Name Dropper

  Not sure what everyone did this week-end but I'm pretty sure that Andy Rooney "dropped by" to say hi to Dad or vice- versa.  As I have listened and read more about Andy this past week-end, they were very much alike. They were raised by humble although not destitute parents.  Mom raised the family while Dad did what he thought was "good" throughout the community, county and state.  Both Dad and Andy were bright and affluent enough to have the opportunity to matriculate to/from Colgate University where they each were fortunate enough to pursue their chosen fields.  Andy took a side adventure into the armed services and Dad, thanks to poor eyesight, remained in upstate New York.  Dad and Andy both had an uncanny affection for writing. I can attest to the skills of them both....Andy in his volumes of books and Dad in his volumes of notes...both of which contained litanies of wisdom....and opinions.  I often thought they would both be extraordinary Supreme Court Justices as their written opinions were timely, intelligent and vociferous through words.  Andy was quoted as saying he wanted to work (although he never really considered what he did..work) till the day he died.  Dad also made mentioned numerous times that if he could not go to work everyday, he did not want to remain here on earth.  Both were fortunate to achieve that desired goal.  Andy lived merely 4 weeks from his last 60 Minutes appearance and Dad, 19 hours from the time he last sat at his desk, this desk, at Hewitt Brothers.  Both left lasting legacies for me!  Both were curmudgeons on the outside and gooey on the inside. Andy stated in his last interview that he got paid to write and therefore hated being confronted on the street, approached in a restaurant, or asked for his autograph or a reply to fan mail.....although every book he wrote, when sent to him by me, he happily messaged and signed as a gift from me to Dad.
I miss them both and hope they're as content with what they accomplished as we are with what they taught us (me).

An interesting article in today's New York Times!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/opinion/ever-wondered-about-andy-rooney-and-stationery.html?emc=eta1