Mr. Bill

This past week I passed Bill Blakely, a fellow driver who Kevin knew. I rarely see him since he has been at the Mta for 31 years. He usually has a straight 8 hour shift, which most of us don't have, and so our paths just don't cross. Seeing him brought back a wonderful memory of Kevin who use to take Mr. Bill's bus to a job he had on east 14th after school.

By the time I arrived in Des Moines Kevin was out of school. He asked about Mr. Bill as I had just started to work at the MTA. Bill's name came up periodically as I tried to find out who this man was who Kevin had always spoken so highly of. Every now and then Kevin would ask me if I had met Mr. Bill. I was there for over a year before I met Bill Blakely as even 5 years ago he had so much seniority that he was on the straight 8 schedule. I would always ask around about this man who Kevin called Mr. Bill and who meant a lot to Kevin. I finally got to meet him and told him that my son had ridden his bus, the number 4, to work and back. So many kids ride the bus but I do think that he remembered Kevin since he rode the bus on a daily basis.

When I saw him the other day I remembered all of my interactions with Kevin as we were trying to figure out who Kevin's favorite Mr. Bill was and if I had met him at work yet. Mr. Bill was the name given him by some of the riders who were going to and from Goodwill.

Another memory totally unrelated but one that came to mind, and in my mind, shows so much of Kevin's compassion, concerns my messy car. I opened the door to the car and remembered Kevin's words from many years ago as we were entering my apartment. He very lovingly said "Mom's mess". Messy it was but Kevin said it without criticism. He was stating a fact and in an accepting understanding manner. If he could only see my car he would have said the same thing. "Mom's mess!" I opened the door to my car and opened the door to another wonderful memory.

Along slightly different lines but a memory which I feel shows so much of the way Kevin was concerns the loss (or theft more likely) of a video lent to Kevin by one of his friends. I think it was called "Meet the Feebles" and was done by Peter Jackson of LOTR fame. Hard to believe but, then again, I've never seen the video. The video disappeared from Kevin's apartment and Kevin felt so bad since it was a favorite of his friend's. Feeling so responsible the two of us went to a little local video store on Sherman Hill, no longer in existence, to see if he could replace the lost video. The people at the store were able to get it for him, a used one, probably from Ebay, and so he was able to return a facsimile to his friend.

I can still hear Kevin's words, too, as Kevin insisted that this same guy (that's why I remembered it) pay me back the $100.00 I had put up for his bail. I really had not planned on getting the money back but Kevin felt strongly that I should be paid back and in retrospect he was right. And, of course, I treasure him for his character and concern for me.

A few more memories of Kevin all of which show a little more, "illuminate" really, Kevin's caring and character. He was a really special young man who at least had one good memory about the MTA - Mr. Bill. And I thank Bill Blakely for these wonderful memories which come to mind whenever I see him.