Veteran and pupil meet in kindergarten

3/20/2000

Jim Rose, a World War II veteran, wore his Army honor guard uniform when he visited Hiawatha School in Toledo.

Jim, who is 78, often wears the uniform in ceremonies and other events representing Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 606.

This day he accompanied Kate McCorman to talk to kindergarten pupils about safety. The children were seated on the floor when the two of them entered, Jim says.

''One little boy immediately jumped up, ran over, and hugged me,'' Jim says.

The boy then walked to his teacher and told her: ''That's my grandpa!''

''It was quite a moment,'' Jim says. ''It brought tears to my eyes. Of course, I'd never seen the boy before and he'd never seen me.''

One leg or two?

Here's an on-the-job story from Hickory Farms founder Dick Ransom, who recalls a business day in New York some years ago.

In a hotel bar, Dick and a friend were invited to join another man, who turned out to be Al Capp, creator of the comic strip Li'l Abner.

''We ended up in a Greek restaurant on the second floor and when Al asked for help climbing stairs, we realized he had a wooden leg,'' Dick says.

Capp told them of another night, when he left a bar feeling no pain and fell into bed, simply letting his pants, and leg, fall to the floor.

''In the morning he called for room service and a waiter told him he would bring an extra plate for Al's friend. Then he asked, ''Shall I pour your friend's coffee or wait until he wakes up?'

''Al was mystified and asked the waiter what he was talking about.

''The waiter pointed to the floor, where Al's leg and shoe stuck out from under the bed.''

Unstoned in Florida

Mike Dandar has spent several winters on Sanibel Island, Fla., enjoying warm weather at the house of his daughter, Nancy Tracy.

But this year Mike was plagued with kidney stones and required surgery while there.

From Sanibel, Nancy, there with her dad, updated the family on his progress by e-mail sent to Mike's other children, Barb Berente and Jim Dandar in Toledo, Jean Hanely in Bowling Green, granddaughter Nickie Crowe of Jasper, Ga., and grandsons Jason LaBonte at Emory University, and Erik Tracy at DePauw University.

The updated e-mail reports then were telephoned to Mike's wife, Rose, and another son, Michael.

Everyone always knew which message was about Mike and his kidney stones. The e-mail was entitled "rocks that don't roll."

Three generations

March 21 is the 64th wedding anniversary of Wayne and Marjorie Walbolt.

March 21 is the second anniversary of their daughter and husband, Nancy and Joe Yeary.

March 21 is the eighth anniversary of Wayne's and Marjorie's granddaughter and husband, Debra and Randy Strausbaugh.

Kid stuff

Finally, this twist on leap year birthdays: Norine Huber Combs of Oregon is either 44 or 11, however you count. On her 43rd birthday, her family treated her like a 10-year-old, with a surprise party, Minnie Mouse theme, a kid's cake, a piata, and Barbie doll, and other kid's toys for presents.

The Last Word

"There is one thing that sobers people up after a lot of drinking in a cocktail lounge," says Tolly Horwitz. "It's called a check."

Got a funny or unusual story? Call Mike Tressler, 724-6107, or send to The Blade, Box 921, Toledo, O. 43660, or e-mail mtressler@theblade.com.