Couple's story proves we live in a wonderful world
Have you noticed that it is getting easier to believe that humanity is going to hell in a handbasket?
Here is a story that should help restore your faith.
Last week, someone dropped off a page-and-a-half long letter to the Daily Bee that was titled: “A beautiful story.”
It went like this:
“Millard and Jan Swales meet their children at Stacey’s County Kitchen in Sagle each week, since it has become so difficult for the elderly couple to drive to Coeur d’Alene, so their children drive to Sagle instead to meet Mom and Dad.
“Last week (two weeks ago, Tuesday) was the Swales 25th wedding anniversary, both having lost their first spouses. This particular day, they were going all the way to Coeur d’Alene.
“Millard needed to see the hearing aid technician at Costco desperately, even though he could not get through the switchboard to get an appointment. They stopped at Stacey’s for a cup of coffee before tackling the long journey.
“While visiting with Lisa and Mike Chronic, the owners of Stacey’s Country Kitchen, they mentioned their non-scheduled hearing appointment at Costco and their planned stop at Red Lobster for an early anniversary dinner.
“Lisa told them that she could get through to Costco because she was a good customer and ordered a lot of merchandise for the restaurant through Costco. She made the call and Millard had an appointment.”
“During this time, while chatting with Millard, something was mentioned that Millard was a Shriner. Unbelievably, Lisa and Mike’s daughter had been helped at the Shriner’s Hospital.
“Even more surprisingly, one of the waitresses’ children had experienced a life-saving experience at the Shriner’s Hospital — a touching moment for everyone, to the say the least, many hugs and thank yous followed.
“Later in the day, Millard had his hearing aid fixed and the couple was off to Red Lobster to celebrate. Upon arrival at the restaurant, the manager approached them and asked if they were Jan and Millard.
“Saying that they were, they were informed that the dinners had been paid for by Lisa and Mike and the rest of the crew at Stacey’s.
“But, most of all, it was a priceless exchange of gratitude spanning many years that resulted in a sensitive and heartwarming “thank you.”
“It’s a wonderful world.”
I saw Lake Pend Oreille School District Superintendent Dick Cvitanich during Bloomsday and at the finish line. We both were impressed by how many healthy, good-looking Bonner County residents were at Bloomsday.
I talked up Jacey’s Race and The Scenic Half to several running buddies along the way and everyone was impressed that the town of Sandpoint has become a great running town.
I didn’t know:
• Babies are born with no kneecaps. They don’t appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.
• A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.
• A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
• Almonds are a member of the peach family.
• A “jiffy” is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.
Sheriff’s log: On April 18 at 3:14 p.m., officer Crossley responded to a call that two male juveniles dumped candy into Sand Creek.
A copy of the June 17, 1940, San Jose Mercury Herald, sheds a little light into the wild world of census taking.
With the army of census takers now knocking on doors, let me share what Mrs. Eva Canfield, 67, went through in 1940.
The Associated Press dateline was Coeur d’Alene.
“The nation’s toughest census taking job was over today, and the woman who handled it was back at her home in Florence, Idaho, after 70 lonesome days in the tumbled Salmon River country.”
The retired school teacher covered 2,000 square miles afoot, horseback, on skis and, at times, jouncing along in a truck owned by some sheepman or miner.
She once rode in a pickup with her feet up on a 25-pound sack of gold.
Her longest trip on skis was 40 miles.
On her first census adventure in 1930, Mrs. Canfield disappeared for six weeks when she went to count noses along the Salmon River, otherwise known as the “River of No Return.” She reappeared just as a search party was being organized.
The 5-4, 120-pound woman earned a reputation as someone the census could count on to get the job done.
Question of the week: How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
Thought to the week: Was learning cursive really necessary? Bad decisions usually make good news stories.
David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.