Yesterday I received my Mayberry Cap Badge that I had made at
EPoliceSupply.com. It turned our really great. I know a number of
people have asked about where they could get one. EPoliceSupply.com
told me they may make some up so people could order them. I put a
picture of it on my website at www.mayberryreflections.com if you would
like to see it. Cost was roughly $80. If you stop by my site and look
at it, please take a minute and sign my guestbook. It is always nice to
see who has stopped by.
Today is the six year anniversary of the passing of Don Knotts. I wrote
the following tribute to Don Knotts as part of my book. I wrote it
shortly after he passed away. I thought I would repost it if anyone
would care to read it.
How does one begin to say farewell to a living legend? For
people of all ages and from every walk of life, February 26,
2006, was a very sad day. It was the day when the world lost a great
and gifted performer. For more than forty-five years Don Knotts has
touched the hearts of millions as he portrayed that bumbling,
nervous, and loveable Deputy Barney Fife.
We first met Barney Fife and the wonderful people of Mayberry
back on October 3, 1960, when the very first episode, “The New
Housekeeper” was aired. It was at that time when we were first
introduced to Mayberry, North Carolina and Barney Fife. Television
and comedy would never be the same again.
Ken’s Personal Tribute to Don Knotts
My friends and I grew up watching The Andy Griffith Show. It didn’t
take long for me to realize that Mayberry was a very special place,
and the people who lived there were very special people. However,
many people considered Mayberry to be a totally unrealistic and
phony town. But growing up in a small town very similar to Mayberry,
I can attest to the fact that there were towns like Mayberry. I use the
past tense were because those days of Mayberry and the And
Griffith Show are no longer here. Gone are those simpler and much
slower times when virtues such as innocence, caring, modesty,
respect, and simplicity were the norm in countless small towns
throughout this great land. However, because of reruns and DVD’s,
Barney Fife will continue to be a part of our lives for many years to
come, and generations of people yet to be born will be able to meet
and enjoy those loveable folks from Mayberry.
People who know me well often call me Barney. All you have to do
is look at my license plate on my car and you will understand why. It
is B FIFE. I wear a Barney Fife collector’s wristwatch, and I carry a
Barney Fife driver’s license in my wallet. When I dress up for a
special event, I quite often wear one of my beautiful Barney Fife ties.
If I am out for a leisurely walk you may see me wearing one of my
favorite Mayberry sweatshirts or t-shirts. I drink soda from a Barney
Fife stein, and we often serve food on our Barney Fife dishes. I have
a Mayberry pennant hanging in my den, and I have numerous
pictures of Barney Fife around the house. My bookcase contains
books about Mayberry and several specifically about Barney Fife.
And last but not least, my model train collection slowly travels
through my complete collection of all the important buildings of
Mayberry. So you might say I am rather a fanatic when it comes to
Don Knotts. And you are right; when it comes to Don Knotts I have a
special place in my heart just for him.
When I retired early from teaching because of medical issues I had
a difficult time accepting my final day of teaching. On that very
momentous day, the teachers at Fall Creek Public Schools dressed
up as Barney Fife. They presented me with a large poster of Barney
Fife. However, it had one alteration. Instead of Barney Fife’s face on
the poster, it had mine. They knew how to make my final and difficult
day of teaching a very special one. They included Barney Fife in my
farewell.
Television today is unlike television when Barney Fife and Mayberry
first debuted. Standards of conduct and decency were quite
different. To this day, families can gather around the television and
know that for the next thirty minutes they will share in good clean
humor without any embarrassment.
Through his portrayal of Barney Fife, Don Knotts taught me many
things; some of which I carried with me throughout my thirty-six years
of teaching. In one of his most memorable scenes, Barney was
defending Andy when he was removed from the office of sheriff. In
defense of Sheriff Taylor, Barney said, “When you are dealing with
people instead of going by the book, it is better to go by the heart.”
How much better the world would be today if each of us could live by
that simple philosophy.
There will always be a special place in my heart for Don Knotts.
Unfortunately I never had the privilege of meeting Don. But if I had, I
know what I would have said. It would have been, “Thank you Mr.
Knotts. Thank you for giving me forty-six years of laughter. Thank
you for making my life just a little bit better by having entered my
home for so many years. Thank you for setting a standard for others
to follow.”
Ten-four Barney. Over and out.
Farewell, Don Knotts. Farewell, Barney Fife. Farewell to a
comedian whose likes we shall never see again. Thank you for all
the memories.
About the
Ken Anderson
2906 May Street
Eau Claire WI 54701
kanderson8...@charter.net
www.mayberryreflections.com
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