I now know two: A friend of ours, who is married to a lady that my wife graduated high school with. He worked, and retired, from Ford Motor Company in Detroit. He is like a "walking encyclopedia"! IOW, he knows about a lot of stuff, unfortunately, nothing about ranching/cowboy/rodeo life, farm life or mountain wildlife, but other than those, quite a lot. Last night, while at a taco party in our complex club house, wife and I met and talked to the second "most interesting person I've ever met". Turns out he, like myself, have done a number of cool things in life. He is now 76 yrs old. He spent years in law enforcement, as both a patrolman and a homicide detective. He was a trick-rider in rodeo's. He spent some years in aerospace working in security with a very high security clearance. He had us in total "listening" mode, as he talked about his time in law enforcement. Some ladies were at the table by us talking, but my wife sat at the table with me and him, listening in all interest. Wife had absolutely no interest in talking with the ladies, only hearing this guys stories. His law enforcement days were in St Louis. Both wife and I look forward to speaking to him again sometime.
I have met several interesting people in my life. One of them was a paramedic who seemed to know quite a lot about pretty much everything, although he rarely used any of it. For example, his weight was probably approaching three hundred yet when he was talking to someone who was an aerobics instructor, he knew far more about the aerobics than she did. He knew the theories, the names, the dates, and the approaches. He could discuss psychiatry with a psychiatrist and hold his own. I think he spoke four languages and could discuss the history and politics of pretty much any country that anyone wanted to name, including ones that weren't even around anymore. Yet he was working as a paramedic for $10 an hour.
Yes, it was. It's possible to earn a fairly reasonable living in EMS in a supervisory level or teaching, as I did, but he wasn't interest in that. He just wanted to work his shifts and go do whatever he did when he wasn't at work, probably reading or taking courses that he wasn't going to use for anything other than expanding his knowledge level. One nice thing about being a paramedic is there isn't usually a lot of make-work involved. On slow days, you can lie in bed and read.
Years ago I was walking down the streets of Massey during the annual Agricultural Fair (which is very big) and coming towards me was Eileen Edwards with some teenagers following her.. I stopped her to chat and we spoke for quite a few minutes.. She was extremely pleasant and willing to chat to almost anyone.. The kids were not annoying at all and she kind of liked it.. She was willing to sign an autograph to anyone that asked her but at the time I wasn't equipped to have one signed.. Talk about a Super Star here in Massey and the timing that I would have a chance to chat with her.. She comes from just outside Timmins which is a bit north from Massey but she loves horses and came here to see the fair.. I will always remember that pleasant moment.. PS..... Eileen Edwards.... You probably know her as her new name of .....SHANIA TWAIN .....
Well, some of the areas I worked there was very little-to-no relaxation time...…..Los Angeles, Compton, Watts, South Central. Now, when I worked the Orange County beach of Huntington Beach, did see a day of relaxation, but it was in the Unit on "standby" by the pier, definitely not at the station sleeping or reading.
Must say, I did meet another "interesting" person once, after a rodeo I was at. I was headed back to the parking area, going thru the vendor stands and seen this young lady wearing a nice Championship buckle. I stopped and spoke to her for a moment, turns out that she was the previous year World Champion Female Bull Rider. Yes, you read that right...……..World Champion Bull Rider and it was a young lady. All I could say was, "good for you!"
I think just about everyone I have ever met has been an interesting person to me...especially once they opened up and let you see that side of them. There are interesting people on this Forum too. And although I've never met them in person I am awfully glad to "know" how interesting they are to me on this Forum.