The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

• Headlines
• Sports
• Forums
• Weather
• Classifieds

• Help
• Log in
• Home

• E-mail story
• Post a comment
• iPod friendly version

As might be expected, I never know when one of these columns will catch enough attention to bring a response back to me. That is particularly true, I think, about the columns I write about your responses. Sometimes, however, those columns about responses do bring more responses. That would even happen more often, if I had my way.

That did happen on a Friday just after a response-type column had appeared the evening before. A lady I met on the street told me how much she had liked that column. Then, Lee Sudlow, up here in biology on the campus, told me how much he and his wife had laughed when they read the story about the old man seeing the skinny-dippers in his pond. That was a response-type story which had come from Loren Johnson out in California. Other people give me comments about that column, too.

Such responses to responses are great! It is good for my ego. You would keep on responding, not only to me but to other writers also, if I had my way.

Many verbal responses have been made to me at the volleyball and basketball games. I have mentioned that before, but they do keep coming.

At a volleyball game, a lovely young woman bent over the person sitting next to me and told me how much she enjoyed my column. I would keep doing them for a long, long time, if she had her way, she told me. I did thank her for her kind words. And it boosted my ego so that I got extra enjoyment from the volleyball.

We get to the basketball games early so that we can get a close parking place. Neither of us can walk comfortably two or three blocks to get to the auditorium. Sometimes we are too early because they do not open the doors and start taking tickets until 45 minutes or so before the game.

We were sitting there in the big entry area when an older gentleman with a cane entered. He approached us and said that I would write a column about how they ought to open the place earlier, if he had his way.

As I said, I get a lot of comments about these columns at basketball games. There is time for people to move about and chat at halftime and between games. Some time ago, I wrote about the loud music there. People still often ask me why it is still too loud. Another time, I wrote about how often the Star Spangled Banner is goofed-up when sung before the game. Lots of people tell me that would stop, if they had their way.

I have written a couple of columns about the horrid bureaucracy in our health-care system and how the system is a mess. That topic brought many comments at games. I particularly recall one long chat on the subject with Phil Brough.

And sometimes I have even gotten comments just before the basketball games. We were at Wendy’s one evening, on our way to a game. A man who was dining there with his wife said to me that, “If I had my way, I would see you at the basketball game in a few minutes. Keep writing those columns. We like them.” So it goes. I am always pleased.

I also get lots of responses to my columns when I go to Graves Drugs. One day, I was going into Graves to pick up a prescription, as I regularly do. A young man, who was also going in, opened the door and held it for me. He said, “I would hold the door for you, if I had my way. I like your columns. You are John Peterson, aren’t you?” I said I was, thanked him and moved on in feeling quite elated.

Another time, I went into Graves to pick up a prescription. As I approached the pharmacy counter, a gentleman standing there said, “If I had my way, you would sit there on that chair until they get your prescription ready.” I laughed and thanked him, but I told him that I had called in my prescription yesterday so I would not have to wait very long.

I was walking down Commercial Street using my cane, as I often do these days. A gentleman coming toward me stopped and said, “If I had my way, you would not have to be using that cane. That indicates that you are getting along in years and maybe that means you will not be writing your columns much longer. I like them and want you to keep doing them. You will, if I have my way.”

Well! I thanked him for his kind words and told him that I agreed with him. I hoped that I would keep writing much longer. I like them and want you to keep doing them. You will, if I have my way.”

Well! I thanked him for his kind words and told him that I agreed with him. I hoped that I would keep writing these trivial columns. I certainly would, if I had my way, I told him.

There, then, you have some more responses which I get to these trivial columns. I do not know how many I have written about your responses, but there have been several. And I expect there will be many, many more of them. I like to do them and a good number of you seem to like them, too. So keep up making responses, not only to me, but to other writers, too. You would do that, if I had my way.