Equal Time

I'm trying to care about Paula Abdul, Corey Clark, Dr. James Dobson, Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong, Jesse Jackson, Michael Eisner, Barbara Streisand, any of the Bush brothers, Ted Kennedy, Jennifer Wilbanks to name a little over a dozen. It's not that I scoff at their achievements, or take lightly the controversial issues they respresent. I like some of Streisand's stylings. (did I say that right?) I just don't like them, and wonder why we give them so much attention. Why do THEY dominate our water cooler intercourse?

I would rather talk about people who really do interesting things. I want to talk about people I'd like to or have had a pepsi or beer with.  Who's that?

"Paco," who took a shoe home with him that a woman had thrown at him in a bar. From that shoe he built a collection of hundreds of shoes strung out on a barbed wire fence for a quarter of a mile.

"John Bauer," who collects, stores and ages animal waste as if it were fine wine. He really gets excited about watching things turn green.

"Catherine Hurlbutt," the bird lady, who has been rescuing wild urban birds for 40 years. Her constant companion is a Huge talking raven whose vocabulary consists mainly of, "oh boy!"

"Cindy Bowlen," who has been known to take stranded travelers at Denver International Airport home with her for the night. She's been helping out the truly travel needy for decades. 

"Mike Pettiford," semi retired race car professional, who will teach anyone, even me, to speed around an oval on anything with an engine. He'll also teach you how to drive on ice.

"John Horan," who heads up a family owned string of mortuaries. I know you're not going to believe this, but John has this great sense of humor.

"Jack Wilhite," retired United Pilot, who flew in Korea, and Vietnam. He now flys the only Chinese MIG 17 in the United States. Ask him about the time the canopy flew off at 20 thousand feet. Guess where he had to go to get a new one? Oh, and he played in the Yankee farm system before he went into the military. His senior team, of which he is the most senior, routinely wins the national championship.

"Polly Baca," who in mind has re-written the definition of politician. She's been the regional director of the GSA, Secretary to the National Democratic Party, and held a whole bunch of elected offices. And here is another one of those, "you won't believe its." Polly is one of the warmest, most genuine, gracious, funny, lively people you'll ever meet.

Okay, that's it for now. Call it my version of equal time. Wouldn't you rather talk about them than that other group? I do need to toss in a quick disclaimer. For those of you who've I've not yet had a beer with, this does not mean I'm buying.