“I wanted to be a bus driver when I was a kid…seeing it through the eyes of a little boy.” (Jim Lehrer) I used to spend time at the bus depot, watching buses come and go and dream about being a driver. 100 yrs ago, today, the Greyhound Bus Co got its start, going between Hibbing and Alice, Minnesota. The fare was 25 cents. Altho I never became a driver, seeing a Greyhound bus still brings back the childhood memory. Was there a “dream” for you? ;-) Jack
FROM WALMART REV: The dream of riding a bus from Willmar, MN to Little Rock, AR was more exciting than the reality of the experience . . . a 24 hour experience of rain and lighting throughout the night, falling behind 2 hours in the schedule, out of he way bus stops, tired and disgruntled passengers (some connecting from California and 24 hours overdue) . . . needless-to-say, an unforgettable experience-- thinking I'll hitchhike next!!====JACK: I can't remember the last time I took a trip on a bus, but I do remember my first date...taking a girl to a movie and riding the bus, because I didn't have a car. I don't think that we has a second date.
FRO GF IN DETROIT: I wanted to be a baseball player, I was at a Tiger game when the riots started in 67. The following year I recall many games listening to the radio where the Tiger came from behind in the late innings to win. I'm sure you know the rest of the story that year for Detroit. ====JACK: I moved to Detroit in 69 and became a Tigers' fan, abandoning the Cubs. After wanting to drive a Greyhound bus, I moved to wanting to be the tillerman on a fire engine. My favorite Tigers year was 1984, when they won the World Series after never being behind in the standings. Perfect!
FROM HAPPY TRAILS IN NOVA SCOTIA: I always loved stories about sailing ships, and there was a time when my dream was to captain one. I was told at the time that when I grew up there would no longer be any around. In recent years, they are building many new tall ships. However, I do not regret that I missed this opportunity. Hannelore and I have spent some weeks on windjammers in the Caribbean, and that was great. Our first windjammer voyage was on Fantome, a beautiful four-master with a colorful history. As I recall, she was about 250' long. Her keel was laid in Italy during the First World War as a steam-assisted Mediterranean supply ship for the Italian Navy. Her unfinished hull was spotted around 1927 by an English duke and duchess who purchased her, and had her towed to Britain and outfitted as their personal yacht. She was later bought by the Guiness scion, who moved her to Seattle to keep Britain from nationalizing her. After the war, she was bought by Aristotle Onassis and refurbished as a wedding gift to Prince Ranier and Princess Grace. Before she could be handed over, Onassis and Ranier had a big argument. Onassis was disinvited and that gift was never given. She was bought by the Windjammer Barefoot Fleet and was their flagship when we sailed. A couple of years later, she was caught in Hurricane Mitch and went down with all 32 crew; passengers had been put off before the ship ran for a safer place. Mitch, to the astonishment of the hurricane trackers, reversed course and nailed Fantome. This incident led to major investment and redesign of the US and other hurricane tracking models. All this was by memory but I am sure if you are interested you can find her story on the Internet.====JACK: "Tall Ships" are majestic! We have a painting of two of them, the Ariel and the Taeping (by Montague Dawson), tea-carrying "clippers" who raced from Hong Kong to London and finished just minutes apart.
FROM TAMPA SHIRL: I guess I just liked to travel! Shirley Peterson and I took the train to Colorado Springs Salt Lake City La Jolla California the summer of 1946! Since then I have been lucky enough to see the world!====JACK: I recall "Pete." You two probably had a great time. I remember riding on the train to Denver and sleeping in a Pullman upper berth. That was traveling in style. My first airplane trip was on a United DC-3 from Moline to Chicago.
FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: My dream was to become a Forest Ranger. I was told there were no women in the Forest Ranger program. But there were jobs in the following areas: hair dresser, teaching, secretaries and nursing! True story! Things have sure changed!====JACK: In "your" day women couldn't be pastors, either...and still can't in some churches, but they could be Sunday School teachers, sing in the choir and work in the kitchen. Being a Forest Ranger seems like a great job!
FROM FM IN WISCONSIN: To play baseball on the Chicago Cubs team – I still follow them and am pleased that the won in 2016.====JACK: I grew up as a Cubs fan. My pastor took me to my first Major League ball game in Wrigley Field. My grandmother was a seamstress and sewed the wedding dresses for the girls in the Wrigley family. That's as close as I got to playing for the Cubs.
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