Hello Stranger...

Left the house around 2pm for a nice ride this afternoon. Planned to do the Dixboro Loop (which is about 40 miles). When I left the house the temperature was about 41. As I got along 7 mile (about the 10 mile mark) it started to rain steadily. Once I got to Pontiac Trail (about 15 miles) it was freezing rain and the temperature had dipped to 34. When I got to the intersection of PT and North Territorial (the 20 mile mark) I was having trouble feeling my feet and decided to call it a day. I called Karen and she came out to rescue me.

While I was waiting, I entered the party store on the corner there. This is where my day got really interesting. I noticed two men as I entered. One was a latin looking older man (around 60?) and the other was a much older man (around 85?) with a John Deere cap. The former was working behind the counter and the latter was holding up a shelving unit. They both looked me over and Mike (the owner of the store, apparently) asked me if I had had enough. We started small talking.

The two gentlemen could not have been more fascinating. Mike knew every customer that entered by name. Every time a customer would exit, Mike and the "old-timer" (I didn't get his name) would talk about them. Things like where they lived ("the old farm on 6 mile"), who was their mother and father ("it was the great grandfather that originally owned all the land"), wife/husband/son/daugher ("his son played for the Kansas City Royals"), what piece of land they owned or had sold ("three million... he GAVE IT AWAY... but he was in debt, so he had to sell... gave it away"). Each time someone entered, Mike would greet them by name and shake their hand.

The old-timer began to relate to me how he remembered when North Territorial had been a dirt road. And that he was a young man in '37 when they paved it. He gave me great details about how they did it. What it looked like and even smelled like. He talked about how the people "from the city" would come out North Territorial each weekend in their model A's to go to the lakes out west. The two men continued to talk about the various roads in the area and when they had been paved. I was completely captivated by the whole conversation. Cold... but captivated.

After a few more customers came in and out (greeted each time by name) I said to Mike "is there ANYONE THAT COMES IN THIS STORE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW?" He thinks for a second and then says "you, but we've taken care of that now haven't we?". I proceed to completely introduce myself to him and he says "I've been standing in this spot for 31 years now. I figure I'd know a few of these folks by now".

As Karen drove into the lot, I extended my hand to my new friends and bid them goodbye. As Mike shook my hand he looked in my eyes and repeated "John... Nice to meet you." I said the same and promised him I'd stop in again during one of my Dixboro loop rides.

The whole way home I just felt like I had experienced something special. Now, a few hours later, I'm sure I did.

And I wished I had asked that old-timer his name.
J