Tim Clarke
06-13-2004, 09:09 PM
Hi, all
Just returned from attending my Daughter's graduation from the University of Washington. Not counting politics, it was a great experience. I managed a pit stop at Boeing Surplus. Thankfully, not too much I couldn't live without. [ read: lack of funds]
One of the finest things I saw was a elderly man, on the sidelines in a wheelchair. He sat in a area just ouside the stands, at the edge of the field. About 25 feet from where I was. Some handicapped folks were seated in similar areas around the Husky Stadium. He had family around him, maybe 6 or 7. After a couple minutes, I remarked to my wife, look, that old guy has a cap and gown, I wonder if he's graduating? Sure enough, he went up with the kids and got his sheepskin. He got up out of his wheelchair, and with the help of his grandaughter, a gorgeous blonde, and she helped him walk up the ramp to the podium. He stood tall and proud when he shook hands with the bigwig. Coming back to the sideline, he had the biggest smile of anyone there. Later, I saw a article in the paper about him. His name is Harry Pelzer, and he's 80 years old. His education was interupted by WW2, he had 35 missions in a B-17. After the war, family and work interferred and he was only one class away from having the requirements for graduation. The only class he needed was one that was to help graduates find a suitable career. Since he had started a company called Metal Detectors, inc, the university decided he had fulfilled the requirements, and so he graduated after all these years.
So, I think I'll retire to the shop, have a couple cold ones and run the vacuum cleaner. I like to tidy the shop on sunday evenings.
Regards to all, Tim
Just returned from attending my Daughter's graduation from the University of Washington. Not counting politics, it was a great experience. I managed a pit stop at Boeing Surplus. Thankfully, not too much I couldn't live without. [ read: lack of funds]
One of the finest things I saw was a elderly man, on the sidelines in a wheelchair. He sat in a area just ouside the stands, at the edge of the field. About 25 feet from where I was. Some handicapped folks were seated in similar areas around the Husky Stadium. He had family around him, maybe 6 or 7. After a couple minutes, I remarked to my wife, look, that old guy has a cap and gown, I wonder if he's graduating? Sure enough, he went up with the kids and got his sheepskin. He got up out of his wheelchair, and with the help of his grandaughter, a gorgeous blonde, and she helped him walk up the ramp to the podium. He stood tall and proud when he shook hands with the bigwig. Coming back to the sideline, he had the biggest smile of anyone there. Later, I saw a article in the paper about him. His name is Harry Pelzer, and he's 80 years old. His education was interupted by WW2, he had 35 missions in a B-17. After the war, family and work interferred and he was only one class away from having the requirements for graduation. The only class he needed was one that was to help graduates find a suitable career. Since he had started a company called Metal Detectors, inc, the university decided he had fulfilled the requirements, and so he graduated after all these years.
So, I think I'll retire to the shop, have a couple cold ones and run the vacuum cleaner. I like to tidy the shop on sunday evenings.
Regards to all, Tim