FAMILIES & TRAX
He was sitting in the TRAX station waiting for the train when a young
boy (probably about nine) came in and very nervously looked around. He could
tell the boy was uncomfortable, so he slid over on the seat and asked the boy
if he would like to sit by him. He told him he had a grandson about his age.
The boy looked around and finally said, “yes I guess I would” and sit
down. They sat there a few moments without saying anything, the boy looking at
the floor, and the man watching him out if the corner of his eye, without
making it obvious.
Finally the man said, “So I guess you are going up-town today, since
school is out?” The boy thought for a few minutes and then told him that yes he
was going up-town to have lunch with his Mother, as it was a special occasion
today, because his Mom had got a new job with her company and they were going
to have a fancy lunch to celebrate. “We are going to Lamb’s Grill. It will cost
a lot of money, and I have to put on my best manners.’’
They sat for a few more minutes and the boy said, “Are you going up-town
to work?” Well the man thought about that for a few minutes and then told the
boy he was going to the Family History Library, and yes he kind of worked there
but it was not a job that he got paid for. He tried to explain he was trying to
find the names and information on all of his family members as far back as he
could. That interested the boy and he told the man that his grandma used to do
that. They chatted about that for a few minutes then the boy said,
“I’ll bet that is real boring.”
After they had just sit a few minutes the boy said, “I’ll bet you are
about as old as my Grandpa. Of course then the man asked him how old his
Grandpa was. The boy told him he really did not know because every time he
asked him he just told him that he was older than dirt, and then he would
laugh. My Grandpa thought that was funny, but I didn’t because I never did know
how old he really was, but he looked like he was about the same age as you are.
The boy said, “My Grandma was REALLY old
before she died. She told me a story once about riding her horse to the post
office to get the mail and to the store to get groceries. One time when she
went to the post office the horse “pooped” in the street and she didn’t even get
in trouble. She said it happened to a lot of people so it was no big deal. The
man laughed and told the boy he was sure that was a true story because he
remembered those days also.
The man asked him if his Dad was going to meet him and his Mom, for lunch.
The boy said “no, my Dad got killed in a plane crash two years ago in a place
called Iraq. He was in a war over there. A lot of his friends were over there
also. The old man told him he was very sorry about that and thanked him for
telling him such a personal thing.
Then the man said, “Do you have a name? Well of course you do that was a
dumb question for me to ask,” The boy told him his name was David Caleb Levi
Johnson, but people just called him Dave. The man snickered a little and said,
“I can see why you prefer just “Dave”. My name is Wally and that is what people
call me, so you can call me that.” The boy then explained that his Mom wanted
him to call older people Mister and Mrs. and if it was OK he would call him
“Mr. Wally”.
They talked some more and Dave told him that his Dad was pretty old when
he died. He was born way back in 1979. Wally almost chuckled but realized this
was not the time or place to do that.
Dave also told Wally that he remembered that his Dad was fun to be with.
Sometimes he got to spend ALL DAY with just the two of them doing things. He
told him that one day they got to spend the whole day at LAGOON and Dave ate so
much cotton-candy that he “threw-up” on one of the rides. (It seems like he did
not remember being sick near as much as being all day with just his Dad.)
He told Wally that another time he spent all day fishing with his Dad.
They did not catch many fish, but they skipped flat rocks on the water, he waded
in the lake. They ate a lunch that his Mom had fixed and they spent all day
just talking and laughing and having fun.
Then on one special day we went to an Air Base Museum and they had all
kinds of planes you could look at and some you could even touch. There were
some that were really, really big and some that were so neat looking that they
even looked like they were flying when they were just sitting there on the
ground. When the guys that worked there found out my Dad flew one of the planes
it was a big deal. Everyone gathered around and wanted to talk to him. I was super
proud of him. That was a real fun day.
Of course my Dad died flying one of those type planes, but I did not
know that would happen when we were visiting the museum.
Mister Wally asked Dave if he kept a journal or a diary like his Grandma
had suggested. Dave told him he had one but mostly he forgot to write in it.
They chatted a while about how a journal was part of Family History and if he
kept one he would, for sure. Remember all the fun things he and his Dad had
done. He would also remember when he and his Mom went out for something
special, like today. And he would actually remember that his Grandpa always
told him that he was older than dirt. Dave told him that was a good idea and he
would try and remember to write and would have his Mom remind him.
They were not so far away from Dave’s stop on TRAX so Mister Wally asked
him if he gave him a note for his Mom, would he promise to give it to her and
not read it before she did. He told Dave he wanted to tell her what a great
young man she had for a son and to tell her they had talked and let her know
who he was. If course Dave smiled a mile wide smile that only young people can
give and assured Wally that he would do that.
Mr. Wally opened his briefcase got out a piece of paper and an envelope
and wrote a note, put it in an envelope, sealed it and gave it to Dave.
A few minutes later TRAX stopped, Dave waved to Mr. Wally and started up
the street to a young mother who was hurrying toward him. They hugged and Dave
handed her the envelope and quickly explained what it was. His Mom looked
toward the train but it had started and was going on up the street.
Dave and his Mom went to lunch, and yes Dave was on his best behavior.
As they were paying the bill Dave’s Mom saw the envelope in her purse. She took
it out and opened it and saw a $100.00 bill. The note was simple---You have a
wonderful Son. I hope this will pay for your lunch or take him out and spend a
full day with him doing something different.
MR. WALLY
Tears were running down Mom’s cheeks and she asked Dave who the man was
that talked to him on the train? He told her it was Mr. Wally, but he did not
know his last name. He also told her he was a lot like Grandpa Johnson; He even
said he was older than dirt.
They watched whenever they rode TRAX but they never did see Mr. Wally
again--- At least not that they knew of???
W.R. Baldwin
1 January 2016
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