Nick is a joy to be around and as gen-xer he was kind enough to listen to some "boomer" complain about progress, saturation density, worthless politicians and rezoning.
But I found it rather interesting that my explanation of "pleasantries" fell flat.
I told Nick that he'd have to excuse my use of "pleasantries" as I'd come to call the small talk before getting to the "meat" of our concerns and the reason for our meeting in South Charlotte, insert blank stare.
I tried again, "You know like Bob Edwards and Red Barber" which in return was met with that telltale deer in the headlights look.
So here is a very talented and ten year plus radio host and I'm starting wonder if he's never heard of Bob Edwards much less Red Barber? (Google Wiki Catbrid Seat)
And I find myself quietly thinking, "You know, the Bob Edwards who hosted NPR's flagship program, Morning Edition, from the show's inception in 1979 until 2004. (You know 24 plus years with Edwards as host and Arbitron ratings showed that, with 13 million listeners, it was the second highest-rated radio broadcast in the country, second only to Rush Limbaugh.) You know that Bob Edwards?"
Insert what's Arbitron? Ugh!
WFAE's Nick de la Canal recording a little "ambience" for his story.
So here for Nick and the rest of the non boomers is my take on Bob Edwards and Red Barber and pleasantries:
Good Morning,
It's a Wonderful Sunny Day here in Charlotte, though we could use some rain, I'll settle for the bright morning sun anytime. (Yes pleasantries)
Maybe because it's Friday or maybe because I watched a Baseball pre season game last night, or maybe just because I started thinking.....
Years ago, "back in the day" I spent a lot of time on the road on Fridays.
Because most of my clients paid their employees on Fridays, that day was the preferred day for 401(k) retirement plan enrollment meetings, since for some reason all the employee would all show up for work on payday.
Go figure!
Being in the investment biz and helping my clients with their 401(k) plans and doing 401(k) enrollment meetings was just part of the job but a part I really enjoyed.
So most of my Fridays would start before 5AM so I could be out the door by 6AM then make a two hour drive out into the Carolina countryside where I'd do a few enrollment meetings before driving back to my office late in the afternoon.
Much of my early AM on Fridays drive was spent listening to Morning Edition with Bob Edwards. The highlight of any Friday morning on NPR was the once a week call to the famous Red Barber.
Now you're probably thinking who the hell is Red Barber?
Well, Red was a radio announcer from the early days of radio, and the first days of television broadcasting. Red was the voice of the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers (before they moved west) and the New York Yankees. Red was a radio pioneer, and his firsts are many, and back in the day he was the shit!
He had retired to Tallahassee Florida in the early seventies and was rediscovered by Bob Edwards much by chance in 1981.
So for 12 years Bob would call Red at home every Friday live on radio at exactly 7:35AM and they would chat about just about everything, often Baseball, sometimes politics or whatever had gotten Red's attention during the past week.
But not before Red went through the pleasantries and small talk that made Red a true southern gentleman.
Red Barber passed away in 1992,
I'm surprised by that, because it seems like just yesterday I heard his voice on the radio and he would say..
Good Morning Colonel Bob, It's a Wonderful Sunny Day here in Tallahassee, though we could use some rain, I'll settle for the bright morning sun anytime.
Footnote: I’m sort of surprised by the fact that 30 years have passed
since Red Barber died. Bob Edwards left NPR in 2004.
To Nick - Thank you for helping this "boomer" tell a story that matters.
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