Park Bench

[FF]

Steve Mc Queen

 

[old salt]

You are having an evening stroll through the park on a warm fall evening and decide to rest for a while on a bench.

Who would you like to have walk up and sit beside you for a pleasant one hour conversation? Anyone past or present.
-------------------------------------------

Other than family? (After thinking about for a while)... Robert Beebe, the naval officer and designer who wrote Voyaging Under Power. While my boat certainly diverges from his PASSAGEMAKER, I'd certainly enjoy the conversation. Others in that vein? Phil Bolger, Frank Schertzer, Bill Garden, Dynamite Payson, Weston Farmer, Billy Atkin...(grin) s/Pete

 

[jimisbell]

I once sat down in an airport and found myself next to Desmond TuTu. Dont know if that is spelled right. Had a very interesting conversation about Racial Prejudice. I didnt know who he was till a year later. Missed an opportunity, but maybe not maybe it was a better conversation with me not knowing who he was. Just an interesting guy with some colorful robes.


Now if I were picking today and could not pick a religeous person, (I assume that includes most people before 1000 BC since those are mostly the ones we know of) I would pick the guy/gal that invented the wheel. Would like to know what inspired him/her.

 

[CaptainDwight]

Easy for me, always was, always will be, Chuck Yeager!

 

[jimisbell]

Rats you changed my thinking with that one. Now I want to visit with Scott Crossfield.

 

[ben2go]

You are having an evening stroll through the park on a warm fall evening and decide to rest for a while on a bench.

Who would you like to have walk up and sit beside you for a pleasant one hour conversation? Anyone past or present.

Family and religious figures excluded.

I know there are a lot of people who read this forum and never post - this might be a great way of making your first post and letting us know, indirectly, a little bit about yourself!

I know you said no family. You never said still living. My father. He passed away when I was a small child. I never got to know him like most people get to know their father's. Other than him, I can't think of anyone right off hand.

 

[Jonboy108]

park bench partner

I once shared a nice email conversation with John Rousmaniere, who was writing a book called 'AFTER THE STORM' at the time. I'd like to sit with him, ruminating with Rousmaniere. Second choice would be a singer songwriter from Canada by the name of Stan Rogers. Anyone who knows the Great Lakes must listen to his song White Squall. He also wrote about farmers, derelict boat rescuers, pirates, lockkeepers, amazing thoughtfulness....

 

[bykpjfk]

I would have to say Mr. Harlin, my high school senior history teacher in 1964-65. So knowledgeable of history, and how it impacted the present day.
Dismissed the girls early one afternoon in order to talk with the guys. He wanted to assure us that no western country would ever be so foolish as to enter land combat anywhere in Asia.
I used to think about him a lot while pulling perimeter guard in Pleiku.

 

[Capt Nemo]

I would love to spend 60 minutes on a park overlooking the ocean, not talking with, but listening, to God. I charter to Him quite regularly. So , I would love to listen to his problems for a change. A few years ago, my wife and I were holidaying in Lima, Peru.
Our flights home got screwed up at the airport, and my wife got an earlier (12 hrs) flight ahead of me. That airport has sooo many people and sooo few chairs, I walked around till I found the chapple. Guess what. It was empty. I layed on a very long bench, spoke to God, asked ìf He would please keep my wife safe on her journey home and I fell asleep. Next morning, my wife called; were you able to get some sleep. I answered yes my dear, I spent the night with The Lord. In the chapple.
Sorry about the ramblings. One previous hr.

 

[Boat]

Taking liberties. Would be a crew of James Burke and Alvin Toffler, some of their researchers, and preferably last for weeks. We could pitch tents behind the bench, by the picnic tables. This is based on their works like The Third Wave, Connections, The Day the Universe Changed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Third_Wave_(Toffler_book), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connections_(TV_series), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_the_Universe_Changed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Burke_(science_historian)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Toffler

It would be my own little conference on Technological and Economic History.

 

[O C Diver]

Ben Morgan, he was my metal shop and science teacher at boarding school. Spent a great deal of time with him over the four years and one summer doing restoration projects for the school. Learned all sorts of mechanical skills including welding, metal fabrication, plumbing, electrical wiring and how to operate any machine or vehicle on campus. He taught me to be OCD. To seek the better or best way to do something, even if you ultimately couldn't do it that way. Being a Science teacher, I guess the search for the better or best answer was natural for his field of expertise. I have become an adult and have different questions that I would like his guidance on. Probably take more than an hour.

Ted

 

[jimisbell]

I would love to spend 60 minutes on a park overlooking the ocean, not talking with, but listening, to God. I charter to Him quite regularly. So , I would love to listen to his problems for a change. A few years ago, my wife and I were holidaying in Lima, Peru.
Our flights home got screwed up at the airport, and my wife got an earlier (12 hrs) flight ahead of me. That airport has sooo many people and sooo few chairs, I walked around till I found the chapple. Guess what. It was empty. I layed on a very long bench, spoke to God, asked ìf He would please keep my wife safe on her journey home and I fell asleep. Next morning, my wife called; were you able to get some sleep. I answered yes my dear, I spent the night with The Lord. In the chapple.
Sorry about the ramblings. One previous hr.

My vote for Best Answer.

 

[Furycove]

Years ago, I had the good fortune of having the use of a tiny Island near Sidney BC. A dream come true for a complete boat nut! But it got even better when the owner of a neighboring island rowed gently by one evening, and introduced himself as Bill Garden...also a bit of a boat nut! We became good friends over time, and through him, met Orin Edson, yet another boat nut, who also became a good friend. Both terrific, smart, funny people, who I really enjoyed spending time with, and am proud to have known. Sadly, they are both gone now, but if I had that "magic" bench, I would be one happy guy if I could sit down with both of them, and have another wonderful hour, looking out at the pass, talking about the bond we all had in common..boats of course.
Thanks so much for this thread...great memories.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. j. "My vote for Best Answer." Perhaps, but religious figures are excluded from this thread.


Interesting answers thus far. Did anyone entertain the idea to talk with someone we didn't admire? Perhaps someone who may have been misrepresented by history?
Karl Marx? George III? Fidel Castro? Benedict Arnold?

 

[BandB]

Years ago, I had the good fortune of having the use of a tiny Island near Sidney BC. A dream come true for a complete boat nut! But it got even better when the owner of a neighboring island rowed gently by one evening, and introduced himself as Bill Garden...also a bit of a boat nut! We became good friends over time, and through him, met Orin Edson, yet another boat nut, who also became a good friend. Both terrific, smart, funny people, who I really enjoyed spending time with, and am proud to have known. Sadly, they are both gone now, but if I had that "magic" bench, I would be one happy guy if I could sit down with both of them, and have another wonderful hour, looking out at the pass, talking about the bond we all had in common..boats of course.
Thanks so much for this thread...great memories.

I had the pleasure of meeting Orin Edson, but never Bill Garden. I never had the chance to really become good friends with Orin but he certainly had my admiration as did Bill Garden. Two people who loved what they did. I am envious of you becoming good friends with both.

 

[GFC]

Tough choice to make between General James Mattis or Clint Eastwood.

I had a unique opportunity while skiing at Sun Valley many years ago. When I went in for lunch I happened to sit at a table next to Clint Eastwood. We had an interesting conversation for about 45 minutes until he finished lunch and got up to leave.

Since I've already talked with him I guess my other choice of General James Mattis. Since he lives right here in my area it's not beyond the realm of possibility.

Steve Mc Queen

In the early 70's I was in the USAF and stationed in AK. I worked at a sporting good store and ran their gun counter. Steve had come up to AK to do a guided hunt and the guide brought him into the store to get some equipment and clothing he couldn't get down in CA. Since he started the 2 hour shopping trip at the gun counter I got to help him and spent the next hour or so helping him find the equipment he was looking for.

Great down-to-earth guy and a nice guy to share a conversation with.

 

[BandB]

I think a conversation with President Lincoln would be fascinating. However, I’m not sure he would have any insight that would be relevant to those issues you mentioned.

Wifey B: I think like most people in history, if you really got deep and honest, he'd shock you that his thoughts and reasoning at that time wasn't nearly what you might think. We have so little insight into most people in the past. We have "what they did" but we don't have "what they were thinking." We also know so little of their lives outside their time in office. Compare to recent Presidents who we know so much about. Would be so interesting to mention other well known people of his era and find out what he thought about them.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Ms. BB. Exactly the point I was making in my post #44. We only "know" some of these historical figures by their published reputations and history is written by the victors.

 

[BandB]

Greetings,
Ms. BB. Exactly the point I was making in my post #44. We only "know" some of these historical figures by their published reputations and history is written by the victors.

Wifey B: Most before internet and before everyone having a camera and recorder with them 24/7. We know a lot more about the character of people today, but doesn't seem like we really care. We've learned a lot of bad, but then I find some of what we've learned about our previous Presidents to be so great. I love seeing Bush and Clinton on stage together joking and playing. I love the moments between Michelle and George. I enjoy Bush's art. I wasn't born until midway his Presidency, but I've very much found what we've seen from Jimmy Carter since holding office to be gratifying. I'd only heard bad things about his Presidency, but I think he's a far better man than he was a President. Watching Reagan's struggle with Alzheimer's and how Nancy helped him retain his dignity and enjoy what he could was moving. The American people seemed to dislike her but her love and caring and the way she took care of Ronald showed a tremendously strong and good woman.

 

[BandB]

Greetings,
Mr. j. "My vote for Best Answer." Perhaps, but religious figures are excluded from this thread.


Interesting answers thus far. Did anyone entertain the idea to talk with someone we didn't admire? Perhaps someone who may have been misrepresented by history?
Karl Marx? George III? Fidel Castro? Benedict Arnold?

Wifey B: Not as first choice, but....Some would be interesting. Question is would they in any way be honest? I'd love to know about Fidel Castro how he turned into the person he became and if he cared at all about the people, or did he care and then find it better to build power and enrich himself personally. Did he ever imagine having the power he gained?

 

[BandB]

Greetings,
Mr. j. "My vote for Best Answer." Perhaps, but religious figures are excluded from this thread.


Interesting answers thus far. Did anyone entertain the idea to talk with someone we didn't admire? Perhaps someone who may have been misrepresented by history?
Karl Marx? George III? Fidel Castro? Benedict Arnold?

I know relatives are out too, but I would love to know what happened in person's lives to get them to be who they were. Where did they learn or acquire their views. I have cousins I grew up with, spending as much time as possible together. Yet, our views today are as opposite as possible. I don't know when it happened. Was it always there or did it happen after school? Religion, politics, social views opposite. Views on other races, ethnic groups, nationalities opposite. Was it always there? Did it happen suddenly? What factors influenced us? We were college age and boating together in the summers and I didn't know. Then seems like we were 30 or so and family gatherings and I was shocked and I'm sure they were equally or more shocked by me.

If one sat down with those everyone has chosen and had an honest, serious conversation would you like them even more or less?

 

[Genecop]

Carl Sagan.....

 

[kthoennes]

Boy, so many come to mind. I know we excluded relatives, but I'd like to talk to both my grandfathers about the boldness and bravery it took to sail away on immigrant ships to America and never look back. One Russian, the other German. One grandfather died before I was born so I never knew him, and I only knew the other one as a child, died when I was 11. I have an oil painting of his immigrant ship in my office, the Albert Ballin, he arrived in May, 1927. Nineteen years old. He landed with "Occupation: baker" on his immigration papers and died a wealthy real estate tycoon. The family legend is that his family sent him over so no more of their sons would die in the next German war. Wise move.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Easy for me, always was, always will be, Chuck Yeager!

According to a couple of my acquaintances who would know, he might not want to talk to you.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Carl Sagan.....

Good choice. How about Arthur C. Clarke?

 

[kthoennes]

I went to school in Connecticut with Karen Yeager, an incredibly beautiful young lady who had the boys following her like puppy dogs (including me). She always said she was Chuck Yeager's niece. My three-degrees-removed brush with fame, if the family connection was true.

Hmm, with a little Internet sleuthing, looks like Karen's claim is unlikely. I'm shocked.

 

[BruceK]

(Sir) David Attenborough. Well into his 90s,less known for having run the BBC than his naturalist exploits, especially in the earlier years.

 

[Wayfarer]

Robin Williams.

I suspect it might not be much of a two way conversation, and I don't think I would ever ask why. But maybe before he got up to walk away I would have more of an insight into the person and people.

Carl Sagan.....

Both excellent choices. I miss Robin Williams. As others have said, I doubt I could keep Carl Sagan's attention for more than a few seconds. It would be more of a student-teacher relationship.

I'm having a hard time narrowing it down, but I think I'd have gotten along with Douglas Adams really well. He was the comedic genius responsible for the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, some of my very favorite reads.

I'm rereading Joshua Slocum's Sailing Alone Around the World at the moment, and he's another one I could easily spend an hour with.

So many to choose from. Hell, Louie CK had a 42' Grand Banks Europa, and I could easily spend four hours talking to him just about that.