Connections

John's typical outfit for working
in the yard, or on the cars.
Old t-shirt, crazy shorts, white
socks, and clogs.

Having married one of the most extroverted people I've ever met, and being a complete introvert myself, I'm always amazed by the connections John makes.  In fact, it's become quite the joke among our close friends and the kids.  John knows somebody for just about everything, and they are all willing to help him out because they know that he will be there for them too.

If you read below about the Kennedy Fire Pit and Patio, you'll see just what I mean.

• John needed a backhoe--he called a friend down the road that loaned it to him.
• John needed a vibrating plate tamper--he called a newly-baptized member of the church who brought one over several different times including after dark.  No problem--the nice guy just turned on the lights on his tow truck for John.
• When our old tractor had problems, or when The Phoenix breaks down, John calls Ed Mills, a guy he randomly met down the road when he bought the Monte Carlo.
• When I broke my ankle, John called a friend in the ER to get everything ready.
• When Glo and I needed a distraction last summer, John called up David and Mel.
• When John wanted a job at Interlochen, he called and spoke to the head nurse there.  Turns out, she was working in Dayton when John was a resident, and ended up giving John the job over somebody else because of that.
• When Glo wants deer jerky, John knows which branch in the stake to visit to get her some.
• When we need chocolate, he stops by the Boyer candy factory outlet in Altoona.
• When Ethan submitted his mission papers, we would get updates on their progress from the stake president with whom John serves.
• He has guys he knows at Auto Zone, the Paint Doctor, even a guy who fixes up cars in Traverse City, Michigan.
• When John was talking about Ethan serving a mission in Poland, one of the anesthesiologists (who is from Poland) gave John the phone numbers of his brothers who still live in Poland to give to Ethan.
• John joined a gym in Altoona.  Come to find out, the owner also manages an AON wrestling league.  Would John like to be their on-call medic and get free entrance to the AON matches for himself and any guests, PLUS get paid?  Really?  An OB/Gyn as the medic at an AON match.  Das geht!
• Somehow (I still don't know how this happened), John met a doctor down the street who is a huge gardener.  He needed help, taking care of the garden of an older lady in State College.  He called John.  Last year, she gave us several trees.  Last night, John came home with 200 bulbs that she had pulled up for him--all for free.

This past Saturday, John really, really wanted to go out to eat at Dairy Queen.  The weather was so nice, I insisted that we eat on the DQ patio that sits adjacent to the drive-thru.  I actually made him sit with his back to the drive-thru, because I knew he would see somebody that he knew, and not having seen him much lately, I wanted him all to the family.  As soon as he did so, he faced the other direction and saw a former colleague of his from Geisinger who likes to run too.  Are you kidding me?   Cue five minute conversation.  Then, Glo turned around and actually saw the guy who lent us the backhoe going through the drive-thru.  Cue a wave, and a "hi".  Wow!

Seriously, if we need something, John knows who to call.  When we go somewhere, he sees someone he knows.  He's got connections, and I love him for it.