My Friend Bill

My father has recurring dreams where he and Bill Clinton spend hours in conversation.  I can understand how that might really be possible.  He and dad would have a great time together.  My father has never been shy about offering his ideas or advice and a lot of my world was shaped by those ideas and those of my mother, for which I am truly thankful.

As my father tells it...

So in the dream my 20-something father is sitting on a fence that rambles along beside a dusty, country dirt road in Kansas.

Envision weeds growing down the center of the road with wagon and tractor tracks to either side.  We aren't talking about cars or truck here for the most part, although my grandfather had a black Ford truck stick shift that had a hole through the middle of the floorboard where those weeds came right up through!  But that was later and another story!

It is summer, the trees, in full leaf, are moving languidly in the soft breeze.  The air is sweet with the smell of honeysuckle and sweet clover.  When slowly Dad realizes that there is music in the air -- something familiar in both the melody and the singer that brings him off the fence to look for the source.

He walks down the dirt road toward the music.  He recognizes the voice now.  It is Merle Haggard singing -- singing a song my father wrote.  (Yes, my father has also written a number of songs, some with lyrics -- in his head.  He can sing many of them on request, if anyone is asking!)

So he continues toward the music and notices lots of people headed toward a tree covered picnic area to the right where Merle is singing.  There are lots of people there who are laughing, talking and waiting for the picnic lunch.  It is at this point dad spots Bill Clinton in the group.  They make eye contact and it is just like they have always known each other.

"Hey, Jack," Bill says approaching dad and shaking his hand, "good to see you!  Haven't seen you in a long time.  What have you been doin' with yourself?"

Dad is so happy to see Bill.  He truly has a special place in dad's heart and he loves to talk with him.  I think that it is because Bill is such a great listener.  Anyway, dad and Bill decide to sit at one of the tables.  This was going to be a long conversation -- we all know this, right?

So they sit down and talk and talk with multiple conversations, laughter, the smell of barbeque and the sound of Merle Haggard in the background.   Dad says he doesn't remember that much about what he and Bill talked about, but that they were both really content in each others company and solving the problems of the world.

Then a couple of women who were getting the tables set up with table cloths came over to their table and interrupted their great conversation saying impatiently, "Okay, you guys have to move.  We need to get this table set up."

Dad looked up at them, and then back to Bill who smiled a big smile and said to everyone within earshot, "Hey, Jack, I guess they don't know who you are!"

This is the point where Dad usually smiles his big smile and says, "Imagine that, Bill Clinton looks at me and says, 'Guess they don't know who you are, Jack!'"

And then he laughs very pleased with himself and with his friend Bill.