GaryOsberg.com

Many years ago my Dad went to work as a dishwasher at Little Sisters of the Poor in St. Paul. His boss was a woman named Maxine. They became real good friends and her family referred to him as Grandpa Bill. Maxine and Dad never lived together, but they ended up living in the same high rise apartment building next to St. Paul Ramsey Hospital on University Avenue. When Maxine died, I attended the funeral and Dad surprised me by asking me to sing “The Lord’s Prayer” and “Amazing Grace” during the service. There was no piano, so I had to sing “a Capella”. It was ok.

One of the pieces of furniture that Dad brought with him when he moved in with me was a corner unit with glass shelves and a glass door that had belonged to Maxine. Her family had given it to him. After Dad passed, I had to clean out his room. One of the items in the cabinet was a small green egg with silver decorations and a seam abound the middle. I was curious to see what treasure was inside, but when I pried it open, expecting to find a doll, what came out were ashes! “OH MY GOD! IT WAS MAXINE”. I spilled a little in my haste to put it back together and quickly put it back in the curio.

A few years later, it happened again to someone that was helping me to clean house.  After that I decided to dig a hole next to my Dad’s grave and bury the “egg”. 

The Live from Here show tomorrow is in fact a live show from Kansas City.  Special guests include Mandolin Orange, My Brightest Diamond, Judy Gold and Gaby Moreno.   Enjoy the show on your radio, smart phone or you can watch it on YouTube. 

“My Fellow Minnesotans,  Thank you.  I am deeply grateful for the chance to serve as our great state’s Governor for the past eight years.  In 2010, I promised “A Better Minnesota”.  Working together, we have kept that pledge.”   Former Governor Mark Dayton

Note:  This was the entire Letter to The Editor in yesterday’s St. Cloud Times.  It can be read in 15 seconds, just like all of the underwriting messages on MPR.