Hometown Celebrity -

When you live in a small town or I should I say city, with a lot of small towns around you, you seem to run into the same people over and over. There are more than a hundred thousand people living in our area of the world. About sixty thousand are in one city, twenty thousand of which are part of the local university. The other forty thousand are strung out over a thirty-mile area. It’s unlikely that there is any one individual that is known by everyone – but if there were it would be one of just a couple of individuals. That may include a politician; the university basketball coach whom teams has won twenty or more games for about ten straight seasons, and Brent. When I say known by everyone there would be different categories of knowing. There is the area that people recognize you by sight, then there’s the knowing your names and at least an occasional wave, then there’s the last category of spending time with, or engaging in meaningful conversation. In the first two Brent is a clear winner. But in the third category it wouldn’t be that high. Brent is a handicapped individual that has a number of challenges. I’ve heard what is wrong with Brent, but to be honest I have long forgotten, and no one really cares. Brent has a hard time communicating, as most people don’t understand what he is saying. I have spent so much time with Brent that I think I can understand most of what he is talking about. A few years ago there was a movie called Radio, which reminded me of Brent. As a matter of fact I believe Brent’s movie would be as good as the other one. Brent’s total means of transportation is his mountain bike, he has at least three - one was given to him by a local dealer, another was given to him when he retired from the university cafeteria - which I still think he goes to everyday even though he's retired. I have never seen Brent ride his bike without one hand continually waving to anyone in sight. Even riding up the most challenging hills in town seems effortless to the waving bicycle machine. He had worked at the local university for more than twenty-five years washing dishes and cleaning up in one of the many cafeterias. Brent is so concerned that he doesn’t miss waving at anyone that one-day he was hit by a truck. He was sent to the local hospital and the newspaper ran a story about the accident. I think the local post office had to almost set up an office in the hospital to handle all of his get-well wishes. When the Olympic Touch came through town for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics – Brent was chosen to carry the torch into the basketball stadium with more than ten thousand fans cheering him on. This was shown on the news and media member interviewed Brent’s family. But the reason I’m telling this isn’t because of these things – it’s because Bent is one of my best friends. Our relationship has lasted for more than thirty years. While Brent has worked at the university he has lived on his own in a couple of different location, the longest of which is the one he lives in now. I asked his one-day if he wanted to play softball in a local church league. Now church sport isn’t suppose to be as competitive as most leagues, and at the end of our rotation we allowed Brent to bat. He didn’t ever take the field but he loved to bat. The first time he batted the other team threw his out at first base. Brent didn’t understand and continued to stand on first. We talked the other team into letting us have another hitter and then Brent ran the bases with everyone’s encouragement. After that time no team ever tried to get Brent out, and we never counted his run on our score. After softball then came basketball and so on. I moved away for a period of time and I don’t know how he got my address but he would write me on a number of occasions. When we moved back into town five years later you would have thought nothing had changed as Brent would call me by name and come to see me at work and at home. I see Brent at lease three or four times a month – at the bank. I make sure he always gets candy and he gives me the latest free newspaper from the university or an advertising tract that he had picked up somewhere. When he comes he never says much and sometimes it isn’t convenient. But when he leaves he always has a big smile and a great big wave. I’ve had a lot of friends in my life most of which I never see anymore. Brent is my most faithful friend, he doesn’t care what I drive or how much money I make – for that matter he doesn’t care if I’m not in a good mood or can spend a lot of time with him when he comes. He has never helped me with a project or given me anything of monetary value, just free newspapers. He gives me his love and friendship and I hope he can feel it from me as well, because I love Brent Carpenter.