Last night my wife and I took our two cars to a car show at a local Burger King. Shortly after we arrived a man who was probably fifty years old came by with his girlfriend. It was quite obvious that they were both developmentally disabled. I have never seen a person get so excited seeing the squad car. He saw my dummy prisoner in the back seat and went over to the open window and started talking to the dummy. He told him that he had been bad and that is why he had been caught and had a great conversation with him. He asked if he could sit in the front seat so I had him sit in the car and I gave him my deputy hat to wear. His girlfriend kept taking pictures of him and that poor guy was so happy. I gave him a picture of the car and a deputy badge sticker. He came back to the car twice before the night was over. Shortly after he left a young father came by with his son in a wheelchair. The son had cerebral palsy but knew all about Mayberry. The smile on his face when he saw the car and when I put a badge sticker on him really choked me up. It never ceases to amaze me what joy our wonderful Mayberry can bring to folks. I especially like it when the great big macho guys covered with tattoos and body piercings come up to the car and begin talking and asking about Mayberry. Mayberry is indeed a state of mind and continues to live in the hearts of the young and old and folks of all kinds. We were awarded the "Loyal Following" trophy last night for bringing the Squad Car to six of the Burger King shows this summer. I have a special Mayberry presentation to give this coming week at our city Historical Museum. There is a banquet for our Rotary Members and their wives and they asked me to present. They got permission to have me park the car at the entrance so I can greet and meet folks as they arrive. The museum has also agreed to have my book for sale in their gift shop. I told them I would donate all the profits from sales of the book back to the museum. I am hoping they can use the money to buy an old cannon with a busted barrel and TR engraved on it. That would be quite an addition. They already have the old marble soda fountain that was in the drug store back where I taught. My wife worked behind that soda fountain for about eight years.
Ken Anderson The Mayberry Guru 2906 May Street Eau Claire, WI 54701 715-839-8470 www.mayberryreflections.com [email protected] _______________________________________________ WBMUTBB mailing list [email protected] http://www.mayberry.com/tagsrwc/wbmutbb/
