, a large furry ape-like creature between 6.6 and 9.8 feet tall weighing over 500 pounds, covered in brown or reddish hair? It is a legend hidden somewhere in the forest. Over the years, there have been many eyewitness reports on him, large prints of him, handheld film recordings, audio recordings, blood and hair samples. There have also been many hoaxes and pranks related to finding Bigfoot in the wild. But where there is smoke, there is usually fire.
Internship set. Now I can continue with my meeting.
I was waiting for the garage door repairman to fix or replace my garage door track. My wife accidentally caught it while she was backing the car. I tried to fix the metal slide, but I wrinkled the curve more, making it almost beyond repair.
As the repairman got out of the truck, I opened the garage door, wondering if I would do the job without installing new, expensive runners. He was wearing jeans and a dusty, bulky black T-shirt. No uniform. There’s no Mr. Goodwrench look. He looked like a mountaineer or a World Federation wrestler. I know first impressions aren’t always right, but he didn’t impress me.
I greeted him and welcomed him to my garage and my problem, adding these works “I decided to find an expert to help me.”
He said: “I am not an expert in this area, but I have fixed several doors like this.”
He wrestled with the crooked runner and after a great struggle bent it back to work and dumped some oil on the little spinning wheels. He told me that he was all set, like new.
I asked him if he wanted a bottle of cold water. She said that she had some in the truck.
I was wondering what made this man tick; in other words, what mattered to her besides his work. I thought it might surprise me. I was already totally wrong about my first impression.
I asked him, “So what do you like to do for fun?”
His eyes rolled up remembering a funny scene and he said, “I’m looking for Bigfoot with my son in the mountains.”
When my mouth dropped open I asked “Do you believe in him?”
He replied, “Well, we had fun looking for him. It’s an adventure. We don’t want to hurt him, just hang out. Maybe take some photos. We bring fruits, nuts, and cold water to share with him. If he doesn’t show up, we eat the treats ourselves.” myself. My son, Ryan, loves to walk and be outside.”
“How old is your sound?”
“Well, he’s 12, but he has the mental age of 5. Ryan has a brain disorder. He literally has trouble doing things. The nerve endings in his body are all mixed up. He has to think things through to do normal things. But It has been getting better and better. That’s what counts. And he loves talking about Bigfoot, looking at Bigfoot photos, and learning about big animals. We often read together. I work two jobs to have enough money to get the best help for him.”
Tears circulated in my eyes. I wrote him a check for his services and said, “Wait a second, I have a present for him and I ran upstairs to get a copy of the poetry book.” Waiting to see the director and other poems.
I signed the paperback for Ryan and said, “There are a lot of repeating lines in my poems. You and Ryan will have fun repeating them. After a while, you’ll both have them memorized, which makes it even more fun to read.” “
“Yeah, you’ll love this book! And the pictures in it are funny too, sort of like Shel Silverstein’s books. Ryan loves all of your books. Thank you so much. Gotta get back on the road. Thanks again.”
“By the way, does Ryan really believe in the existence of Bigfoot?”
“OH YEAH! He says Bigfoot is just a good hiding place.”
And I said to myself: we are all good hiders unless an interested person asks the right questions.